If you wait until August to help your student “get serious” about college planning… you’re already behind. Students don’t fall behind because they’re lazy. They fall behind because they don’t have a plan. And planning? That’s not a personality trait. It’s a teachable skill — and summer is the perfect time to practice it.

The Truth: Students Don’t Need More Motivation. They Need a Map.

My son didn’t want a planner.
Didn’t want a tutor.
Didn’t want to talk about time blocks or due dates or “study systems.”

He wanted to do well… he just didn’t know how.

He didn’t realize that planning isn’t something you do once, when you get a syllabus. Planning is something you practice — a muscle you build. And the best time to build that muscle? When the stakes are lower and the schedule’s more flexible: summer.

So this summer, don’t just focus on having fun (although yes, do that too). Make a plan to practice planning. Here are three ways families can start building that skill together — no whiteboards or color-coded calendars required.

1. Plan the Week on Sunday – Together

Every Sunday night, take 10 minutes to look ahead as a family.
What's happening this week? What are the must-dos vs. want-to-dos? Is there enough time to relax and still knock out the goals?

🧠 Why this works: It teaches students to look at their week as a whole — not just as a string of random days.

✅ What to model: Prioritizing. Downtime. Tradeoffs.

👉 Student Tip: Grab a notebook. Write down your top 3 goals for the week — and what day you'll do them. Don’t overthink it.

2. Use a Summer Goal Board

Let your student create a “Goal Board” (digital or physical) with 2–3 summer wins they want to make happen — academic, personal, or otherwise.

📌 Examples:

• Read one book that’s not assigned

• Plan their "ideal" dorm room

• Organize digital files before college

• Start a habit of writing out daily to-dos

🧠 Why this works: It helps students learn how to break a big, vague desire (“get ready for college”) into something visible and actionable.

🎯 Bonus: They’ll feel the dopamine hit of checking something off before school even starts.

3. Plan an Independent Day

Give your student one day a week where they plan everything: meals, chores, social time, etc.
Your job? Be available, but hands off.

🧠 Why this works: It’s the exact kind of autonomy college demands — without the risk of GPA consequences.

🤝 Parent Tip: Debrief afterward. What worked? What felt too packed? Too open? What would they tweak next time?

Why This Matters Now (Not Later)

College moves fast. And without the ability to map their time, most students either:

• Overcommit and burn out, or

• Under-plan and fall behind

But when a student knows how to plan ahead — even just a week at a time — everything changes. They don’t just get more done. They feel in control.

Want to Know If Your Student Is Ready?

Take our free College Readiness Assessment to find out where your student stands when it comes to planning, focus, and executive functioning skills.

Then, check out the College Success Bootcamp — the 4-week system that teaches students how to manage their time, stay focused, and build confidence before college begins.

Because success in college doesn’t start with talent.
It starts with a plan.