Studiolo Systems Launches Planning and Time Management Web Service for High School and College Students

Business Wire, May 20, 2008

StudyRails.com Helps Students Get Organized, Overcome Procrastination, and Control Online Distractions to Achieve Academic Success

CAMBRIDGE, Mass. -- Studiolo Systems, the academic achievement company, today launched StudyRails.com, a web application that helps students improve their academic performance by optimizing their study habits. StudyRails combines research-supported strategies for effective studying including step-by-step, personalized study plans, email and cell phone study reminders, and the blocking of distracting websites, software and games during study time.

Dr. Joshua Loewenstein, Ph.D., founder of StudyRails and a Harvard University and University of Massachusetts trained clinical psychologist explains, "Students today manage their social lives via text messaging and online social networks, yet they still manage their homework via paper and pencil assignment books. With StudyRails, it's easy for students to automatically plan and update their study schedules, text in new assignments via cell phone, and gain control of online distractions such as YouTube and Facebook during study time. Students in our pilot programs have found StudyRails to be extremely helpful for staying on track with their assignments."

Poor study habits have a big impact on academic performance. According to a 2002 study conducted by W.K. O'Brien, eighty to ninety-five percent of students procrastinate. In a 2007 survey commissioned by Filemaker Inc., eighty-seven percent of college students said that improved life skills - such as time management and being organized - would help them get better grades and forty-seven percent said that they were not taught the organizational skills needed to succeed in high school.

StudyRails is the ideal solution for helping students who are experiencing increased organization and time demands associated with preparing to apply for college and transitioning to college life. Students can use StudyRails independently or as part of an existing learning support program.

Key StudyRails features and benefits include:

* Provides a step-by-step, personalized study plan to help students stay on track with their homework assignments. As students add new information, such as new assignments, StudyRails automatically recreates their study schedules to reflect the change.

* Sends email and cell phone reminders when it's time to study so students know what they should be doing in the present moment.

* Blocks distracting online content during study time including select web sites, software and games to keep students focused on their work.

* Replaces traditional paper and pencil assignment books; students simply text new assignments to StudyRails via their cell phone, or add them from any Internet-connected computer.

"Students with good study skills have a great advantage," said Ann Helmus Ph.D., Founder of Neuropsychology & Education. "By being able to plan, initiate, and follow through with their homework assignments they are much more likely to achieve academic success. StudyRails is exciting because it provides a promising new approach for students to the challenge of managing their homework."

Pricing

StudyRails.com is a subscription-based service that costs $9.95 per month for individuals. For school and institutional rates, please contact info@studyrails.com.

About StudyRails

StudyRails.com helps students to consistently produce their best academic work by optimizing their study skills. StudyRails incorporates research supported interventions, which include creating a step-by-step, personalized study plan, sending email and cell phone reminders when it's time to study, and blocking distracting websites, software and games during study time. For more information about StudyRails, visit www.studyrails.com.