PSP — AACE Planning & Scheduling Professional Study Plan
Practical 7-day, 14-day, 30-day, and 60/90-day study plan for AACE Planning & Scheduling Professional (PSP) candidates, with scheduling practice, timed mocks, and review rhythm.
Who this study plan is for
This Study Plan is for candidates preparing for the AACE International AACE Planning & Scheduling Professional (PSP) exam, exam code PSP.
Use it to turn your available study time into a practical preparation schedule. The plan is built around the skills a PSP candidate needs: planning fundamentals, schedule development, CPM logic, schedule updates, progress measurement, resource and cost awareness, risk, change, delay analysis, stakeholder communication, and scenario judgment.
This is an independent study planning resource. Always align your final preparation with the current AACE International PSP candidate materials and exam guidance.
Which plan should you use?
| Time available | Best if you are… | Main goal | Risk level |
|---|---|---|---|
| 7 days | Already prepared, now in final review | Consolidate, time yourself, remove repeat errors | High if you still need content learning |
| 14 days | Experienced scheduler with gaps | Target weak domains and build exam rhythm | Moderate to high |
| 30 days | Working professional with regular study time | Balanced content review, practice, and mocks | Moderate |
| 60 days | Starting early or refreshing several areas | Full preparation path with repeated practice | Lower |
| 90 days | Newer to formal project controls or returning after a long gap | Deeper concept review before timed practice | Lowest if used consistently |
Build your PSP study base first
Before starting any schedule, set up four working documents.
| Document | Purpose | What to record |
|---|---|---|
| Content map | Keeps study aligned to the PSP exam identity | Domains, topics, references, weak areas |
| Formula and method sheet | Prevents scattered calculation review | CPM steps, float formulas, update logic, EV basics |
| Miss log | Converts mistakes into study assignments | Error type, correct rule, redo date |
| Scenario notes | Builds professional judgment | What the scheduler should recommend and why |
Your preparation should not be only reading. A PSP candidate should repeatedly practice:
- Building and interpreting logic networks.
- Performing forward and backward pass calculations.
- Identifying critical and near-critical paths.
- Understanding float, constraints, calendars, lags, and data dates.
- Evaluating schedule quality and update status.
- Interpreting delay, change, and recovery scenarios.
- Communicating scheduling conclusions clearly.
Core PSP skill map
| Skill area | What to review | Practice action |
|---|---|---|
| Planning framework | Scope, WBS, activities, milestones, calendars, assumptions | Draft a schedule basis outline for a sample project |
| Schedule development | Activity definition, sequencing, logic, durations, coding, constraints | Build small network fragments from scenarios |
| CPM calculations | Forward pass, backward pass, total float, free float, critical path | Complete timed calculation drills by hand |
| Schedule quality | Open logic, excessive constraints, invalid dates, long durations, negative float | Review a flawed schedule narrative and list concerns |
| Schedule updates | Data date, actual starts/finishes, remaining duration, progress, forecasting | Work update scenarios and identify the new critical path |
| Resource and cost integration | Resource loading, leveling awareness, cost-loaded schedules, S-curves, earned value basics | Interpret simple resource/cost schedule exhibits |
| Risk and change | Schedule risk, contingency, change impacts, recovery options | Choose the best scheduling response to a project change |
| Delay analysis | Baseline, as-built, impacted schedules, fragnet logic, windows thinking | Explain what data is needed before assigning schedule impact |
| Communication | Clear schedule findings for managers, contractors, and project controls teams | Write short recommendation memos from scenario prompts |
Daily practice rhythm
Use the longest version you can sustain consistently.
| Available time | Study rhythm |
|---|---|
| 30 minutes | 5 min recall, 15 min focused review, 10 min missed-question redo |
| 60 minutes | 10 min recall, 20 min topic review, 20 min timed practice, 10 min miss log |
| 90 minutes | 10 min recall, 25 min concept review, 35 min timed practice, 20 min review |
| 2 hours | 10 min recall, 35 min domain review, 45 min timed practice, 25 min missed-question review, 5 min next-task planning |
| 3 hours | 20 min recall, 60 min content review, 60 min timed mixed practice, 40 min explanation review, 20 min writing/calculation drill |
A strong daily PSP session usually includes all three of these:
- Concept recall: Explain a scheduling concept without notes.
- Applied practice: Answer timed calculation or scenario questions.
- Error correction: Redo missed items until you can explain the rule.
Calculation sheet to practice weekly
Keep a short calculation sheet and rewrite it from memory several times per week.
\[ \text{Total Float} = \text{LS} - \text{ES} = \text{LF} - \text{EF} \]\[ \text{Free Float} = \text{Earliest Successor ES} - \text{Activity EF} \]Also practice the method, not just the formulas:
- Draw or inspect the network.
- Confirm durations, logic, calendars, and constraints.
- Perform the forward pass.
- Perform the backward pass.
- Calculate float.
- Identify the critical and near-critical paths.
- Explain what the result means for project control.
7-day final review plan
Use this plan if your exam is one week away. Do not try to learn every weak topic from scratch. Focus on the highest-value areas: CPM logic, updates, delay/change scenarios, and explaining why an answer is correct.
| Day | Focus | Study actions | Output |
|---|---|---|---|
| Day 1 | Diagnostic and triage | Take a timed mixed set. Review every miss. Rank weak areas. | Final-week gap list |
| Day 2 | CPM and float | Drill forward/backward pass, total float, free float, critical path, near-critical path. | Clean calculation sheet |
| Day 3 | Schedule development | Review WBS-to-activity flow, logic ties, milestones, calendars, constraints, schedule basis. | One-page development checklist |
| Day 4 | Updates and control | Practice data date, actuals, remaining duration, progress, forecasting, schedule health issues. | Update scenario notes |
| Day 5 | Risk, change, and delay | Review change impact, recovery, acceleration, delay data, stakeholder communication. | Scenario decision table |
| Day 6 | Timed mock or timed block | Complete one full-format timed practice if available, or the longest realistic timed block. Review deeply. | Final miss log |
| Day 7 | Light final review | Redo only high-value misses. Review formulas, check logistics, stop heavy study early. | Ready checklist |
7-day rules
- Stop adding new material after Day 5 unless it fixes a repeated error.
- Do not spend the final day reading large references passively.
- Redo missed calculations without looking at the solution.
- Practice explaining schedule decisions in plain professional language.
14-day focused plan
Use this plan if you have two weeks and relevant scheduling or project controls experience.
| Day | Focus | Primary work |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Baseline diagnostic | Timed mixed practice, miss log setup, weak-domain ranking |
| 2 | Planning fundamentals | WBS, activity definition, milestones, schedule basis, assumptions |
| 3 | Logic and relationships | FS/SS/FF/SF awareness, leads/lags, constraints, calendars |
| 4 | CPM calculations I | Forward pass, backward pass, float |
| 5 | CPM calculations II | Critical path changes, near-critical paths, negative float scenarios |
| 6 | Schedule quality | Open logic, excessive constraints, long durations, invalid progress, baseline concerns |
| 7 | Checkpoint review | Mixed timed set, redo all misses from Days 1-6 |
| 8 | Schedule updates | Data date, actuals, remaining duration, out-of-sequence concerns, forecasting |
| 9 | Resource and cost awareness | Resource loading, leveling concepts, cost-loaded schedules, S-curves, EV schedule signals |
| 10 | Risk and change | Schedule risk, change control, recovery options, acceleration, resequencing |
| 11 | Delay analysis | Baseline vs update, fragnet thinking, windows approach, data needed for delay review |
| 12 | Timed mock | Full-format timed mock if available; otherwise longest realistic timed practice block |
| 13 | Mock review | Explanation review, calculation redo, final weak-area repair |
| 14 | Final review | Formula sheet, schedule quality checklist, light mixed practice, rest |
14-day priority order
If you fall behind, protect these areas first:
- CPM and float calculations.
- Schedule development and logic quality.
- Schedule updating and forecasting.
- Delay, change, and recovery scenarios.
- Professional communication and explanation review.
30-day balanced plan
Use this plan if you can study most days for 60 to 120 minutes, with longer sessions on weekends.
| Days | Focus | Study actions | Checkpoint |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1-2 | Setup and diagnostic | Review current AACE International PSP guidance, set up miss log, take a timed diagnostic set. | Weak-area ranking |
| 3-5 | Planning foundations | WBS, activities, milestones, calendars, coding, assumptions, schedule basis. | Explain how a schedule is built from scope |
| 6-7 | Logic fundamentals | Relationships, sequencing, constraints, leads/lags, logic quality. | Identify flawed logic in sample scenarios |
| 8-11 | CPM calculations | Forward/backward pass, float, critical path, near-critical activities. | Complete drills accurately without notes |
| 12-14 | Schedule development scenarios | Baseline development, constructability, stakeholder inputs, schedule narratives. | Write a short schedule basis explanation |
| 15-17 | Schedule updates | Data date, actuals, remaining duration, progress, forecasting, update quality. | Solve update scenarios under time |
| 18-19 | Resource and cost integration | Resource loading, leveling awareness, cost/schedule alignment, earned value basics. | Interpret simple schedule performance exhibits |
| 20-22 | Risk, change, and delay | Change impacts, fragnet thinking, recovery options, delay data, stakeholder positions. | Choose defensible scheduling actions |
| 23 | Timed mock 1 | Full-format mock if available. Simulate exam conditions. | Mock report |
| 24-25 | Mock review | Redo misses, group errors, repair top two weak domains. | Updated formula and scenario notes |
| 26 | Mixed timed practice | Timed set focused on prior weak areas. | Fewer repeat errors |
| 27 | Timed mock 2 | Second mock or long timed block. | Final gap list |
| 28 | Final content repair | Only high-value weak areas. No broad new reading. | Final one-page review sheet |
| 29 | Light mixed review | Redo missed calculations and scenario traps. | Stable timing |
| 30 | Exam-eve review | Light recall, logistics, rest. | Ready checklist |
60/90-day full preparation path
Use this path if you are starting earlier, have inconsistent study time, or need a structured rebuild of planning and scheduling knowledge.
| Phase | 60-day timing | 90-day timing | Focus | Exit check |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. Setup and baseline | Days 1-3 | Week 1 | Review PSP guidance, gather materials, take diagnostic practice, set up miss log. | You know your top weak domains |
| 2. Planning foundations | Days 4-10 | Weeks 2-3 | Scope breakdown, activities, milestones, coding, calendars, schedule basis, assumptions. | You can explain schedule development flow |
| 3. Logic and CPM | Days 11-20 | Weeks 4-5 | Network logic, relationship types, constraints, forward/backward pass, float, critical path. | You can solve CPM drills under time |
| 4. Schedule development practice | Days 21-27 | Week 6 | Baselines, schedule quality, constructability, stakeholder inputs, schedule narratives. | You can identify weak schedule logic |
| 5. Updates and control | Days 28-35 | Week 7 | Data date, progress, actuals, remaining duration, forecasting, schedule health. | You can interpret update scenarios |
| 6. Resource, cost, and performance | Days 36-42 | Week 8 | Resource loading, leveling, cost-loaded schedules, S-curves, earned value awareness. | You can read performance exhibits |
| 7. Risk, change, and delay | Days 43-48 | Weeks 9-10 | Schedule risk, change impacts, recovery, acceleration, delay analysis, documentation. | You can defend a scheduling recommendation |
| 8. Mock and repair cycle | Days 49-54 | Week 11 | Timed mock, detailed review, targeted weak-area repair. | Repeat errors are decreasing |
| 9. Final review | Days 55-60 | Week 12 | Second timed mock or long timed block, formula review, scenario review, logistics. | Ready checklist is complete |
90-day adjustment
If you have 90 days, do not simply stretch the same reading across more time. Use the extra time for:
- More hand-built CPM networks.
- More schedule update scenarios.
- More delay/change case interpretation.
- More explanation writing.
- Spaced repetition of missed questions.
- At least two complete mock-review cycles if quality practice material is available.
Agile, predictive, and hybrid scheduling lens
The PSP exam identity is centered on planning and scheduling professionalism. Most candidates should prioritize network-based planning, schedule control, and project controls judgment. Still, delivery approach can change how scheduling scenarios are framed.
| Delivery context | What to understand for PSP preparation |
|---|---|
| Predictive | Baseline schedules, CPM logic, progress updates, change control, delay analysis, and forecast discipline are central. |
| Agile | Rolling-wave planning, capacity, increments, and changing detail levels may appear in project conversations, but do not replace schedule control fundamentals. |
| Hybrid | High-level milestones may coexist with detailed near-term planning. Practice explaining how schedule control works when detail increases over time. |
When answering scenarios, focus on the scheduler’s responsibility: maintain credible schedule information, communicate impacts, support decisions, and document assumptions.
Scenario judgment areas to practice
| Scenario type | What the question may test | Strong response pattern |
|---|---|---|
| Stakeholder pressure | A manager wants an unrealistic finish date | Explain schedule impact, options, risks, and assumptions |
| Poor logic quality | Activities lack predecessors or successors | Identify why the schedule is unreliable before trusting dates |
| Excessive constraints | Dates are forced instead of logically derived | Separate contractual constraints from artificial schedule distortion |
| Progress update issue | Actuals and remaining durations conflict | Correct the update before forecasting |
| Recovery request | Project is late and needs acceleration | Compare resequencing, resources, overtime, scope changes, and risk |
| Change impact | New work is added mid-project | Use documented baseline/update data and appropriate impact logic |
| Delay dispute | Parties disagree on responsibility | Ask for records, data date context, critical path impact, and contemporaneous evidence |
| Resource conflict | Critical work lacks available resources | Evaluate resource loading, leveling effect, and management options |
Missed-question review method
A missed question is not finished when you read the explanation. Use this four-pass method.
| Pass | Action | Result |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Classify | Mark the miss type: calculation, terminology, logic, update, delay, resource/cost, or scenario judgment. | You know why you missed it |
| 2. Correct | Write the rule or method in your own words. | You have a reusable takeaway |
| 3. Redo | Rework the question without the answer visible. | You prove the fix |
| 4. Schedule | Put the item back into review in 2 days and 7 days. | You prevent repeat errors |
Miss log template
| Field | Example entry |
|---|---|
| Topic | CPM float calculation |
| Error type | Used EF instead of LF in float calculation |
| Correct rule | Total float can be calculated as LS - ES or LF - EF |
| Why I missed it | Rushed the backward pass |
| Redo date | 2 days later |
| Status | Redone correctly / still weak |
What to practice next
Use your miss log to decide the next study block.
| If your recent misses are mostly… | Practice next |
|---|---|
| CPM arithmetic mistakes | Short hand-calculation drills with no notes |
| Logic relationship confusion | Draw small networks and explain each dependency |
| Critical path changes after updates | Data-date and remaining-duration scenarios |
| Schedule quality errors | Review flawed schedule examples and identify defects |
| Resource/cost interpretation errors | Resource histogram, S-curve, and performance exhibit practice |
| Delay analysis uncertainty | Baseline/update comparison and fragnet reasoning |
| Scenario judgment errors | Write why the best answer is more defensible than the distractors |
| Timing problems | Smaller timed sets, then longer mixed timed blocks |
| Repeated terminology misses | Flashcards plus immediate application questions |
Timed mock exam strategy
Timed mocks are most useful after you have enough content coverage to learn from them. Do not burn through mock exams too early without reviewing them.
| Plan length | When to use timed mocks |
|---|---|
| 7 days | Day 1 for diagnostic timing if needed; Day 6 for final simulation |
| 14 days | Day 1 short diagnostic; Day 12 full-format timed mock if available |
| 30 days | Day 23 mock 1; Day 27 mock 2 or long timed block |
| 60 days | Around Days 49 and 55 |
| 90 days | One mid-plan checkpoint, then two final mock-review cycles |
Mock review rules
After each timed mock:
- Review every missed question.
- Review every guessed question, even if correct.
- Separate knowledge gaps from timing errors.
- Redo calculations from scratch.
- Write a one-line rule for each repeated trap.
- Choose only two or three weak areas for the next repair cycle.
A mock is only valuable if it changes what you practice next.
When to stop adding new material
| Plan | Stop broad new material by… | What to do instead |
|---|---|---|
| 7 days | Day 5 | Redo misses, formulas, timed sets, logistics |
| 14 days | Day 11 or 12 | Mock review and targeted repair |
| 30 days | Day 26 or 27 | Final weak-area review and timing practice |
| 60 days | Last 7 days | Consolidation, mock review, light recall |
| 90 days | Last 7-10 days | Repeat errors, formulas, scenario judgment |
New material late in the plan is useful only if it fixes a high-frequency miss. Otherwise, it usually creates distraction.
Final-week rules
During the final week:
- Keep study sessions shorter and more focused.
- Redo your highest-value missed questions.
- Rebuild your formula sheet from memory.
- Practice at least one timed mixed set.
- Review schedule update and delay/change scenarios.
- Avoid broad passive reading.
- Confirm exam logistics and identification requirements using current AACE International instructions.
- Sleep properly the final two nights.
Exam-readiness checks
You are in a stronger position when you can do the following without notes:
| Readiness check | Yes / No |
|---|---|
| Explain the difference between planning, scheduling, updating, and controlling. | |
| Build a small CPM network and complete forward/backward pass calculations. | |
| Identify total float, free float, critical path, and near-critical path. | |
| Explain how a data date affects schedule updates and forecasts. | |
| Identify common schedule quality problems. | |
| Interpret basic resource and cost-loaded schedule information. | |
| Explain how change can affect the current critical path. | |
| Describe what information is needed for a delay analysis. | |
| Choose a defensible scheduler response in stakeholder-pressure scenarios. | |
| Complete timed practice without rushing the final questions. | |
| Review missed questions systematically instead of just reading explanations. |
Practical next step
Choose the plan that matches your remaining time, take a timed diagnostic set, and build your miss log today. Your next study block should be based on evidence from your own practice results, not on rereading the topics you already know.