Sims 4: Education
Preschool/Day-care
This idea is for toddlers. Preschools will help to increase a toddler's skills quickly and give them a head start in elementary school. You can choose from a few pre-set preschools:
• Achieving Children Preschool
○ A good preschool that costs money to attend. Toddlers' skills are raised quickly by playing with other children and good teachers.
• Small Steps Preschool
○ A mediocre preschool that also costs a bit of money to attend. Toddlers' skills are raised fairly quickly by playing with other children and mediocre teachers.
• Tiny Terrors
○ A bad preschool that is free to attend. Toddlers' skills will be raised but not very quickly by playing with other children. The teachers seem to ignore the children's skills and just tend to their basic needs.
A new career could surface here as a preschool / day-care teacher. You are able to build the school how you wish and tend the children's needs and skill development. You can hire staff as you go through the levels such as assistant teacher and lunch lady, and can opt to take in babies and toddlers or just toddlers. Your sim can develop relationships with the children and advice parents on which elementary school the toddlers should attend.
Elementary
This idea is for child sims. You can have a variety of schools in the game. When a toddler ages up into a child, you get the option to choose which school they attend. You must enrol in a school or the child will attend the local public elementary school. Schools include:
• Public Elementary school
○ This is where the child goes if not enrolled in any other school. This is also an option for enrolment. This school is free to attend and the child will receive a mediocre education with no skills gained from the school. They can attend afterschool ballet or soccer. There is no uniform at this school and they do not require any particular toddler skills for entry.
• Cedar Grammar School
○ This school is free to attend and the child will receive a mediocre education with an emphasis on science subjects. They can attend afterschool ballet, soccer or homework clubs. There is a uniform at this school: the child can wear anything as long as it is blue. They do not require any particular toddler skills for entry.
• Burgh School of Arts
○ This school costs to attend and the child will receive a good education with an emphasis on the arts subjects. They will gain creativity skill quickly and will learn to play an instrument or learn to paint or sculpt. Children can also participate in a multitude of afterschool activities such as drama club, orchestra, choir, dance and art club. Children will learn to sing and can choose to be involved with the many recitals and plays. There is no uniform as creativity is encouraged. They require a minimum of level 3 in the imagination skill for entry.
• Wakefield School of Science
○ This school costs to attend and the child will receive a good education with an emphasis on the science subjects. They will gain mental skill quickly and will learn how to conduct experiments. Children can also participate in afterschool clubs such as Chemistry, Biology, Physics and Psychology. They will work towards science fairs and gain prizes for scientific research. There is a uniform for this school that consists of neat grey trousers and shirt or grey dress and black shoes. They require a minimum of level 3 in the thinking skill for entry.
• Bridge School of Sports
○ This school costs to attend and the child will receive a good education with an emphasis on sport subjects. They will gain motor skill quickly and will learn how to do a variety of sports. Children can participate in afterschool clubs such as soccer, football, baseball, lacrosse etc. There is a uniform of sportswear. This school constantly has matches that the child has to attend on the weekends and afterschool. They require a minimum of level 3 in the movement skill for entry.
• Princess School for Young Ladies / Master School for Young Gentlemen
○ These schools are expensive and the child will receive an excellent education with an emphasis on social skills. They will gain the social skill quickly and will learn poise and which cutlery to use. They must attend afterschool activities such as finishing class, ballet, opera appreciation etc. The children will learn to play a classical instrument here too. The uniform is very smart formalwear that is the same for everyone. They require a minimum of level 3 in the communication skill for entry.
• Hanslip School for the Elite
○ This school is very expensive and the child will receive an excellent education with an emphasis on all of the subjects. They will gain all of the skills very quickly and will learn to play an instrument, sports and everything that can be offered. They can opt to attend afterschool homework clubs, music clubs, sports clubs, drama clubs etc. The uniform is very formal wear that is the same for everyone. They don't require any particular skills, but if the child wants to apply here, they must take a formal test. Having a maximum in all of the skills (including potty) increases a child's chances of getting in, however, the school may see potential in some students and take them on anyway.
• Turnery School for the Delinquent
○ This school is free to attend and the child will receive a terrible education. This is a boarding school, so the child will be away from home for the duration of their childhood. However, they will gain criminal skills and learn to pickpocket as a child. They can attend afterschool activities such as mild deception club and robbery club. The child will not gain any skills. The uniform is all black. This school does not require any particular skills for entry.
Children can choose to perform poorly or well at whichever school they go to, but there is the chance they will get kicked out, particularly from Hanslip. In these circumstances, children must apply to a another school or public school, but they may be rejected. Children can also choose to be home schooled and can take online courses, but these do not increase skills as much as schools would.
Highschool
This idea is for teenagers. The school and skills the child received in elementary school would affect their choice of Highschool. The teen can choose to continue at the school they attended as a child and gain the same skills or attend another school. All teens must take an aptitude test to see which school they belong at. Their skills and previous schooling will affect this decision, but ultimately it is the sims choice. If they have been at a free school, they may be referred to a private school and vice versa.
• Public High school
○ This is where the teen goes if not enrolled in any other school. This is also an option for enrolment. This school is free to attend and the teen will receive a mediocre education with no skills gained from the school. They can attend afterschool activities to gain skills such as writing or programming. There is no uniform at this school and they do not require any particular child skills for entry. A teen may be referred to this school if they have performed poorly in elementary school or have not got the skills to get into another high school.
• Cedar Grammar School
○ This school is free to attend and the teen will receive a good education with an emphasis on science subjects. They can attend afterschool homework clubs, writing, photography and logic. There is a uniform at this school: the child can wear anything as long as it is blue. They do not require any particular child skills for entry. A teen may be referred to this school if they have performed well, but wish to not spend any money on education.
• Burgh School of Arts
○ This school costs to attend and the teen will receive a good education with an emphasis on the arts subjects. They will gain skills such as violin, piano, guitar, comedy, Djing, dancing, painting, photography, organ and singing quickly. Teens can also participate in a multitude of afterschool activities such as drama club, orchestra, choir, dance and art club. Teens get the opportunity to run recitals and plays. There is no uniform as creativity is encouraged. They require a minimum of level 3 in the creativity skill for entry.
• Wakefield School of Science
○ This school costs to attend and the teen will receive a good education with an emphasis on the science subjects. They will gain skills such as gardening, handiness, fishing, herbalism, logic, programming, rocket science, video gaming and veterinary. Teens can also participate in afterschool clubs such as Chemistry, Biology, Physics and Psychology. They will work towards science fairs and gain prizes for scientific research. There is a uniform for this school that consists of neat grey trousers and shirt or grey dress and black shoes. They require a minimum of level 3 in the mental skill for entry.
• Bridge School of Sports
○ This school costs to attend and the teen will receive a good education with an emphasis on sport subjects. They will gain skills such as bowling, dancing, fitness, handiness and pet training. Teens can participate in afterschool clubs such as soccer, football, baseball, lacrosse etc. There is a uniform of sportswear. This school constantly has matches that the teen has to attend on the weekends and afterschool. They require a minimum of level 3 in the motor skill for entry.
• Princess School for Young Ladies / Master School for Young Gentlemen
○ These schools are single sex and are expensive. The teen will receive an excellent education with an emphasis on social skills. They will gain skills such as baking, charisma, cooking, dancing, painting, piano, violin and writing. They must attend afterschool activities such as finishing class, ballet, opera appreciation etc. The uniform is very smart formalwear that is the same for everyone. They require a minimum of level 3 in the social skill for entry.
• Hanslip School for the Elite
○ This school is very expensive and the teen will receive an excellent education with an emphasis on all of the subjects. They will gain a random selection of skills, but achieve them at a high standard. They can opt to attend afterschool homework clubs, music clubs, sports clubs, drama clubs etc. The uniform is very formal wear that is the same for everyone. They don't require any particular skills, but if the teen wants to apply here, they must take a formal test. A teen can be referred here if they perform extremely well and gain As in elementary school or have already got a level 10 in an adult skill.
• Turnery School for the Delinquent
○ This school is free to attend and the teen will receive a terrible education. This is a boarding school, so the teen will be away from home for the duration of their teenage years. However, they will gain criminal skills and learn to perform all sorts of criminal activity as a teen. They can attend afterschool activities such as mild deception club and robbery club. The teen will gain the mischief skill. The uniform is all black. This school does not require any particular skills for entry. A teen may be referred here if they have been expelled or caused a lot of mischief and pulled a lot of pranks as a child.
Teens can also be home-schooled and take online courses to specialise in their hobbies.
Teens will have a prom at whichever school they go to and can ask other sims to prom. They can match their outfits and rent limos to get them to prom.
As teens age up, they will attend a graduation. The colours of the robes depend on which school they went to, but the sim can keep the robes forever to remind them of their teen years. They shall receive a diploma when they graduate and can invite friends and family to the celebration. They can also have a graduation party at home. Sims can congratulate each other and take photos for the year book. When sims graduate, they will receive a year book and can remember sims that signed it and arrange to visit them.
University/Community college
After high school, adults can choose to work (their career opportunities differ with whichever school they attend) or they can go to university. University will open up a host of new careers and opportunities. Each sim will take an aptitude test to see which course is best for them and whether they can apply for a scholarship. Ultimately, any sim can take any course, but some will find them easier than others. There is a variety of courses:
• Performing Arts
○ Sims who attended the Burgh School of Arts will have the advantage here. They require high levels of comedy, music, dance and drama skills to gain a scholarship. Sims will learn these skills on the course and will perform in plays, choose which music ensembles they join and which type of dance they join whether its ballet, tap or hip-hop. Sims who take this course will get the opportunity to be an actor, director, musician, dancer, or in musical theatre.
• Fine Arts
○ Sims who attend the Burgh School of Arts will have the advantage here. They require high levels of painting, photography and sculpting to gain a scholarship. Sims will learn these skills on the course and will create art exhibitions of their own work. They have the opportunity to become an art critic or an artist that is paid more for their work. They can also own a gallery and get offered works to buy for the gallery (a business like a restaurant).
• PE
○ Sims who attend the Bridge School of Sports will have the advantage here. They require high levels of fitness for a scholarship. Sims will be involved in the University sports teams for any sport they wish and will regularly attend games against other universities. They will get the opportunity to become a sportsman in their specific field and possibly go to the Simlympics. They can also become a high level coach.
• Sciences (specifically biology, chemistry, physics and psychology)
○ Sims who attend the Wakefield School of Science have the advantage here. They require high levels of programming, rocket science, handiness and logic skills for a scholarship. Sims will have the opportunity to specialise in one of the stated sciences and will get unique opportunities for all of them. Biologists will gain levels of vet skill and has the opportunity to become a vet in a zoo or farm as opposed to a pet vet. Chemists have the opportunity to develop medicines and become a chemist. Physics students have a head start in the science career. Psychologists can become psychiatrists and help other sims overcome mental difficulties. These sims can also work in a laboratory with animals (ethically) and research the mind.
• Politics
○ Sims who attend the Princess School or the Masters School will have the advantage here. They require high levels of charisma and writing skills for a scholarship. These sims will have the opportunity to have debates and later on work in government and perhaps become the president. These sims can also become lawyers.
• History
○ Sims who attend the Hanslip School will have the advantage here. They don't have a necessary requirement for a scholarship, and they may get offered to students with potential. At university, sims will have the opportunity to go the temples to do archaeology. After uni, sims can become historians, archaeologists or re-enactment actors (where they re-enact historical events). They can also run a museum.
• Media
○ Sims who have high levels of charisma and writing may be offered scholarships. Sims will have the opportunity to run their own student paper, radio broadcast, or news channel. After uni, sims can join the journalism career, or become a TV presenter.
• Criminal Studies
○ Only students who attended the Turnery School will be accepted onto this course. Their main objective is to learn how to be a master criminal. On campus, they can steal money, rob other students or lie their way into other courses to gain other skills. These students will learn handiness skills and fitness skills for an easy rob and a quick getaway.
In their first year, students can choose to live in dorms with other first year students. They can join sororities or frats (there are many to choose from) or can start one. In their second year, students must live in a house with other students (whether they are friends or randomly selected). Third year students can live where they please.
Students receive a timetable with all of their opted clubs and classes on. They would then choose to go to classes or not. However, students need to earn enough credits and perform well in the end of term exams or they will be forced to repeat the term.
Each course lasts three terms and the amount the sim learns in each term increases. After each term (year) they move back home. Sims can visit their family while at university.
There is a graduation after the 3rd term and the family can come to celebrate.
Careers
Sims can become preschool teachers, elementary school teachers, high school teachers or university professors (these can only occur if the sim has graduated from the particular course at uni). These would be unplayable careers, apart from the preschool teacher. Maybe a professor has the opportunity after a certain level in their career to start a school where they choose the grade and skill requirements, what gets taught and which university course they most apply to. The professor would then switch to being a principal and can build a thriving school themselves, disciplining naughty students and inspiring children to follow their dreams.
