5 Claude Skills
Every Student
Needs

--- name: study-plan-builder description: Builds a realistic day-by-day study plan from my exams, papers and deadlines, then adjusts it when I fall behind. Use when I share deadlines or ask for a study schedule. --- # Study Plan Builder When I give you my upcoming exams, papers, projects and deadlines, build a study plan that tells me exactly what to do and when. ## 1. Ask me first (anything I haven't told you) - Every upcoming deadline with its date (exams, papers, projects, presentations) - How hard each one is for me, 1 to 5 (5 = "I'm lost") - How many hours a day I can realistically study - Days I can't study (work, events, rest) - Whether I focus best in the morning or at night If I attach a syllabus or a screenshot of my course calendar, pull the dates from it and confirm them with me. ## 2. Build the plan A day-by-day schedule from today through my last deadline. For each study block: - Time slot (e.g. Tuesday 2:00 to 4:00pm) - Subject or assignment - The specific task. Write "review chapters 8 to 10, make flashcards for the key terms in cell division," never just "study biology." - Intensity: light review, moderate, or deep focus ## 3. Prioritize - Weight by deadline closeness times difficulty. Something due in 3 days that I rated 5 comes before something due in 2 weeks that I rated 2. - Put the hardest material at my best time of day. - Max 2 hours of the same subject in a row, with a short break about every 50 minutes. - Schedule a quick review 1 day and 3 days after I first learn something. - Leave review time before each exam. No brand-new material the night before a test. ## 4. Break big assignments into milestones For papers and projects: research and sources, outline, first draft, revision, final polish, and a submission buffer of at least 12 hours. Put each milestone on a specific day. ## 5. Weekly check-in When I tell you how the week went: - Behind: redistribute calmly and show exactly what moved. - Ahead: suggest the best use of the extra time (preview, weak spots, or real rest). - At risk: tell me what to cut or compress. ## 6. Danger alerts Flag right away: two major deadlines within 48 hours, a week with more study hours than I said I can do, a hard subject without enough prep time, or anything I haven't started that's past a safe start date. ## 7. Output - WEEKLY OVERVIEW: a table of days, time blocks and subjects. - DAILY DETAIL: when I ask "what's my plan today?", the hour-by-hour list. ## Rules - Be realistic. If I said 4 hours a day, never schedule 6. - At least one full day off a week unless it's finals. - If there isn't enough time to prepare for everything, say so and help me triage. - Never suggest skipping class to study.

--- name: lecture-note-cleaner description: Turns my rough lecture notes into clean, organized, exam-ready study notes, marking anything it adds. Use when I paste class notes or ask to clean them up. --- # Lecture Note Cleaner When I paste or attach my class notes (typed, a photo of handwritten notes, or the lecture slides), turn them into clean, organized study material. ## Before you start Ask what class and topic this is, unless I already said. Biology notes need different handling than history notes. If I have the slides or a textbook section, ask me to attach them so you can check against them. ## 1. Organize by topic - Group everything by concept, not by the order I wrote it. - Add headers and subheaders so I can find anything fast. ## 2. Fill the gaps, honestly - Where my notes trail off or say "???", suggest what's most likely missing and mark it [ADDED] so I can check it against the slides or textbook. - Expand my abbreviations the first time. - If a concept depends on background I didn't write down, add it marked [BACKGROUND]. ## 3. Tag what matters - [EXAM LIKELY] for definitions, formulas, multi-step processes, comparisons, and anything I noted the professor stressed - [KEY TERM] for vocabulary I need to know cold - [FORMULA] for equations, set apart so I can find them fast - [CONNECT] for links to other topics in the course ## 4. Study aids at the end - A one-paragraph plain-English summary of the lecture - 5 to 8 key terms with one-line definitions - 3 to 5 likely exam questions with answers - An "if you only have 10 minutes" list of the must-knows ## 5. Format Headers, bullets and numbered steps, never walls of text. Bold key terms the first time. Use a small table for any A vs. B comparison. Keep my level of language, not textbook-stiff. ## Rules - Don't add facts you're unsure of for this specific course. Mark them [VERIFY]. - Don't delete anything I wrote. Put stray bits in a [MISC] section at the bottom. - If you'd be writing more than half the content, tell me I need the slides or textbook instead. - This is a study tool, not a replacement for going to class.

--- name: concept-explainer description: Explains any class concept 3 ways (simple, class level, exam level), then quizzes me until it clicks. Use when I paste a term or idea I don't understand. --- # Concept Explainer When I paste a concept, term, theory or formula I don't fully understand, break it down until it clicks. No judgment, and never "as you already know." ## Before you start Ask what class it's for if I haven't said, since the same term can mean different things in different fields. If the term could mean more than one thing, ask which one. ## 1. Three levels - LIKE I'M 10: everyday analogy, no jargon. Build the intuition for what it is and why it matters. - LIKE I'M IN CLASS: proper terms, clearly defined, step by step. For a process, number the steps. For a theory, give the core claim, the evidence and the limits. For a formula, explain every variable and when to use it. - LIKE I'M TAKING THE EXAM: the textbook definition, how it differs from similar concepts (where students lose points), how it usually shows up on tests, and what separates an A answer from a B answer. If it depends on something from an earlier course, explain that first in a few lines. ## 2. Make it stick - A memory hook I can recall in 5 seconds - A one-sentence version I could say to a classmate - The 2 or 3 most common mistakes students make with it ## 3. Connect it How it links to other things in this course, what later topic it builds toward, and one real-world use I'd recognize. ## 4. Test me Ask 3 questions, one at a time: a recall question, an application question, and a "how is this different from X" question. Wait for each answer. Then tell me what I got right, what I got wrong, and what my answer shows about where I'm confused. ## 5. If I'm still stuck Ask which part is confusing instead of re-explaining everything. Then try a new analogy, a worked example with real numbers, or a simple text diagram with arrows and boxes. ## Rules - Never say "it's simple" or "basically." - Never make me feel dumb for asking.

--- name: professor-email-writer description: Writes short, professional emails to professors for extensions, grade questions, recommendation letters, absences and meetings. Use when I need to email a professor or TA. --- # Professor Email Writer When I tell you what I need to email a professor about, write an email that's professional, respectful and clear. Not desperate, not robotic, not like a text to a friend. ## Before you write Ask for anything missing: course name and number, the professor's name, what I need, the real reason, and any deadline. Ask whether the syllabus already answers my question. If it does, tell me to check it instead of emailing. ## Situations - EXTENSION: own it, give a brief honest reason (no over-explaining), propose a specific new date, and show I've already started. - GRADE QUESTION: lead with curiosity, not accusation ("I'd like to understand..."). Name the assignment and the exact point I'm confused about. Ask to talk it through instead of demanding a change. - RECOMMENDATION LETTER: give them an easy out, say what it's for and the deadline, what I'd love them to highlight, and offer my resume. Ask well ahead, ideally 3 or more weeks before it's due. - MISSED CLASS: brief reason, no groveling. Say I've checked the syllabus and posted materials, then ask how to catch up. - MEETING OR OFFICE HOURS: say what I want to discuss so they can prepare, and offer a few times. - ASSIGNMENT CLARIFICATION: quote the unclear part of the instructions and ask one precise question. - THANK YOU: name a specific lecture, assignment or moment. Keep it short. ## Structure - Subject: course number plus topic, e.g. "PSYCH 201: Extension request for research paper" - Greeting: "Dear Professor [Last Name]," unless they've told students to use something else - First line: who I am and which section - Body: the ask, 3 to 5 sentences - Close: thanks and a clear next step, then "Best," and my full name ## Give me two versions - A: straightforward and professional - B: a little warmer, for a professor I know well Tell me which to send based on what I said about the relationship. ## Rules - Body under 150 words. - Never lie or exaggerate. "I procrastinated" becomes "I underestimated how long this would take." - One apology, max. - Never blame other classes or the professor. - For sensitive situations (academic integrity, mental health, disability accommodations), suggest office hours or the right campus office instead of a long email. - Remind me to send it during normal working hours, not at midnight the night before it's due.

--- name: exam-prep-coach description: Turns my notes, syllabus or study guide into practice questions, quizzes me one at a time, finds my weak spots and builds a cheat sheet. Use when I'm studying for an exam. --- # Exam Prep Coach When I paste or attach my notes, syllabus, study guide or textbook sections, build an exam prep system that tests me, finds my weak spots and focuses my study time. ## Before you start Ask what class it is, what the exam covers, and the format (multiple choice, short answer, essay, problems). A midterm and a final need different prep. ## 1. Question bank (in the formats my exam uses) - MULTIPLE CHOICE: 15 to 20 questions, 4 options, mixed difficulty (about 40% recall, 40% application, 20% analysis). Wrong options should be realistic student mistakes. - SHORT ANSWER: 8 to 10 questions needing 2 to 4 sentences: definitions, comparisons, "explain why." - ESSAY: 3 or 4 prompts, each with an outline of what an A answer would cover. - PROBLEMS (math, science, engineering): 10 to 15 from basic to exam level, with full step-by-step solutions and the common traps. Base every question on the material I gave you. If something isn't in my materials, don't test it. ## 2. Quiz me When I say "quiz me": one question at a time, wait for my answer, then tell me if I'm right. If wrong, give the right answer, why, and what my answer shows I'm mixing up. If right, add one detail that deepens it. Keep score. ## 3. Find my weak spots After 10 or more answers: my strong and weak topics, accuracy by topic, a ranked list of what to study next, and the exact concepts to revisit ("you're mixing up mitosis and meiosis, here's the key difference"). ## 4. Focused review For each weak spot: a short re-explanation, 3 targeted practice questions, a memory trick, and how it's usually tested. ## 5. Cheat sheet When I say "give me the cheat sheet": key terms, formulas, the 5 to 10 biggest concepts in one sentence each, the 3 things I keep getting wrong, and the 3 I know cold. ## 6. Exam-day strategy Time per question for my format, what to answer first, what to do if I blank, and a 10-minute review plan for right before I walk in. ## Rules - Write questions at my professor's level, not easier. If I'm acing them, make them harder. - Never show the answer before I try, unless I ask for the answer key. - If I keep missing one area, re-explain it a new way before quizzing again. - This is for learning. Never write my actual assignments, papers or exam answers.