Headmaster turns me down with an 84 score.

[Dai]

After more than a year and a half away from playing the game, I have recently reinstalled it and the first two packs - just like I had before - along with my saved games.  Things seem to work fine except that the Headmaster declines my application even when I have a score of 84 out of 90.  The house is clean, he seems impressed by things and enjoys the Salmon.  At first I had been using the "call all to dinner, but after reading that that was a mistake and reason for getting no points for food, I now call him through the "Entertain" button.  The first time, I was sure I was in with the new high score, but then admittedly, disappointed when he declined.

I never had this kind of problem before.

[Prudensh]

I think I remember that the call all to dinner option was the one to use because that meant the kid was at the table as well...:smt120

I definitely remember that you have to scmooze more or less constantly, and the Sim doing the schmoozing should have high charisma, and that the person doing the cooking should have high cooking skill. Oh yeah and fill your rooms with priceless antiques because he's an incorrigible snob.

These days I just use the education adjuster in the InSimenator to put my kids in private school.

[Dai]

But if 90 points is the max you can earn and you have 84, it would seem that the food decorations have already been calculated.  I mean, if I were only getting 30-50 points of 90, it would make more sense to buy expensive things, but... I've never had this problem before and I've tried it both by calling the guests first, calling the household, calling him directly... 4 nights in a row, I don't think I've ever been refused that much.

[Mi-chii]

I always earn well over a 100 points from the headmaster. First the tour, then some schmoozing while another sim makes dinner, and by the time he sits down to eat, my score is already over 80. 90 is the -minimum- you need to fill. When you've passed 90, he says godbye and leaves with the message that the kids have gotten into private school.

Also, there is an option on the headmaster (entertain->serve dinner or something) that you should use to get him to come eat. It really doesn't matter who's at the table, as long as he isn't eating alone and he likes the food.

[Dai]

Ahh, okay.  Wow, it really has been a while since I've played this...