Veteran simmer here. Been playing The Sims since the early 2000s, and never have I seen anything in any of the games that's this finicky, and it makes no sense. I've been playing with this pack a lot lately, and in DU, the only grades I ever seem to get are A+ and F. Nothing in between. I once got a C- I believe for one class on my first attempt, but every other grade I've ever gotten an A+ or an F, and what makes matters worse is I barely do anything different between these two.I'll do all my studies, term papers, presentations, homeworks, go to classes and get an A+ for everything. I'll miss one class due to my character not choosing to go early for some reason, or forget to take notes once, whilst doing all these other things, and get an F in all classes. This is so far from realistic. Is this a glitch? Because it makes no sense, and should NOT be how the game functions. I've heard other people complain about similar problems, and the only feedback a lot of people on the forum seem to give is what I must be doing something wrong - I am, I missed a class, obviously. But missing ONE CLASS shouldn't lead to an immediate F.

I think that the passing grade has a lot to do with skill levels. It seems like there are hidden skill level requirements in order to succeed in each class, and the more you do homework and study for those classes, the more those skills go up. But if you bring in a Sim who started with a very low level in the needed skill, the work they do might not boost it enough to get a decent grade, so they fail, even if they're doing all of the projects and homework. I was having some random problems like this as well and someone else mentioned this caveat. I haven't really brought any new Sims to Uni in a long while because I play a bazillion households and don't want to be stuck in that gameplay, but I do think there's something to this. The devs did warn that Uni was designed to be challenging so it was most likely intended. Try making note of which skills are increased by which classes and maybe try to do a little extra boosting for those skills and see if that helps.

I hope some more people contribute to this. Having it be so all-or-nothing is annoying. Like, being challenging is fine. But the only thing possible is straight As or flunking out? Come on!

"LiELF;c-17450708" wrote:I think that the passing grade has a lot to do with skill levels.You know what? This makes 100% sense, and I think you've got it.My sim is a Drama student. He had level 7 Charisma, but only level 3 comedy. He was getting A+'s in charisma classes, but Fs in comedy, despite mostly doing the same things. He missed a comedy class, and I assumed this was the issue instead, and that it was just immediately sending me from an A to an F for small mistakes.If there is a clear skill level that needs to be met before even getting a grade at passing level, this should be clearly stated in the UI like in The Sims 2 and in careers, in my opinion. I shouldn't flunk just because my skill isn't at a level not even visible to me, despite DU's uni information saying I can do a multitude of things to raise my grade with no hard guidelines, not just building skill.I guess I'm not sending newly created sims to uni anymore and just ones who have grown up in my game. Building skills to whatever the hidden level is from 0, plus having a social life, plus school work, just isn't really viable in one week.

"Magnezone;c-17450744" wrote:"LiELF;c-17450708" wrote:I think that the passing grade has a lot to do with skill levels.You know what? This makes 100% sense, and I think you've got it.My sim is a Drama student. He had level 7 Charisma, but only level 3 comedy. He was getting A+'s in charisma classes, but Fs in comedy, despite mostly doing the same things. He missed a comedy class, and I assumed this was the issue instead, and that it was just immediately sending me from an A to an F for small mistakes.If there is a clear skill level that needs to be met before even getting a grade at passing level, this should be clearly stated in the UI like in The Sims 2 and in careers, in my opinion. I shouldn't flunk just because my skill isn't at a level not even visible to me, despite DU's uni information saying I can do a multitude of things to raise my grade with no hard guidelines, not just building skill.I guess I'm not sending newly created sims to uni anymore and just ones who have grown up in my game. Building skills to whatever the hidden level is from 0, plus having a social life, plus school work, just isn't really viable in one week.Yeah, I mainly play Uni for my Sims to party and hook up. (Sims 2 style!) The studying was always just the obstacle in between. But with Sims 4 Uni, I have to give the students no more than two classes per semester so they can actually have time to enjoy their college years. But that ends up confining me to drag out longer times spent in those households because switching out can mess up their grades and progress and I don't dare leave my students unsupervised. It's really too bad because University was one of my very favorite Sims 2 packs. But I just can't set it up and play it the same way. The time progression messes it all up.

"LiELF;c-17450771" wrote:It's really too bad because University was one of my very favorite Sims 2 packs. But I just can't set it up and play it the same way. The time progression messes it all up. I actually really like the way EA went about setting up this uni pack, and I think it's more interesting with a lot more going on that TS2 or TS3's iterations, but I also do not play The Sims 4 the same as I play 2. I play The Sims 2 rotational style, whereas The Sims 4 I just play with aging off, making new files for whatever I want to do. If I have kids, I manually age them when I want to. For example, one of my sim adopted a son, and once I'd done with what I wanted to do as a child, I aged him to a teen, and kept him in that save file as a teen from then on.I see people with huge family trees and tons of time spent on one save file, and my head wonders how they could possibly do that in The Sims 4 - family play is so dull. The Sims 4 is my "make interesting young adult & adult sims live their best life" simulator, I guess.For people who play rotational family play and/or use aging, this pack seems set up pretty badly in a lot of ways - from the fact that it takes so long to get degrees, to the fact that it doesn't work well with swapping between families.

Not gonna lie, Discover University makes no sense

Barbie430
5 years ago
I don’t really see how not allowing stoves in dorms is catering to American culture. Lots of dorms in America have full kitchens too. Those that don’t (at least where I am) tend to be 30-40 plus years old, so it’s hard to retrofit things like gas for a range or fit a full sized fridge in a smaller floor plan. Gameplay wise, it seems like such a silly limitation to place on players.
Magnezones
5 years ago
"Dijktafone;c-17456701" wrote:
As a vet simmer, and TS2/3 uni lover, what makes the least sense for me is simply sending sims there. Reason why, 'Get famous' offers all we need from a career perspective with the 'career hopper' perk.

If I went to TS2 uni, graduating would allow me to unlock the best moneymaking career as an artist.
If I went to TS3 uni, graduating in science & medecine would allow me, as I reach 'world renowned surgeon' to triple my pay/hour.

Nothing of the sort here, nothing justifying sending sims to uni. I would simply waste my poor sims' time, promotions and raises. Therefore I haven't played with any feature of this expansion since two days after it's launch.

So +1 to the title of the thread.

Wow. I didn't know this. And it never occurred to me about the Get Famous perk essentially doing the same thing as going to uni.

I like uni with that said for the gameplay itself. Societies, partying, etc, but now you mention it, from a utility standpoint it has... Nothing to offer.
Scobren
5 years ago
Interesting how the skills and traits can effect it. I know when I went to uni I had to take a study skills class because first term of transferring schools was rough. So something I wished been included in the pack to bring up grades. I know Sims 2 uni I had a lot of fun forming bands to make ends meat while attending classes.
Beardedgeek72
New Spectator
5 years ago
"yourfriendjess12;c-17456634" wrote:
i literally cannot agree more, ive played university for probably a month now on two families, both getting on probation on their first term, one of them getting suspended the second. they do all of their homework, go to class, do presentations and refine them etc, and i got all F’s. my sim is an adult now because he has been at university for too long, to graduate it should only take two weeks so you can still live out your young adult hood life. he has children and is married and it’s not realistic that he’s still in uni!!! i put so much effort in and it gets knocked down and it’s not even worth it

...How?
The only people I have seen that get probation are Sims played by youtubers that deliberately screw up their studies.
I am still think you either have a bad mod, or you are doing something completely wrong. I have gone thru Uni now 5 times, and I got ONE (1) F one time, and that was because I missed one class. As in completely didn't go one day. Since the term is only a week that is probably the equivalent of not showing up IRL to class for a month, so that makes sense.

The key is to get A- or better is to Always always always always be on time and do your homework. It is way worse to miss class than to skip homework, for example. Only half-plumb your homework but being on time nets you a B- or so.

@Magnezone I always pause aging while in Uni. I can't see a reason why not and quite frankly I am surprised it is not done automatically like in Sims 3.
keekee53
Seasoned Newcomer
5 years ago
I am very critical of this game but I rarely get lower than an A+ unless I miss a class. Then you can study that class on those special computers they have in the commons. Sometimes I let them get the B. Anyways if you do outstanding on the presentation, make sure your term paper is outstanding, take your finals and do all your homework before the class, I don't see how you can fail.

I have done poorly on elective classes if I don't work on the skill for that elective. I stopped taking electives because I had to work on the skill related to the elective and my sims are busy enough at college LOL.
Scobren
5 years ago
If it is a bug, probably best to let @SimGuruNick and @SimGuruArvin know about it.
kwanzaabot
5 years ago
"Nushnushganay;c-17450721" wrote:
I hope some more people contribute to this. Having it be so all-or-nothing is annoying. Like, being challenging is fine. But the only thing possible is straight As or flunking out? Come on!

I mean it's a bit like real university tbh.

(Australian uni grades are a bit different so bear with me here) but getting a Credit or a Distinction or High Distinction are functionally no different for me. If I'm one percent short of a Credit, I still get a Fail. If I get a solid 50%, that's a Credit, and I pass the class and I'm allowed to graduate.

As and Bs and Cs aren't worth anything except clout.
Leydi_Tee
New Spectator
5 years ago
"Dijktafone;c-17459377" wrote:
Yes. I would totally be down to go to uni if the experience in itself would justify it. Alas, no greek houses this time around, no 'big sim on campus' type of memory, no need to make connections... those tiny little things that I endear so much. In tS3 the campus was big, I loved the students, the outdoor academic activities.

As for the original topic, I have no clue how grades are constructed. All I know is I ended up with an A (not an A+) despite being maxed out in all skills, and always doing everything on time.

Have you noticed if there's a difference between "Listen Actively" and "Take Notes" while in class?
Cornwallfr
5 years ago
Oh my, I do not remember that at all. If I had to guess, I think I went with the default option. But if there are several, idk, maybe that was the difference between an A and an A+ :#
Beardedgeek72
New Spectator
5 years ago
"Magnezone;c-17457960" wrote:
"Beardedgeek;c-17457211" wrote:
"yourfriendjess12;c-17456634" wrote:
i literally cannot agree more, ive played university for probably a month now on two families, both getting on probation on their first term, one of them getting suspended the second. they do all of their homework, go to class, do presentations and refine them etc, and i got all F’s. my sim is an adult now because he has been at university for too long, to graduate it should only take two weeks so you can still live out your young adult hood life. he has children and is married and it’s not realistic that he’s still in uni!!! i put so much effort in and it gets knocked down and it’s not even worth it

...How?
The only people I have seen that get probation are Sims played by youtubers that deliberately screw up their studies.
I am still think you either have a bad mod, or you are doing something completely wrong. I have gone thru Uni now 5 times, and I got ONE (1) F one time, and that was because I missed one class. As in completely didn't go one day. Since the term is only a week that is probably the equivalent of not showing up IRL to class for a month, so that makes sense.
.

I'm like fairly convinced it's a bug only some people are getting, though I'm not sure what could be causing it. As I said, I only get straight As or Fs despite doing little between the two all that different. That's not right, surely?

If it is a bug, a bug report needs to be filed. And I realize that came off harsh but I really don't mean it that way. If you are experiencing a bug, report it.