University Aptitude Test Tweak - More Traits

Big Update June 12, 2025: I found the package file that controls your sim's academic performance once they're attending uni. Turns out that in the unmodded game, there's a mismatch between the traits that boost your Aptitude Test Score and the traits that boost your Academic Performance. I tweaked both files until the traits matched, with a couple exceptions. Details below in the big list.

I also made big changes to the Science/Medicine and Communications majors. Building your Logic skill will now increase your academic performance in Science/Medicine. I did that because the Medical Career requires Logic. As for the Communications major, building Charisma will now increase your academic performance. I did that because all careers associated with the major require Charisma. This change also makes it easier to get an A in that major; once you have at least one point in Charisma, every social interaction builds the skill.

One last change: I switched the Education career from the Business major to Communications. It just made more sense to me.

None of these changes will show up in the tool-tips. (That's when you hover your cursor over something and a text bubble pops up to give you more info.) I don't know how to change that and I don't care enough to figure it out.

The download now contains 2 package files: one for the Aptitude Test and one for Academic Performance. Both of these go in your Sims 3/Mods/Packages folder, like before.

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The Big List (a copy of this is included in the download)

Across the board: Lucky will boost your Aptitude Test score for all majors because your sim is more likely to guess correctly on the multiple-choice test. However, it will NOT boost your grade once at uni. There is only one exam per semester, and it's not guaranteed to be multiple-choice.

Detrimental traits do no affect the Aptitude Test, but they do affect academic performance. Absent-Minded and Loser are detrimental to all 6 majors.

Business

• Traits: Ambitious, Bookworm, Born Salesman, Charismatic, Evil, Frugal, Genius, Mooch, Snob, Workaholic
• Skills: Charisma, Mixology, Social Networking
• Detrimental Traits: Good

Communications

• Traits: Bookworm, Charismatic, Flirty, Friendly, Genius, Good Sense of Humor, Irresistible, Photographer's Eye, Schmoozer, Social Butterfly
• Skills: Charisma, Photography, Writing
• Detrimental Traits: Brooding, Grumpy, Inappropriate, Loner, Mean-Spirited, No Sense of Humor, Shy
• The Education career now falls under the Communications major.

Fine Arts

• Traits: Artistic, Avant Garde, Dramatic, Hopeless Romantic, Natural Born Performer, Natural Cook, Perfectionist, Rebellious, Savvy Sculptor, Star Quality, Virtuoso
• Skills: all 4 musical instruments, Cooking, Nectar Making, Painting, Sculpting, Street Art
• Detrimental Traits: Can't Stand Art

Physical Education

• Traits: Athletic, Daredevil, Disciplined, Equestrian, Loves the Outdoors, Loves to Swim
• Skills: Athletic, Horseback Riding, Martial Arts, Scuba Diving
• Detrimental Traits: Clumsy, Couch Potato, Hates the Outdoors

Science/Medicine

• Traits: Angler, Bookworm, Gatherer, Genius, Green Thumb, Perceptive, Socially Awkward
• Skills: Alchemy, Fishing, Gardening, Logic, Science
• Detrimental Traits: Technophobe

Technology

• Traits: Bot Fan, Brave, Bookworm, Can Catch Burglars (hidden trait), Computer Whiz, Daredevil, Eccentric, Fireproof (hidden trait), Genius, Handy
• Skills: Advanced Tech, Bot Building, Handiness, Inventing, Logic
• Detrimental Traits: Coward, Technophobe

Aptitude Test Score = (100 base score per major) + (83 x traits) + (34 x career levels) + (27 x skill levels)

• 250 major score = 6 bonus credit hours
• 350 major score = 18 bonus credit hours
• 1200 total score = $1000/term scholarship
• 1800 total score = $2500/term scholarship

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I added more traits to the aptitude test score. By extension, this also makes it easier to win a scholarship and/or extra credits.

Several of these traits are from other xpacks, but you don't need those packs for the mod to work. Like with the original test, the game just checks to see if your sim has any of those traits.

List of Changes (outdated as of June 12 update):

- Bookworm: added to Business, Communication, and Technology majors
- Brave: Technology. This trait spawns wishes to join the Law Enforcement or Military careers. So, I added it to the major associated with those careers.
- Disciplined: Phys Ed. In the original version, the Martial Arts skill contributes to your test score, but not the associated trait. I fixed that.
- Dramatic: Fine Arts. I just thought it was thematically appropriate.
- Equestrian: Phys Ed. Same story as the Disciplined trait.
- Friendly: Communications
- Genius: removed from Fine Arts and Phys Ed. Lucky takes its place as the trait that raises your score across the board.
- Hopeless Romantic: Fine Arts. This trait spawns musical lifetime wishes, like Hit Movie Composer. And imo, it makes sense for a romantic sim to pursue their passion instead of a practical degree.
- Lucky: all 6 majors. I figured a lucky sim is better at guessing on multiple choice questions.
- Mooch: Business
- Perfectionist: switched from Science/Medicine to Fine Arts. This trait improves the quality of your sim's creative output, like books, paintings, and meals. Imo it makes more sense as an artistic trait.

I assume this mod will conflict with any other that changes the aptitude test.