School

School is where children and teenagers attend to get education during those life stages. School appears in all of The Sims series, except in The Sims Castaway Stories (and is also absent in most console games). The school bus takes children and teens to and from school. In the first two games, the school is located off-screen and is not visible to the player, just like careers. This is the same in The Sims 4, unless High School Years is installed, in which case the player is able to follow their Sim to school and actively participate. In The Sims 3, the school is a rabbit hole building.

The Sims[]

Children attend school every day from 9 AM to 3 PM, as there are no weekends in The Sims. However, they can skip a day by missing the school bus, though this usually requires player intervention. A child who misses the school bus will lose a full grade level. A baby who becomes a child after 8 AM will not be penalized for missing school, as the bus will not come for them until the next day.

Children can boost grades by studying from books or at a computer, but do not get homework. Since children don't grow up, the only eventual reward for good grades is a 100 Simoleon reward from their relatives. (Upon examination of the bookshelf using a hacking program, it is revealed that the presence of the bookshelf is what triggers the reward.)

Children whose grades linger at F for several consecutive days are first given a warning, then banished to military school. Since military school is only mentioned, and never appears in the game, children sent there are never seen again.

The Sims 2[]

A doing their homework — A Sim doing their homework

Children attend elementary school (primary school) from 9 AM to 3 PM, and teens attend high school (secondary school) from 9 AM to 1 PM. The shorter hours for high school are for the benefit of teens who may also have a part-time job. Both children and teens get the weekend off, and both ages get homework which needs to be done in order to maintain and improve grades. Having an older Sim help the younger Sim with homework will let them complete the task faster in future, and they will gain the memory of learning to study.

Normally, a Sim's grade will increase from C to C+ on the first day of school, but it may increase to B+ if the Sim's first school day is not also his or her first day as a child. This may also happen if the child goes to school in a very good mood and with high aspiration. If both of these things happen, grades may jump all the way to A+, though this is uncommon. After the first day, Sims will gain a full letter grade if they go to school with all homework done, and in a good mood.

Sims go to school on the school bus. If teen or child Sims miss the bus, they will be penalized for missing a school day. If a car or helicopter^[TS2:AL] is available, older Sims can take children and teens to school, and teens can go on their own. Apartment Life also gave child and teen Sims the ability to walk to school, even if a vehicle is not available. Sims who are walking, driving, or being driven to school must leave the lot less than one hour after school begins, otherwise they will be considered late.

Sims with higher grades may, as in The Sims, be in line for cash rewards from their relatives, as well as several other perks, since success in school fulfills high-value wants for themselves and their parents/grandparents. With The Sims 2: University, teen Sims with A or higher report cards can get the SimCity Scholar's Grant, a §1,000 college scholarship.

Uniforms worn by Sims who attend Private School

Sims can also be enrolled in private school by inviting the headmaster and suitably impressing him with good food, a guided tour and the right social interactions. The hours are the same, but needs are put under less strain and all students change into a default school uniform before leaving for school. Public school and private school share the same school bus.^[1]

Random rewards can be dealt out around 30 Sim-minutes before the end of a Sim's school day. They are worth bonus skill points for Sims at private school, or up to §250 cash at public school. If FreeTime is installed, children and teens may receive hobby chance cards at this time.

Children whose grades linger at F for several days may be taken away by the social worker and won't return to that particular family, but may be adopted by another one. Teens will not be taken away for an F grade, but if they have a job they will be fired regardless of their job performance and the number of days they have missed. They will also not be able to attend college until their grades improve.

If a child is adopted on a school day, he or she will get a free day off, and will not be penalized for missing school. This is because adopted children arrive at 10 AM, after the school bus has already left. However, if the child walks to school^[TS2:AL] or is taken to school, he or she will be counted as having been late. Likewise, if a toddler becomes a child after 8 AM on a school day, he or she will get a free day off.

If Seasons is installed, children and teens may get a "snow day" if there is heavy snow on the ground in the morning. The school bus will not come on a snow day. If a car or helicopter is available, the "go to school" menu options will still be available, but students will not be penalized for not going to school.

It's possible for teens to get a fear of going to school. This happens when a teen has to watch over a baby or toddler when there's no adult on the lot.

The Sims 3[]

Children and teens go to school every weekday, barring holidays.^[TS3:S] Each world has at least one school rabbit hole; if the player adds multiple schools to a world, Sims will attend the one that's closest to their home. Older Sims can also use the school to attend a painting class, get a job in the education career track^[TS3:A] or enroll in university.^[TS3:UL]

Children attend elementary school from 9:00 AM to 3:00 PM, while teenagers attend high school from 9:00 AM to 2:00 PM; the earlier end time exists to benefit teens who have part-time jobs. Teens who are not employed will still be let out at 2:00 PM, which can be used as a good opportunity to get their homework done. Both school types share the same building. Unlike previous games in The Sims series, children are not taken away from their families for getting an F.

The school bus will automatically appear to drive students to school, although Sims can opt to get there via other means, such as by biking or driving. Players can choose from a number of sub-interactions while the Sims are at school. Sims can be instructed to slack off, work harder, or meet and socialize with friends. Once school ends, the school bus will appear to drive them home, although this interaction can be cancelled if players wish to send them somewhere else.

Sims can now receive detentions at school. If they are caught sleeping in class, copying homework (tasks the player can assign kids while they're at school) or busted when pranking the school (outside school hours), they will be kept behind after school for a few hours, which can interfere with part-time jobs. Sims are less likely to receive a detention if their grades are higher than a B. While staying back late, the student can choose their tone but they will not see any improvement in grades or performance; however, if a Sim's mood is low, their grade might decrease. When detention is over, the school bus will not appear to bring them home, and the Sims will need to get home on their own.

Children and teens may bring home friends of their age after school. They can also be invited over to another student's house to play. Students who go to each other's houses will live within a reasonable distance from each other. The closer the other student, the more likely the invitation is. Children also bring home homework every school day; failure to complete homework will result in them being penalized, and they may receive a detention.

If a child or teen does not have a high performance at school, the player will not be able to choose their new trait when they grow up. For the Sim to have good grades, they need to be at school on time every day, and must complete any assigned homework.

Both children and teens will occasionally be given the opportunity to go on a field trip. The player will be asked if they consent to the student going on the field trip. If the player consents, the student will attend school as normal, but will be taken out of class during the day and driven to a rabbit hole somewhere in the world, along with a few other students of their age and their teacher. Dialogue notifications will occasionally appear while the class trip is inside, although the player has no control over the outcome of the field trip. After the field trip concludes, the Sim may receive a souvenir in their inventory. If the Sim had any afterschool activities, they will be excused from them, but will not be excused from part-time jobs.

If the school has been deleted then children and teens will stop going to school. This is the only way to not go to school, and is only possible in Windows and macOS as consoles do not have the ability. Also, if the player is controlling one ghost teen or child, they might not be signed up for a school. However, if the school is deleted then children and teens appear to be forced age up badly because they haven't been to school, but if an adult with a high enough logic skill tutors them, their grade can go up, and allow them to age up well without having to go to school.

If Generations is installed, children and teens can be enrolled into boarding school or an afterschool activity. Teens can also attempt to prank the school after hours.

If a meteor hits a school, then all Sims attending will be singed.

Varieties[]

Opportunities[]

The Sims 4[]

Schools make a come-back in The Sims 4, but not as rabbit holes like in The Sims 3. They're like jobs, as Sims will walk towards their lot's spawn point and disappear until school for that day is over. With The Sims 4: High School Years, the high school is an actual building that can be edited freely. However, the high school lot type cannot be placed in other worlds, due to the whole neighborhood of Rockridge Heights in Copperdale being required for the school to function to its fullest.

Unlike The Sims 2, there aren't positive grades, such as A+, B+ or C+. In order for child or teen Sims to improve their grades, they'll have to go to school with a positive emotion (Focused is suggested as it says so in the school panel), complete their homework, do extra credit work, work hard in class, and get extra performance boosts from chance cards that randomly pop up while the Sim is still at school. These chance cards may give a large performance boost, a medium performance boost, a small performance boost, and the same goes for performance losses.

School starts at 8:00 AM and ends at 3:00 PM, and if the Sim doesn't show up for school as expected, at around 9:00 AM, their principal will call the Sim who is missing school and inform them that if they keep missing school, their grades will suffer. Even though the Sim is considered to be missing school by then, they can still be sent to school by selecting the Sim, clicking on them, and selecting "Go To School" (for kids) or "Go To High School" (for teens).

While the child/teen is at school, their options are, Normal (Default, neutral state), Slack Off (Leads to performance loss, fun gain, chance for a happy moodlet after school), Make Friends (Social gain, random notifications will appear saying the Sim met someone at school and no matter the Sim's age, they can gain both teen and child friends that can later on be interacted with outside school if seen), Study Hard (Performance gain, fun loss, chance for a tense moodlet after school).

Also, while at school, Sims cannot become mortified or hysterical, be taken away, or starve to death. The needs that the Sim gains while at school are social, fun (if slacking off), hunger, and bladder.

The known schools available are the Landgraab Elementary, Buckingham High, and Copperdale High School^[TS4:HSY].

In the base game, there are no disadvantages when a teen has the lowest grade possible, except for an embarrassed moodlet. However, in High School Years, a teen will be expelled from high school if they have a grade of F. As of Patch 142, a child who has a grade of F in elementary school will be taken away from the family in the same manner as if their hunger need is too low.

If a child or a teen has enough skill points in the mischief skill, they can have a partner in crime, and plan with them to do mischievous things at school such as stuffing geeks in the lockers, flooding the school, filling the class with plastic water cups, etc. If the prank succeeds, the Sim will get a +2 confident moodlet, but if it fails, they'll get a +2 embarrassed moodlet and performance loss.

To reach grade B, they'll need to get one skill to level 2, and to reach grade A, the Sim must get one skill to level 4 (level 3 for teenagers).

While a child is doing homework, a parent or older Sim, even a teen, can help them with their homework, giving the child a +2 focused boost to finish their homework earlier, and granting the Sim that helped the child a +1 confident moodlet. The homework will be in the child's inventory and can be ordered from the bookshelf. When the child ages to teen, the grade school homework will be replaced with High School homework in their inventory and as before, can be purchased from the bookshelf. A child or teen with grade B and up has a new interaction on the homework after finishing homework called "Do Extra Credit Work", which grants more performance gain than just doing homework. Children also benefit from having higher skill levels when it comes to homework. For children only, each skill that they get to level 10 will increase the rate homework is done by 70%. When all 4 available child skills (Mental, Social, Motor and Creativity) are maxed, the child will finish their homework 8 times faster. And if they have a +2 focused moodlet and a parent helping them, they'll finish it 10 times faster. Teens do not have any increase in the rate that they finish their homework unless they are doing it on a lot that has the Study Spot lot trait^[TS4:DU].

Once Sims age up to young adult, having high grades will allow Sims to start their career level ahead (level 2 for grade B and level 3 for grade A).

In The Sims 4: City Living, there's a new available lot trait called Good Schools, which gives child & teen Sims a performance boost, as well as a chance of getting the "Quality Education" confident moodlet.

In The Sims 4: Parenthood, a child or teen can work on school projects with up to five Sims working on a single project. If finished successfully, the children and/or teens that helped make the project will gain a performance boost.

In The Sims 4: Seasons, children and teens will receive a chance card celebrating a school holiday if the current holiday has the Romantic Spirit or Give Flowers traditions. A successful chance card will award the "A+ Holiday" moodlet (Flirty +1 for teen and Energized +1 for child). Failure will result in the "Festive Flop" moodlet (Sad +1).

In The Sims 4: Snowy Escape, children and teens who live in Mt. Komorebi will wear Japanese-styled uniforms to school. Sims who live in other worlds go to school in their everyday outfits.

In The Sims 4: High School Years, it is possible for a teen to drop out or graduate high school early. If a teenage Sim has decided to drop out, the player may do so by accessing via a computer under "High School…" and selecting "Drop Out of High School". Once they do, they won't be able to re-enroll and some careers will be unavailable, and earning a high school diploma will be obtained online via a computer. If a teenage Sim has a grade of A in high school as well as two skills at level 4, they are eligible for an early graduation. The player may do so by asking the principal, using a computer, or accepting a received phone call from other Sims regarding the eligibility for an early graduation. If a teenage Sim decides to graduate early, they will receive a high school diploma in the mail, which is later stored in the household inventory; however, they will no longer be able to attend high school. The benefits for an early graduated teen is a job performance boost upon aging up into a young adult, as well as attending university as a teen^[TS4:DU]. Sims who graduated early cannot participate in graduation ceremonies as teenagers, but may be able to participate in them as young adults provided that another Sim who did not graduate early is in the household. If a teen Sim has a grade of A in high school and decides not to graduate early, they have a chance of being named valedictorian upon aging up into a young adult, depending on the proficiency of the skills that they have.

Grade School Chance Cards[]

The chance cards a child can receive depends on their school grade. There are also 3 special chance cards that may appear during holidays with certain holiday traditions if Seasons is installed.

Grade School Chance Cards
Grade F Student
1) Hunger Strikes
<Sim name> is really trying to pay attention in class, but <his/her> stomach is growling LOUDLY. These darn growth spurts...now <Sim name> is worried <his/her> classmates can hear. Should <he/she> try to sneak a snack from <his/her> lunch, or wait for the bell?
Sneak a Snack		Wait for Bell
Success: +2	Failure: Small +1	Success: Small	Failure: Small +1
2) Lunchtime Woes
<Sim name> plops down on the bench for lunch and knows right away that <he/she> sat in something. Eww! Now everyone's going to think <he/she> wet <his/her> pants. Does <he/she> make a scene so people know the truth, or just hope that no one notices?
Make a Scene		Hope No One Notices
Success: +1	Failure: +1	Success: No Effect	Failure: +1
3) Pop Quiz
Pop quiz! <Sim name> knows <he/she> should have studied <his/her> spelling list, but it was hard to actually read it under the supercool doodles <he/she> made. <Sim name> can just do <his/her> best, like <his/her> parents always say, or see if the list is in <his/her> backpack…
Give It Best Shot		Peek at List
Outcome: No Effect		Success: Small +1	Failure: Medium +1
4) Used Gum
<Sim name> is feeling B-O-R-E-D when <he/she> notices something squishy stuck to the bottom of <his/her> desk. Gum? Who put that there? Sneaking a peek, <Sim name> sees that's neon green—the exact color of <his/her> favorite ZumGum flavor.
Chew the Gum		Leave It
Success: +1	Failure: Small +1	Success: +1	Failure: +1
5) Nerdy Loner
<Sim name> is playing alone at recess when a nerdy kid asks if <he/she> can join in. There's no real reason <he/she> couldn't…except that no one else ever lets <him/her>. Will <Sim name> be the first?
Invite to Play		Send Kid Away
Success: +1	Failure: +1	Outcome: +1
6) Unsigned Slip
Field trip! <Sim name> is super excited for a trip to the Botanical Garden—until <his/her> teacher asks for their permission slips. Whoops. <Sim name>'s is right there in <his/her> backpack, but it isn't exactly signed. Forge it, or tell the teacher and risk getting left behind?
Forge It		Tell the Truth
Success: +2	Failure: Small +1	Success: +1	Failure: +1

Grade School Chance Cards
Grade D Student
1) Dropped Cookie
<Sim name> is putting <his/her> lunch on the lunch shelf when <he/she> sees that someone's cookie has fallen out onto the ground. <Sim name> could return it to the open lunch bag that's lying on its side, or just take care of the mess by eating the cookie <himself/herself>.
Put Cookie Back		Eat the Cookie
Success: No Effect	Failure: +1	Success: Small +1	Failure: Small
2) Playground Split
<Sim name> is playing on the slide when <he/she> notices that an upper grader has split her jeans. The tear is not in a good place, and a bit of pink cotton is showing through. Should <he/she> let her know?
Tell the Girl		Say Nothing
Success: +1	Failure: +1	Outcome: No Effect
3) Finished Early
Wow! <Sim name> is actually the very first student to finish <his/her> writing assignment. <He/She> starts to raise <his/her> hand to show the teacher, but reconsiders. Maybe <he/she> can score extra points if <he/she> draws a picture to go with it?
Turn It In		Draw a Picture
Success: Small	Failure: +1	Success: Small	Failure: +1
4) Fluffy's Escape
<Sim name> volunteers to help the science teacher clean the gerbil's cage. The teacher has stepped out to talk to a parent, but <he/she> already knows what to do—<he/she> opens the cage, dumps the old stuff, and puts fresh stuff in. Fluffy will be so happy with... Uhh … Fluffy?!
Find Fluffy Fast!		Tell the Teacher
Success: +1	Failure: +1	Success: +1	Failure: +1
5) Principal's Visit
Today, the principal is visiting <Sim name>'s class! Everyone is to be on their best behavior and not interrupt the lesson. Unfortunately, the kid sitting behind <him/her> has decided to pelt <him/her> with…something. Should <he/she> ignore it or ask the kid to stop?
Ignore It		Ask Kid to Stop
Outcome: No Effect		Success: +1	Failure: +1

Grade School Chance Cards
Grade C Student
1) P.E. Class
<Sim name>'s P.E. class gets to run laps—lots of them—to build their stamina and lung capacity. <He/She> is mostly through the first lap when <he/she> notices a gap under the bleachers, just the right size for a little rest. Would Coach notice if <he/she> sat out a few laps?
Hide Out		Keep Running
Success: +1	Failure: Small +1	Outcome: Small
2) Love Letter
<Sim name> is grabbing <his/her> lunch from <his/her> backpack when <he/she> notices something red inside. It's a note, shaped like a heart, with the words “U R CUTE!” written on it and nothing else. <He/She> thinks it might be the new <girl/boy>, who always seems to stare. Does <he/she> ask <her/him>, or wait and see?
Confront the New Kid		Wait and See
Success: +1	Failure: +1	Outcome: No Effect
3) Unfinished Assignment
When <Sim name> gets to class, <he/she> realizes <his/her> timeline is due, the one <he/she> was supposed to start weeks ago. <He/She> eyes the stack of papers piling up on <his/her> teacher's desk. All <he/she> needs is a few minutes alone with one…Does <he/she> try to copy a classmate's, or confess the truth?
Copy a Classmate's		Confess the Truth
Success: Small +1	Failure: Small +1	Success: +1	Failure: Small
4) Friend's Birthday?
Everyone seems to be talking about a birthday party that <Sim name> wasn't invited to. <He/She> kind of thought the host was <his/her> friend, so it doesn't make any sense. Should <he/she> ask <his/her> friend, or let it go?
Ask the Friend		Let It Go
Success: +1	Failure: +1	Outcome: No Effect
5) Missed Bubble
Another standardized test! <Sim name> is almost done when <he/she> realizes <he/she> skipped a bubble near the top. All <his/her> answers are one off! <He/She> starts to tell the teacher but realizes <he'll/she'll> have to take it again. It's really only for the state—it doesn't affect <his/her> grade…
Confess the Mistake		Turn it In
Success: Small	Failure: +1	Outcome: +1

Grade School Chance Cards
Grade B Student
1) Poster Improvement
<Sim name> is super excited to turn in <his/her> dolphin poster. Illustrations, photos, “Fun Facts,” it has it all! But all the kids are crowding around another kid's poster, which shimmers with silvery detail. <Sim name> could say <he/she> forgot <his/hers> and then add more stuff at recess…
Lie and Improve It		Turn in on Time
Success: Small	Failure: Small +1	Outcome: No Effect
2) Spelling Bee Aid
It's the school Spelling Bee and <Sim name> has made it to the final round! But this time, <he/she>'s never even heard of the word <he/she>'s supposed to spell. Glancing around the room, <Sim name> sees the class brainiac flash <him/her> her notebook, with a word written neatly on it. Should <he/she> accept the help, or give it <his/her> best guess?
Accept the Help		Give Best Shot
Success: Small +1	Failure: +1	Success: Small +1	Failure: +1
3) Airplane Origami
<Sim name> has mastered the art of the paper airplane, and can't wait to try <his/her> original, supersonic design. <He/She>'s already finished <his/her> worksheet and the substitute isn't looking. Maybe now's a good time?
Throw the Plane		Wait for Recess
Success: +2	Failure: Small	Success: +2	Failure: +1
4) Musical Volunteering
<Sim name> is sitting with <his/her> class in assembly when the music teacher asks for a volunteer. The teacher is looking right at <him/her>, but <Sim name> can see how excited the kid next to <him/her> is to go up on stage. Should <Sim name> take the chance, or send the other kid?
Take the Chance		Send Other Kid
Success: Small	Failure: Small	Success: +1	Failure: No Effect
5) The Pink Bib
<Sim name> is sitting next to a new kid at lunch when <he/she> spies something pink in his lunchbag. Is that a bib? The kid smiles nervously and claims that he got his baby sister's lunch again. Then the bib falls out where everyone can see it. Pick it up or just ignore it?
Pick It Up		Ignore It
Success: +1	Failure: +1	Outcome: No Effect

Grade School Chance Cards
Grade A Student
1) Honor Roll Bully
Now that <Sim name>'s on the honor roll, <he/she> may as well have a sign on <his/her> back that says, “Kick Me.” Oh wait, <he/she> does! Should <he/she> tell the teacher, or try to find the culprit on <his/her> own?
Tell The Teacher		Find the Culprit
Success: +1	Failure: No Effect	Outcome: +1
2) Sick with Worry
It's test day and <Sim name> is so nervous, <he/she> totally blanks! Even copying <his/her> neighbor won't work because <his/her> neighbor is a D student! What to do…feign illness? Or just take deep breaths?
Feign Illness		Take Deep Breaths
Success: +1	Failure: +1	Outcome: No Effect
3) Payback Scheme
For a week now, a kid has been taking <Sim name>'s chips, and today he took <his/her> brownie, too! It's time for <Sim name> to take a stand. The way <he/she> sees it there are two choices in Kid Law: public shaming or private revenge.
Public Shaming		Private Revenge
Success: +2	Failure: +1	Success: +2	Failure: +1
4) Potential Cheater
It isn't easy earning top grades, and <Sim name> is feeling the pressure now. It doesn't help that one of the girls keeps sitting close, glancing her way with her sweet, innocent eyes. Is she trying to be friendly, or just copy off <Sim name>? What to do?
Confront the Girl		Keep Away
Outcome: +1		Success: +1	Failure: Small
5) Class Interview
<Sim name> is the class All Star today, and <he/she> gets to be interviewed by <his/her> entire class! <He/She>'s feeling nervous and kind of excited, until someone asks, “How come you always get A's?” Should <he/she> try for something witty, or just be real, like the teacher said?
Be Witty		Be Real
Success: +2	Failure: +2	Success: +2	Failure: +2

Grade School Chance Cards
Give Flowers OR Be Romantic Holiday Tradition
1) Exchanging Secret <Holiday> Cards
For <Holiday>, <Sim name> decided to handcraft a card for their crush-complete with pipe-cleaner hearts, glitter flowers, and dinosaurs! Because who doesn't love dinosaurs?! <Sim name> just needed to decide if <he/she> should 'let it slip' that it was <him/her> who made the card or secretly drop it in their cubby.
Secretly Drop the Card in the Cubby		Boldly Deliver the Card by Hand
Success: +1	Failure: +1	Success: +1	Failure: +1
Give Flowers Holiday Tradition
1) Tissue Paper Flowers
In celebration of <Holiday>, <Sim name>'s class made tissue paper flowers! The teacher asked all of the students to give their flowers away to someone special. Now, <Sim name> just needed to think of the right person…
Gift Flowers to Brighten Day		Keep Flowers for Self
Success: +1	Failure: +1	Success: +1	Failure: +1
2) School Flower Fundraiser
In honor of <Holiday>, <Sim name>'s school always allows students to buy flowers to be delivered to each other during class. With some money to spend, <Sim name> decided to take advantage of the fundraiser and celebrate the holiday!
Buy Flowers for Everyone in Class		Buy Flowers for Self
Success: +1	Failure: +1	Success: +1	Failure: +1

High School Chance Cards[]

The chance cards a teen may receive depends on their school grade. There are 3 special chance cards that may appear during holidays with certain holiday traditions if Seasons is installed. Additionally, there are 2 chance cards unique to the Socially Awkward trait.^[TS4:HSY]

If The Sims 4: High School Years is installed, these chance cards will not appear during an active school day.

High School Chance Cards
Grade F Student
1) Maintaining Consciousness
Ugh, another boring day in boring class. <Sim name>'s got to find a way to keep <himself/herself> awake—should <he/she> shoot some spitballs at <his/her> classmates, or really try to focus on paying attention?
Shoot Spitballs		Pay Attention
Success: +1	Failure: Small +1	Success: Small	Failure: +1
2) Distracting Napper
One of the students in the back of <Sim name>'s class has started to snore quietly. The teacher doesn't seem to hear it but it's getting distracting. Should <Sim name> just try harder to ignore it? Or should <he/she> tell the teacher?
Ignore It		Tell the Teacher
Success: Small	Failure: Small	Outcome: No Effect
3) Standardized Test
Big standardized test today. <Sim name> doesn't feel fully prepared... Should <he/she> actually try to guess the answers correctly, or just see what happens when <he/she> fills in all C's on the form?
Fill in C's		Guess the Answers
Success: +1	Failure: Small	Success: Small	Failure: Small +1
4) Forgotten Lunch
<Sim name> forgot <his/her> lunch today. <He/She>'s out wandering the halls between classes, so <he/she> could easily steal someone else's out of their locker. Should <he/she> do that, or just go hungry?
Steal a Lunch		Go Hungry
Success: +1	Failure: +1	Outcome: +1
5) Due Date
<Sim name> suddenly realizes <he/she> doesn't have that big assignment that's due today! <He/She> could just go to class and take a huge zero, or <he/she> could get out of class... by pulling the fire alarm.
Pull the Alarm		Take the Zero
Success: +1	Failure: Medium	Outcome: Small

High School Chance Cards
Grade D Student
1) Language Exam
Taking a language exam, <Sim name> is stumped by one of the questions. What's the correct pronoun case preceding a gerund? Maybe <Sim name>'s neighbor knows—should <Sim name> take a peek at the other student's test paper, or try to work it out on <his/her> own?
Cheat		Work it Out
Success: +1	Failure: Small	Success: Small	Failure: +1
2) Extra Credit
<Sim name>'s teacher approaches <him/her> in class with an offer: Stay through lunch to do some extra assignments and maybe she can bump up <his/her> grade a bit. Should <Sim name> bother with the extra credit, or just blow it off?
Do the Work		Blow it Off
Success: Small	Failure: Small +1	Outcome: No Effect
3) Counselor's Office
<Sim name> is sent to the guidance counselor's office to discuss ways to "improve <his/her> academic experience." The counselor's asking all sorts of questions...should <Sim name> tell the truth, or just make something up that will leave the counselor satisfied?
Tell the Truth		Make Stuff Up
Success: Small	Failure: +1	Success: +1	Failure: +1
4) Movie Day
The best day in any class is always movie day! The science teacher decided to show a movie instead of teach—should <Sim name> pay attention, or just take a nap?
Pay Attention		Take a Nap
Outcome: Small		Success: +1	Failure: Small
5) Study Group
<Sim name> is struggling in a couple of subjects. There's a study group that meets every day during free period. <Sim name> can either go and get some tutoring, or blow it off and assume <he's/she's> doing well enough to pass.
Attend the Group		Blow it Off
Success: Small +1	Failure: +1	Outcome: No Effect

High School Chance Cards
Grade C Student
1) Stressed Teacher
The teacher has to run out and pick up his medication, so he asks the class to sit quietly and do their reading assignment while he's gone. Should <Sim name> do that, or try to do some other homework while <he/she> has the chance?
Do the Reading		Do Some Homework
Success: Small	Failure: +1	Success: +1	Failure: Small
2) Grade Boost
A big unit test is coming up in history class. <Sim name>'s been doing okay, but a good score would really boost <his/her> overall grade. Should <he/she> do her usual amount of studying, or study as much as <he/she> can?
Do the Usual		Study a Lot
Success: Small +1	Failure: Small	Outcome: Small
3) Group Project
<Sim name>'s latest classroom assignment is a group project. <His/Her> groupmates are all pretty smart—should <he/she> try to contribute as much as they do, or just let them do the work?
Try to Contribute		Let Them Do It
Success: Small	Failure: +1	Success: Small +1	Failure: Small +1
4) Bathroom Cash
While taking a quick break, <Sim name> spies some money just sitting on a sink in the bathroom. Should <he/she> slide it in <his/her> lock for safekeeping, or just turn it in to the principal right away?
"Save" It		Turn It In
Success: +§20 +1	Failure: Small	Outcome: Small +1
5) School Project
Students are allowed to choose their own assignment for an upcoming school project. Should <Sim name> choose an easy assignment and ensure a good grade, or find a more challenging assignment and learn something new?
Easy Assignment		Tough Assignment
Success: Small	Failure: +1	Success: Small +1	Failure: Small

High School Chance Cards
Grade B Student
1) Counter Bullying Strategem
Now that <Sim name> gets pretty good grades, some bullies have been picking on <him/her> lately. Should <he/she> confront them with a witty comeback, or ignore them and hope they'll pick a different target?
Confront Them		Ignore Them
Success: Small +1	Failure: +1	Outcome: No Effect
2) Aid a Friend
<Sim name>'s friend hasn't studied for the big exam today. Since <he's/she's> taking it earlier in the day, <Sim name> could easily remember the questions and slip <his/her> friend the answers. Should <he/she> do it, or just let the friend figure it out?
Share the Answers		Don't Help
Success: Small	Failure: Small +1	Success: No Effect	Failure: +1
3) Test Day
<Sim name> has two different tests today, and one of them is going to be tough. There's a little time to study beforehand. Should <he/she> spent all of <his/her> time studying for the harder test, or use the time to study for both tests equally?
Study Hard Test		Study Both
Success: Small	Failure: Small	Success: Small	Failure: Small
4) Class Presentation
<Sim name> has to present in front of the entire class! <He/She> has some great ideas for how to jazz up <his/her> presentation, even if they're not exactly what the teacher asked for. Should <he/she> go all-out and make <his/her> presentation shine, or just do what was asked?
Go All Out		Do the Minimum
Success: Medium	Failure: +1	Outcome: Small
5) Average Out
<Sim name>'s last math test was not <his/her> best work. <He/She> got a so-so grade, which could really bring down <his/her> average. Should <he/she> ask to do some extra credit, or just try hard to get a perfect grade next time?
Extra Credit		Work Harder
Success: Small	Failure: +1	Outcome: Small

High School Chance Cards
Grade A Student
1) Outdoor Studying
The teacher announces some outdoor study time to get the kids out of the classroom for a while. Should <Sim name> take <his/her> studying outside, or just go hang outside with <his/her> friends until it's time to go back in?
Study Outside		Play Outside
Success: +1	Failure: +1	Outcome: +1
2) Cram Night
<Sim name> has an extremely important test coming up, but school has been so busy lately... Should <he/she> drink a ton of cola and cram right up to the test, or should <he/she> find some light activity to do and give <his/her> brain a little rest?
Cola and Cram		Light Activity
Success: Small +1	Failure: Small +1	Success: Small	Failure: +1
3) SDT Scores
<Sim name> just got the results from <his/her> SDT (Success Determination Test). <His/Her> scores aren't quite as high as <he/she> hoped they would be. Should <he/she> sign up to re-take the test, or just be happy with what <he/she> has?
Re-take the Test		Accept the Scores
Success: No Effect	Failure: Medium +1	Success: +1	Failure: +1
4) Rival's Notebook
While leaving the bathroom, <Sim name> notices that <his/her> chief academic rival has left <his/her> notebook sitting on the sink. It's got notes, homework, and lots of other important information inside…should <Sim name> return it to its owner, or just toss it in the trash?
Return the Notebook		Trash It
Success: Small +1	Failure: +1	Success: Small +1	Failure: +1
5) Running the Class
The teacher has to step out for a second to talk to a parent. She asks <Sim name> to run the class for a little while—should <Sim name> keep following the lesson plan the teacher laid out, or do something fun and easy with <his/her> classmates?
Follow the Plan		Do Fun Stuff
Success: Small	Failure: Small +1	Success: +1	Failure: Small +1

High School Chance Cards
Give Flowers Holiday Tradition
1) Make <Holiday> Flower Cards
-During Art, <Sim name>'s class was instructed to create flower-themed cards for each other. After gathering glitter, colored pencils, construction paper petals, and fuzzy pipecleaners, <Sim name> sat down—<his/her> creative juices flowing. The cards would be shared and opened with the rest of the class during the party later, so this had to be good! Two themes came to mind…
Create "Hilarious" Flower Cards		Create Heartfelt Flower Cards
Success: +1	Failure: +1	Success: +1	Failure: +1
Be Romantic Holiday Tradition
1) <Holiday> School Party
All week at school, kids had been asking their sweethearts to the annual <Holiday> School Party. There will be cookies and punch, music, the exchanging of flowers and cards, and of course, awkward chaperones! <Sim name> had yet to be asked, so <he/she> had two options…
Go Alone		Invite Someone Special
Success: +1	Failure: +1	Success: +1	Failure: +1
2) Decorating for the <Holiday> Dance
When the teacher asked for volunteers to help setup for the <Holiday> dance, <Sim name> was quick to raise <his/her> hand! Not only would <he/she> get out of class for a few hours, but <he'd/she'd> be given a unique opportunity.
Decorate for the Best Dance Ever!		Prank the <Holiday> Dance!
Success: +1	Failure: +1	Success: +1	Failure: +1

High School Chance Cards
Socially Awkward Trait
1) Fearful Proximity
The coolest kid in school is sitting next to <Sim name>. Talking to the classmate could seriously improve <his/her> rep, but the thought is a little overwhelming and risky. It's scary to talk to someone you don't know!
Attempt an Introduction		Mind Your Own Business
Success: +1 +10	Failure: +1 -5	Outcome: No Effect
2) Tongue Tied
<Sim name> fumbled <his/her> words when talking to another Sim in class today. <He/She> didn't mean to imply that they looked like a llama! It was supposed to be a compliment!
Attempt to Apologize		Try Avoiding Them
Success: +2	Failure: -2	Success: No Effect	Failure: -2

High School Schedule[]

High School Schedule (High School Years expansion pack)
Day	Time	Class	Skills
Monday	10:00 AM	Mathematics	Logic
Monday	2:00 PM	Science	Logic
Tuesday	10:00 AM	Social Studies	Writing, Archaeology^[TS4:JA], Selvadoradian Culture^[TS4:JA]
Tuesday	2:00 PM	Language Arts	Writing
Wednesday	10:00 AM	Arts	Painting, Photography, Acting^[TS4:GF]
Wednesday	2:00 PM	Computer Science	Programming
Thursday	10:00 AM	Business	Charisma
Thursday	2:00 PM	Foreign Language	Charisma
Friday	10:00 AM	Exam 1
Friday	2:00 PM	Exam 2

Trivia[]

In The Sims 2: Seasons, children and teens do not get summer holiday, but they will get a snow day when it snows heavily.
- In The Sims 3: Seasons, children and teens do not have to go to school on Leisure Day, which can be considered to be their summer holiday.
- In The Sims 4: Seasons, players can make holidays where children and teens don't have to go to school. By default, Sims stay home from school on Harvestfest, Winterfest and New Year's Eve, which do not take place during the summer. It is possible to make a summer holiday.
The names called during the graduation ceremony at city hall often sound like common names with the first letters of the first and last names switched, i.e. Geronica Vonzalez, Rant Grodiek.
The Gooder Public School in Starlight Shores is probably named after the Gooder family, a wealthy family from the same town. It's a little odd, considering it's a public school, and the family backstory doesn't seem to be associated with school nor education.
In The Sims 2 there is a glitch where using the aging on/off cheat may prevent Sims from getting a higher grade than C+.
In The Sims 3, there are some issues with going to school:
- For starters, Sim children and teenagers might not get to school in time if the world is too big and/or Sim children and teenagers get on the bus a few minutes before it leaves. If they do not get to school past 10 PM,^{[confirmation needed]} if The Sims 3: Generations is installed, they might get scolded.
- Sometimes if a Sim rides a bike or drives to school and the bus arrives, they might stop what they're doing and run home to catch the bus. If they do not get there in time, the bus will leave and the Sim will be scolded by their parents.
- As well as this, if there are too many children and teenagers in the world, walking into the school might take a long time due to the amount of children and teenagers walking in (can be mitigated by adding additional school rabbit holes in that world).

Gallery[]

Notes[]

↑ Child and teen Sims living in apartments will take the same buses, no matter what kind of schools they attend.
↑ ^2.0 ^2.1 ^2.2 Includes a stadium.