The Top 5 MUST-HAVE Academic Planners for College Students in 2023
5 College Planners That Will Help You Thrive at School
Ready to get your life together with a college planner?
I’ve rounded up and compared all the best planners for college students right here in this post.
The last of Spring classes are winding down, and we’re all ready to enjoy a lonnnggg summer break.
But the fact of the matter is:
The fall semester really isn’t that far away. As a student who’s been there and done that, I know that those few months of reprieve never seem to last long enough. And while that may be the last thing you want to have on your mind during the summer…
An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.
So a little preparation now can do wonders for your future self. Today I’m going to help you find the perfect planner for college. And with it, you’ll hopefully be able to preserve your sanity when the new semester rolls around.
With so many types of planners for students out there, it was too difficult to pick just one overall best planner. Not to mention, planning is such an individual thing. We all have our own unique preferences, and what’s right for someone else may not be right for you.
So instead of recommending just one overall best planner, we’ve compiled a list of our favorites in a range of styles and price points.
If you’re in a rush:
✅ This specific academic planner is the most popular.
College Student Planner Comparison
| Image | Brand | Size | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall WINNER |  | Ultimate Student Planner by ClassTracker | 7"x8.5" | More Info |
| Best for Optimizing Time Management |  | Centered Student Planner | 7"x9" (B5) | More Info |
| Best Customization |  | Erin Condren Academic Planner | 7"x9" (B5) OR 5.8"x8.3" (A5) | More Info |
| Best Basic |  | Lemome Academic Student Planner | 5"x8" OR 8"x11" | More Info |
| Best All-in-One |  | Live Whale Planner | 8.3"x5.5" (A5) | More Info |
| Honorable Mention |  | You Are a Badass Planner | 7.7"x9" | More Info |
Which planner is best for college?
Get more information about these 5 student planner options and why they’re the real deal down below.
1. The Ultimate Student Planner by Class Tracker
Details
First up:
The Class Tracker Ultimate Student Planner — it has “ultimate” in the name, so how could I not include it in this list?
But the name isn’t just hype.
This option is not only my personal favorite but a reader favorite as well. It’s a planner that’s made specifically for college students which is why it’s perfect for school.
Because of that:
The weekly layout pages include space for tracking assignments and upcoming quizzes/exams/papers/projects. Which, of course, is VERY useful for staying up on top of all those due dates and upcoming tests you have to juggle as a busy student.
There are also pages to record your class schedule every semester/trimester.
Better yet:
This college planner is available in dated and undated versions. Which means you can start using one at any time during the year.
The design is simple, straightforward, and the epitome of practical. It’s a top-notch choice no matter what your major is.
For more details & pictures, be sure to check out my Class Tracker review (+ how it’ll help organize your life right now).
Ultimate Student Planner College Edition
The best planner for college
While many claim to be the ultimate student planner, this one actually lives up to the name. We love this academic year planner because it’s lightweight, comes with pages to record class schedules, and the innovative weekly spread makes prioritizing so dang easy.
*Prices pulled from the Amazon Product Advertising API on: 2023-03-31
2. The Centered Student Planner
Details
New on the scene and making waves is The Centered Student Planner.
Combing the advantages of paper planning with digital, this planner is truly one-of-a-kind.
Most planners assume you know what you’re doing and how to make the best use of your time. Newbies in the planning community are just left to flounder. And those knowledge gaps are often crucial factors in determining whether a student will be successful with time management or not.
While it can be done, muddling through is far from optimal or even efficient.
In contrast, the CSP makes no such assumptions. Instead, it uses an online interface to tackle the issue head-on. Detailed instructions and carefully-timed college tips are delivered to you at your leisure by short, easily digestible videos.
But that’s just the cherry on top, as the planner is already packed with useful features. The purpose-driven weekly layouts, hourly time slots, to-do list tearpad, notes, and stickers designed for students are particularly noteworthy.
Honestly, it’s a hard one to summarize! I highly encourage you to get all the details in my Centered Student Planner review.
This planner manages to help you set goals, focus, prioritize, practice gratitude, and increase self-awareness WITHOUT leaving you feeling overwhelmed and out of steam.
Plus with a built-in professor providing you with guidance throughout the year and an affordable price tag, it’s an amazing value. I could see this planner setting the new standard for academic planners moving forward.
This is the best planner for college freshmen, students who are planner beginners, those who struggle with consistency, and those who want to optimize their use of time.
Centered Student Planner
The best planner for time management
Alongside an on-trend design and excellent quality, this planner includes weekly video tutorials with time management and academic success strategies from an award winning teaching professor. It’s unique hybrid interface feels very supportive, making it particularly ideal for college freshmen.
3. The Erin Condren Academic Planner
Details
This brings us to the:
The Erin Condren Academic Planner.
As another one tailor-made for students, it includes dedicated pages you wouldn’t find in any regular old planner.
Like: an assignment tracker page, a place to write your class schedule, as well as assignments and due dates on the weekly planning pages.
All which are invaluable features for busy college students!
💡 TIP: the newest Erin Condren planners are usually available starting in June.
But, if it wasn’t good enough already:
These college planners have a HUGE selection of covers – which are easily interchanged so you can change it up anytime. And starting last year, Erin Condren is now offering softcover planners for school.
There are tons of cute designs to choose from (including Star Wars, Jurassic World, and Hello Kitty!) , you have a choice of coil color, and you can even personalize it by adding your name to the cover.
Plus these planners come with not 1, but, 2 sheets of stickers. And NEW THIS YEAR you can choose from 3 academic year calendars to best suit your needs. All in all, it makes for a pretty sweet package.
To get a better idea of what it looks like inside, be sure to check out the video below or my review of the Erin Condren 2020-2021 LifePlanner.
Erin Condren Academic Planner
Best custom college student planner
With plenty of pages for planning your weeks & months and tracking projects & exams, this is a best-selling student planner for a reason. It’s the most customizable option we found.
Video: Erin Condren Planner for College Students
4. The Live Whale Planner
Details
The Live Whale Planner is a conveniently sized option that’s perfect for school. It has a hardcover, thick 120 GSM pages (so that ink won’t bleed through), and a convenient pen loop.
Inside you’ll find lots and lots of space for writing!
You can track your schedule down to the hour and there are quite a few extra pages for more self-tracking. Other pages include: a budget tracker, new inspirational quotes for each month, a goal date countdown tracker, and “brain dump” space.
In addition:
The cover is made out of animal-friendly vegan leather or you can choose their new linen fabric option. The little whale on the front is a super cute detail too. In any event, there’s clearly there’s a lot to like about this planner!
Live Whale Planner
Best all-in-one academic planner
A book-sized planner that can handle it all, this option has 12 months worth of undated pages for daily, monthly, and budget planning. Plus with habit tracker, brain dump, mind map, and vision board sections it encompasses everything needed for managing life on, and off, campus.
*Prices pulled from the Amazon Product Advertising API on: 2023-03-31
5. The Lemome Academic Planner
Details
As far as school agendas go, the Lemome Academic Planner strikes a nice middle ground.
If you love taking notes, this is the college planner for you because it has 88 pages just. for. notes. Awesome, right?
And with high-quality paper, you don’t have to worry about ink bleeding through. The overall design is a sophisticated and a low key look suited for college girls, college guys, and anyone really.
Its on-the-go size is just right for keeping in your backpack, so you can easily carry it with you all over campus. Though if you enjoy using a bigger planner, Lemome’s A4 weekly planner is very comparable.
Extra features include an elastic closure, a super handy pen loop, an inner pocket, 2 bookmarks, and monthly sticker tabs.
All in all, this is a rock-solid planner for college!
Lemome Academic Planner
The best planner for college guys
Our most inexpensive recommendation, this sturdy no-frills planner comes with many practical features – most notably the 88 pages for notes. It’s trimmed down enough to cut out the “fluff”, but substantial enough to keep a busy college student completely organized.
*Prices pulled from the Amazon Product Advertising API on: 2023-03-31
Looking for something SMALLER? The Lemome Pocket Planner is the size of a smartphone and still has all the same great features.
Need something with HOURLY planning? The Lemome Diary Planner is just what you’re looking for — it’s amazing for daily planning down to the hour.
Honorable Mention: You Are A Badass Planner
Details
Finally, we have a runner-up:
The You Are A Badass PlannerYou Are A Badass Planner.
It isn’t designed to be an academic planner per se, however, the layout is still ideal for college life. Furthermore, the vibrant yellow packs a nice punch of positivity into your day.
The weekly spread pages utilize a horizontal layout with a generous amount of space and checkboxes for each day of the week. Monthly overview, habit tracker pages, and fun stickers are also included.
And:
Instead of the usual 12 months, this planner runs for a total of 17 months.
Reviewers were impressed with both the original version and last year’s version. So, chances are the newest version (which is simply newer and improved) is just as kickass for staying organized in college.
You Are A Badass Planner
The planner that motivates
Though not designed specifically for school, this planner has ample space to write down all the assignments and reminders you need as a student. This is a good planner choice for goal diggers who are motivated by visual progress, especially if you enjoy sassy quotes and fun stickers.
*Prices pulled from the Amazon Product Advertising API on: 2023-03-31
Deciding Between College Planners
If I know I can save myself from a major headache later – I’m all for doing a little work upfront.
That’s why:
I like choosing a college planner during the summer. You know, before things get really busy around back to school time.
It gives me plenty of time to shop around and find a planner that’s a perfect fit for my needs.
Plus:
Without all the usual college life stress, I can make a more level-headed decision vs the snap one I might make if I waited until the last minute.
Being prepared is a simple yet powerful way to set yourself up for success in college.
And trust me:
I need all the help I can get when it comes to managing my life and keeping my shit together once school is in session.
After all:
There’s A LOT to stay on top of as a college student. Between new classes, assignment due dates, social outings, and extracurriculars…the list goes on!
Having the right planner makes all the difference.
How do I find the best academic planner for ME?
Figuring out which college planner will work best for you is actually pretty simple!
You’ll just want to consider a few things…
Final thoughts on college student planners…
Alright, those are my top 5 picks when it comes to the best college student planners. Hopefully, one of those is your holy grail to organization!
But let me know which one YOU think is the most useful for managing school life. Drop a comment below to share your thoughts.
Finally:
Don’t forget to have some fun and to check some things off your bucket list this summer!
More articles related to planners & college:
- Review of the ClassTracker Ultimate Student Planner
- Bloom Planner for College Review (with All the Details)
- Time Management Tips for College Students
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About Charlie
Charlie is the co-founder of College Life Made Easy and author of the book 175+ Things to Do Before You Graduate College. She’s a 2015 graduate who teaches overwhelmed students and parents of students how to confidently navigate the whole college thing. As a former broke college kid, she’s passionate about helping students develop the skills they need in order to thrive (instead of just survive), stress less, and actually enjoy the full college experience.