Choosing The Best Academic Planner: A Complete Guide

When it comes to academic planners, there are plenty of different types and styles on the market. But the secret to finding the best planner is simply to consider all of the factors that would make it work for you.

Picking out your new academic planner can be quick and easy - as long as you know what to look for. Luckily, we've got you covered with some of our expert advice on what to consider before you make your purchase.

At Plum Paper, we love pairing people with their perfect custom planners. That's why our range of customizable planners is so extensive! We want to help you succeed throughout the school year by giving you everything you could ever want in one planner.

Still, the question remains: How do you choose which one will work best for you?

Old-school academic planners are a thing of the past. Now, rather than picking up a plain one that doesn't meet your needs, you can have your pick of the bunch with Plum Paper's customizable planners.

Still, before you start putting your perfect planner together, there are a few things you'll need to consider. For example, how big or small do you need your planner to be? Is it for a student or a teacher - and why does that matter? Below, you'll find our top tips for choosing the best academic planner to suit you and your needs. So, let's jump right into it!

Consider your grade level and subjects

When picking out an academic planner, it's important to remember that teachers and students will have different needs depending on their grade level. For instance:

Elementary school

Elementary teachers need to focus on creating a structured yet nurturing environment for their students. This is why teachers usually need lesson planners, sections for tracking their students' progress, and more. Customizable layouts can also take a basic planner to a whole new level.

On the other hand, elementary students may benefit from an academic student planner that includes things like customizable layouts, coloring spaces, homework help, and (of course) an academic section.

Middle school and high school

If you're teaching middle or high school, your planner should ideally be able to handle a more complicated schedule. So, you may need a planner with not only a monthly overview but also a daily or weekly layout with sections for:

1. Multiple subjects
2. Multiple grade levels
3. Detailed assignment tracking
4. Extracurricular planning

Similarly, middle or high school students should look for a planner that has a bigger focus on academic tracking. There should also be enough writing space to create daily to-dos, a notes section, and potentially a few blank pages for personal writing such as bullet journaling.

College

For both professors and college students, your planner needs to be flexible and organized, with enough room for multiple activities. From class schedules to due dates, information about assignments, and personal commitments, there are several things to keep track of at this stage.

So, to find the perfect planner, you should try to find one that includes as many different pages and page types as possible. Alternatively, you can create your own custom academic planner with everything you need to prioritize tasks.

Identify your organizational style

Secondly, you'll want to consider your organizational style. If you thrive on specifics and prefer to map out your day in detail, then a daily layout could be a great fit for you. We'd highly recommend this style of academic planner to teachers since it can be incredibly beneficial to see your entire day broken down by the hour. This makes it much easier to keep track of every assignment, meeting, class, or activity.

On the other hand, students may find it easier to use academic planners that are broken down into weeks or months. Since they become accustomed to their daily school schedule pretty quickly, they usually only need to keep track of things like assignment dates, important school events, tests, and homework.

An undated planner may also be a great choice for younger children with less complicated school schedules.

Durability and portability

Whether you're a teacher or student, your academic planner will become your constant companion. It will accompany you to class, extracurriculars, home, and everywhere in between. This is why it's so important to consider the durability of your planner.

Ideally, your planner should be able to withstand the wear and tear of daily use, which means you should look for something with thick paper and a high-quality cover. While paper planners may be a little more compact, they can easily become worn, which means you'll be searching for a new one before the year is up.

Of course, you'll also need to consider portability. While students can get away with smaller planners, teachers need ones that are easy enough to carry but still big enough to store all of their information. For this reason, finding a planner that provides the perfect balance between durability and portability is essential.

Personalization options

There's nothing quite like making your planner your own. From customizing the layout (including what pages and sections you include and whether you prefer a horizontal or vertical layout) to adding accessories like stickers, adhesive corners for storage, and more - the possibilities are endless!

Fortunately, with Plum Paper, we have all of your customization needs covered. We help you personalize every page (and cover) of your academic planner, so you can take your school year organization to the next level. We also cater to everyone, from students to teachers - and even parents if you like to keep tabs on your little one's academic schedule.

FAQs

Why do I need an academic planner?

An academic planner is an important tool for anyone who is involved in education - whether you're a student or a teacher. It helps you to stay organized by allowing you to track assignments, classes, projects, and important dates and deadlines all in one place. And, if you know how to, you can use your planner to its full potential to achieve success throughout the school year.

What are the different categories of academic planners?

There are a few different types of academic planners you can choose from, including:

Mid-year planners: These run from July to June and can be used to track part of the school year, for early school year planning, or as planners for students in summer programs.

Teacher planners: These planners are specifically designed for teachers and usually include sections with pages dedicated to lesson plans, student attendance, seating charts, assignment due dates and marking, and more.

Academic year planner: Academic year planners run from the start of the school year (August) to the end (July). This makes them essential back-to-school supplies for both teachers and students who want to track their progress and stay organized throughout the year.

Academic calendar or monthly planner: These are perfect for setting yearly goals since they have weekly and monthly calendar overviews. This makes them ideal for teachers and older children, such as high school students. They're also great for any college student who wants to see their year at a glance.

Final Thoughts

Finding the perfect academic planner doesn't have to be a challenge - at least not with Plum Paper. With us, you'll find a planner to suit everyone, no matter what stage of their academic journey they're in. In fact, we've even got the perfect planners for teachers and professors to help them stay organized.

With our customization options, your new planner is guaranteed to make your life a whole lot easier. So, be sure to check out our ranges to start putting your personalized academic planner together today.