Seniors - EF Coaching Skills IECs Can Use to Keep Their Seniors Organized

It’s tough to get seniors to stay organized during application season. In this new feature, “Tutor Tips,” we will bring you tricks of the trade from veteran Applerouth tutors and coaches. This quarter, we’re sharing some executive function coaching skills that IECs can use with their students, from Applerouth IEC team’s Jenna Berk!

1. Have your student break down large projects into smaller, bite-sized pieces
Rewriting a resume, compiling extracurriculars, supplementary essays, personal statements—it’s enough to make your head spin! If your seniors are getting overwhelmed by all the weighty assignments on their plates, have them break each big project into smaller pieces, even ones as simple as “write the introductory paragraph” or “read through your rough draft.”

2. Encourage your student to set deadlines
All those smaller pieces need to have their own deadlines so they don’t fall by the wayside. If your student sets the deadlines, they’ll have more ownership over the process and will learn about time management, an invaluable skill for college. Plus, the more chances students have to check small deadlines off their to-do list, the more accomplished they’ll feel—the perfect recipe for feeling ready to bite off another task!

3. Set a timer to avoid distractions and encourage breaks
There are tons of apps out there that will help your student set timed goals for themselves, both to get work done and to remember to take a break (or have a snack). My personal favorites are Focus Keeper (a form of Pomodoro timers) and Beeper App (forces you to confirm you’re on task at random intervals - NASA-approved!).