Study Schedule Planner
Total hours
20
Hours/subject
5
How it works
Effective study planning requires more than good intentions — it requires mapping available time blocks against the volume of material to cover, accounting for spaced repetition principles, and building in buffer for review and rest. The Study Schedule Planner takes your exam dates, subject list, estimated hours needed per subject, and available daily study blocks — and generates a day-by-day schedule.
**Scheduling principles** Distribute subjects across multiple days rather than massing all study of one topic ("interleaving"). Interleaved practice (alternating between subjects) produces better long-term retention than blocked practice, even though it feels harder and less productive during study (Rohrer & Taylor, 2007). The planner automatically interleaves subjects when multiple exams are approaching.
**Spaced review built in** Beyond initial study blocks, the planner schedules review sessions at spaced intervals: day 1 (initial study), day 2–3 (first review), day 7 (second review), day 14 (third review). These are placed in available blocks after initial study is complete.
**Pomodoro compatibility** The planner outputs study blocks in 25-minute Pomodoro units with 5-minute breaks, compatible with standard focus techniques. A 2-hour study block = 4 Pomodoros (25 min study + 5 min break × 4 = 2 hours). Longer unbroken sessions (>90 min) produce diminishing cognitive returns.
**Exam-weight allocation** Harder subjects and higher-credit exams receive more study hours proportionally. The planner uses a configurable formula: hours_needed = subject_difficulty_rating × credit_hours × multiplier. Default multiplier produces roughly 3 hours of study per credit hour for a thorough review.
Privacy: all scheduling runs in the browser. No schedule data is transmitted.
Frequently Asked Questions
- The Carnegie Unit rule of thumb: 2–3 hours of study per week per credit hour in a 15-week semester. A 3-credit course = 6–9 hours/week outside class. A full load of 15 credits = 30–45 hours of weekly study. Research at US universities finds that students who study 3+ hours per credit hour earn significantly higher GPAs than those studying 1–2 hours. The challenge: most students dramatically underestimate required study time. The planner uses these ratios as defaults and adjusts for course difficulty ratings you provide.
- The Pomodoro Technique (Francesco Cirillo, 1980s): work for 25 minutes (one 'Pomodoro'), break for 5 minutes; after 4 Pomodoros, take a longer 15–30 minute break. The rationale: sustained attention degrades after 20–45 minutes for most cognitive tasks; regular breaks maintain cognitive performance over longer sessions. Research support is mixed — randomised controlled trials are sparse, but observational evidence shows significant productivity gains for some individuals. Works best for tasks requiring focused attention without frequent interruptions; less suitable for collaborative work or tasks requiring long warmup (research, complex coding).
- Three evidence-based strategies: (1) Interleaving — alternate between subjects in each study session rather than completing all of Subject A before starting Subject B. Harder but produces better retention and transfer. (2) Prioritise by gap-to-exam × importance: subjects with exams sooner and higher grade weight deserve more time. (3) Start with hardest material when cognitive energy is highest (typically morning for early risers; late morning/early afternoon for most people). The planner automatically distributes subjects across available blocks using interleaving unless you disable it.
- For a comprehensive exam: plan at least 3–5 review sessions spaced over 1–2 weeks. A single 'marathon review' the night before is far less effective than 5 shorter spaced sessions. Suggested schedule: 2 weeks before: complete all initial studying. 10 days before: first review (focus on weakest areas identified in initial study). 5 days before: second review (practice problems and self-testing). 2 days before: third review (address remaining weak spots only). Night before: light review of summary notes only — avoid learning new material, which competes with consolidation of what you already know.