Planner inputs
Example schedule table
| Date | Day | Type | Topic | Minutes | Before | After | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-03-01 | Mon | Learn | Algebra | 60 | 28% | 37% | Concept + examples + active recall |
| 2026-03-02 | Tue | Review | Algebra | 25 | 35% | 40% | Spaced recap + quick recall drill |
| 2026-03-03 | Wed | Learn | Reading | 60 | 42% | 49% | Concept + examples + active recall |
| 2026-03-07 | Sun | Practice Test | Full-length set | 120 | — | — | Timed practice + targeted review notes |
| 2026-03-08 | Mon | Mixed Review | Weak areas from practice | 20 | — | — | Error log, flash review, and quick drills |
Formula used
Mastery decays between sessions: Mastery = Mastery × e−d × days
How to use this calculator
- Enter your start date, exam date, daily minutes, and sessions per day.
- Set target mastery, difficulty, review intensity, and practice frequency.
- Add your topics with importance, current mastery, and estimated hours.
- Click Create schedule to generate your plan.
- Download CSV or PDF, then follow the sessions daily.
Study capacity and calendar constraints
Your plan begins on the start date and stops buffer days before the exam. Weekday choices decide which dates are usable, so the real plan length is the count of eligible study days. Available hours = study_days × daily_minutes ÷ 60. Example: 24 study days at 120 minutes gives 48.0 hours. Fewer study days per week concentrates sessions and reduces gaps.
Topic baselines and importance weighting
Each topic uses inputs: name, importance (1–5), current mastery (0–98%), and estimated hours to confidence (2–80). Importance increases priority through a weighted need score, so level‑5 content is scheduled earlier and reviewed often. Estimated hours slows the topic learning rate using k_topic = k_base × (8 ÷ est_hours). Bigger estimates produce smaller gains per hour, preventing overly optimistic schedules.
Learning curve update with diminishing returns
Each session updates mastery with diminishing returns: gains shrink as mastery rises. Early study often moves faster (for example, 30% to 38–42% in a 60‑minute learn block), while later sessions may add only a few points. Sessions per day split daily minutes into blocks, with the final block absorbing any remainder. Learning blocks use full effort; review blocks use reduced effort to model faster recall practice.
Spaced reviews and timed practice integration
Review intensity controls both the time reserved for reviews and the queued intervals. Low, standard, and high settings reserve about 20%, 30%, or 40% of daily minutes and queue reviews at 2/7, 1/3/7, or 1/3/7/14 days. Due reviews are scheduled first but capped to avoid overload. Weekly or biweekly practice tests replace that day’s blocks with a timed set and automatically trigger short mixed reviews to lock in fixes.
Readiness score and output interpretation
Outputs include projected mastery by topic and an overall readiness score. Projected mastery applies time‑based decay between the last session and exam day, so long gaps reduce the final percentage. Readiness compares available time to an estimated required time to reach the target mastery, then converts the ratio into a 0–100 score. Below 80: add minutes, add days, or lower targets. Above 95: add practice tests and harder drills.
FAQs
What does the readiness score mean?
It compares your available study time with the estimated time needed to reach the target mastery. Near 100 suggests the plan is feasible; lower values signal you should add minutes, add days, or adjust targets.
How should I estimate current mastery?
Use a recent quiz or timed set. Convert correct answers into a percentage, then round to the nearest 5%. If you have not tested a topic yet, start with 15–25% and revise after your first review.
Why do some days contain more reviews?
Reviews are queued at fixed intervals after learning sessions and scheduled when they are due. The daily review cap prevents overload, so some reviews may shift to the next available study day.
Can I plan for multiple subjects at once?
Yes. Add each subject area as a separate topic row with its own importance and estimated hours. The scheduler rotates sessions across topics based on need, spacing, and your target mastery.
How do practice tests affect the calendar?
Practice days replace normal blocks with a timed set. The planner then adds short mixed‑review sessions on later days, so mistakes become targeted drills instead of being forgotten.
What if I miss a study day?
Keep the same inputs and regenerate the plan with a new start date, or increase daily minutes for the remaining days. The model will rebalance learning and reviews while keeping your target mastery and buffer days.