The Sims 3 University Life Expansion Pack
List of New Gameplay Features and Strategy Guides
| Enrolling/Aptitude | Majors/Attending | PlantSims | Science | Social Networking | Street Art |
| Jocks | Sports Agent | Nerds | Game Developer | Rebels | Art Appraiser |
The Sims 3 University Life is the ninth Expansion Pack for The Sims 3. The Expansion adds social groups, new career options, three new skills and a fully-featured University campus Sims will travel to in order to seek their degrees in one of six majors. This guide will cover all the new additions that the EP brings to TS3, which may aid your decision to buy University Life or inform you of new features when you've just purchased it.
Sim University
Most of the new content in The Sims 3 University Life is centered on the new University Campus town. When a Sim enrolls in University, they'll be whisked away World Adventures-style to the new location while time freezes back at home. The campus features buildings like administration, a lecture hall, sports arena and hangouts for the three new social groups. Learn more about enrolling in the University in our Enrollment and Aptitude Test Guide.
Majors
Sims may select one of five Majors to earn their degree. Each of them are similarly structured, requiring Sims to attend class, lectures, and hands-on learning activities. Sims will need to keep their progress up by studying, attending class and learning skills that benefit their Major. When you have earned enough credits by passing classes, your Sim graduates and gets the degree, and a boost in careers related to their degree. This raises their starting career level and lets them earn more money. Learn more about the various majors in the guide to Majors and Getting a Degree.
New Skills
There are three new skills in The Sims 3 University Life:
- Science - The Science skill allows Sims to clone themselves, other Sims, and collectible objects. Most of the skill revolves around collectibles and this cloning. They are also able to get access to the new life state in The Sims 3 University Life - PlantSims.
- Social Networking - Social Networking allows your Sims to make money as a blogger and manipulate the relationships of other Sims around them.
- Street Art - Street Art lets Sims make graffiti around town. It doesn't have to be vandalism, as these skills are highly desirable by the city looking for skilled artists to decorate the town.
- Photography - University Life gives Simmers the Photography skill from World Adventures.
Social Groups and Special Careers
University Life features three new social groups that all have an associated career that can only be accessed by climbing to the top of that group. The system operates much like the celebrity system in Late Night, though with a larger set of options to advance your status with the groups.
- Jock Social Group (unlocks Sports Agent Career) - The Jocks ar socialites and love throwing parties. They're active in sports and growing in standing with them can be accomplished easily by taking part in Collegiate sports at the University's Sports Stadium.
- Nerd Social Group (unlocks Video Game Developer Career) - Nerds love comic books and Science. Gaining influence with the group can be done by playing video games, reading comic books, and interacting with other nerds in nerdy ways.
- Rebel Social Group (unlocks Art Appraiser Career) - Rebels are inclined to protest and use the new Street Art skill like vandals. Doing either of those things will build rep with this artsy and rebellious group.
Smart Phones
The cell phone from vanilla Sims 3 gets replaced with the Smart Phone in UL. This lets you use the new Social Networking skill, as blogging can only be done with the phone. These allow Sims to study for class and browse the web, among all the normal features the cell provided.
Extra Trait Slots
A great new feature of University Life are the new trait additions. With the EP installed, you are able to get a total of seven traits for a Sim. Graduating University will give you one extra slot, while the other is attained by reaching level 8 with the first social group. Repeating these accomplishments simply gives you the opportunity to change the extra trait.
New Objects and Interactions
There are several new objects, most are related to attending University like the podium (rebels can give speeches), whiteboard (allowing practice of Street Art) and the backpack (purely decorative inventory item). There are several new ways for Sims to have fun at the U. There are juice kegs for throwing parties, soccer balls to raise athletic and give sims some recreation, and table tennis which can be used competitively in its expected way or to play Juice Pong. Sims are able to streak, give lectures, and play frisbee with the Flying Disc. Overall the new objects and activities give the campus a nice feel appropriate for its setting.
New Lifetime Wishes and Traits
There are three new traits with the Expansion, and six new Lifetime Wishes. LTWs are focused on attending/graduating the University and new skill additions. The only Lifetime Rewards included are three to raise influence with the Social Groups and one to get an Honorary Degree from the University.
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18Please reply,
Thanks, Nicki
still nothing. I had to shut down my lab
top to restart the game, never happened with any of my other families.
Do you use mods or CC?
Log off of online, then close the game, restart and do not log back in unless there is a download from the sims store, your game will load faster and most of your problems will disappear.
I've just a question, not having this EP yet... let's say I have two children with 10 sim-days gap in age... if when the older one reaches the university age I make him move... how can the younger one catch up being his time frozen?
Moreover, I read that you can transfer the whole family to the university lot, but will they be able to work and/or go to school and so on?
(Just a confirmation, because actually if you say it works as travel then the answer is "Right"... :P)
