Cheating During Testing Level Progression and Milestone Route
What to unlock when, how Credits compound, and why phones beat everything early.
Cheating During Testing progression is a loop: finish exams, earn Credits, unlock Shop tiers, buy phones, survive longer exams, earn more Credits. Understanding the gate order — when to grind versus when to spend — is the difference between a month of frustrating Rookie papers and steady climb toward Ultimate Cheater runs. This guide maps that path from Level 1 newcomer to seasoned exam veteran.
The progression loop explained
Each exam pays out based on grade and punctuality. Higher grades mean more Credits and more consistent level gains. Credits unlock gadgets. Level gates unlock Shop tiers. Gadgets let you finish higher-grade papers faster. That flywheel is the entire progression system — there is no side quest, no grinding zone, just the exam loop sharpened over time.
Level gates and what they unlock
Community-tracked gates from late August 2026 BETA:
| Level | What opens |
|---|---|
| Level 1 | Smart Watch (100 Credits), Snitch (Robux) |
| Level 2 | Smart Glasses (community ~600–1,500 Credits) |
| Level 3 | Phone tier 1 (300 Credits), Phone tier 2 (400 Credits) |
| Level 5 | Phone tier 3 (450 Credits) |
The exact prices and gates can shift with BETA patches. Always verify with the live Shop panel after the Update Log changes.
The first milestone: reaching Level 3
Your early goal is to survive enough exams to hit Level 3 and afford the first phone tier. Until that point you are running on pencil-and-prefill luck. The Smart Watch at Level 1 (100 Credits) is a reasonable first buy if you are dying to not knowing where the teacher stands — it is cheap awareness. But do not spiral into Watch purchases if your catch problem is actually holster discipline.
Why phones are the first real power spike
Phone tier 1 (300 Credits, Level 3) changes the cheat loop from hope you finish to you control the pace. Before phones, you are limited to what you can memorize or guess. After the first phone, you photograph the sheet, the device returns corrections, and you work through the list in safe windows. That shift is the difference between Rookie and passing grades.
The Phone Trick explains the all-A method that makes phones efficient. Read it before you buy your first tier.
Mid-progression: Level 3 to Level 5
After the first phone, save for the second tier (400 Credits). Then bank toward the Level 5 gate for the third phone (450 Credits). Community examples suggest each tier raises answers per photo from roughly 2 to 3–4 to 5, with processing speed climbing from Medium to Fast. Faster scans mean shorter windows, which means fewer catches, which means steadier Credit income.
Do not buy Smart Glasses at Level 2 if you are still failing exams. Glasses are awareness tools, not survival tools. If you are dying to stares, fix holster timing first.
The Credit math that drives the flywheel
Rough community math from late August 2026 BETA:
- One clean 100% run with on-time bonus: ~140 Credits
- First phone tier: 300 Credits (about 2–3 clean runs)
- Second phone tier: 400 Credits (about 3–4 clean runs)
- Third phone tier: 450 Credits (about 3–4 clean runs)
Two to four clean papers pay for each phone upgrade. That is the compounding engine. Every imperfect run delays the next tier. Every caught run erases progress toward it. The Credits Planner exists to make that math visible before you open the Shop.
When to buy versus when to grind
Buy a phone tier when: you have met the level gate, you have enough Credits without touching your survival buffer, and your holster timing is clean enough that the faster phone will actually reduce catches.
Grind another exam when: you do not meet the level gate yet, you are one clean run away from the next tier, or your catch rate is so high that a new phone will just get confiscated faster.
The Avoid Getting Caught guide fixes the catch rate before the Shop Items guide fixes the tool.
Snitch income as a side stream
Reporting other players pays about 20 Credits per successful snitch. This is a side income, not a primary path. It requires no exam risk, but it requires watching other students and being in a lobby with obvious phones to report. Do not let report hunting replace grade farming — a Rookie paper plus three reports is weaker than two Ultimate papers.
Level skips and Robux shortcuts
The Shop offers +1 Level for Robux. Some builds offer Credit packs. These are valid for players who have proven they can survive exams — spending Robux to reach a phone tier you cannot yet use without dying is wasting money. Wait until you have one clean survival run under your belt before buying level skips.
Common progression traps
- Buying every gadget before buying the first phone — phones are the meta.
- Buying Glasses at Level 2 while still dying to stares — fix holster first.
- Grinding Rookie papers for days without analyzing why grades are weak.
- Ignoring Anxiety and Hunger meters until they end otherwise clean runs.
- Buying Credit packs before knowing whether you will survive the next exam.
Progression summary for each stage
Level 1–2: Survive. Learn seat, camera settings, and the all-A prefill. Buy Watch if affordable. Do not buy Glasses yet.
Level 3: First phone tier. This is the power spike. Run the Phone Trick until holster feels boring.
Level 4: Second phone tier or bank for Level 5. Add Snacks if Hunger is ending runs.
Level 5+: Third phone tier. At this point phones are owned, meters are managed, and progression shifts from survival to optimization.
Linking to the rest of the wiki
This page connects to everything: Getting Started for lobby setup, Phone Trick for the core loop, Anxiety and Hunger for meter management, Credits Planner for spend math, and Shop Items for live price verification.
Frequently Asked Questions
Quick answers to the most common classroom questions.
What level do I need for the first phone?
Community tables show Level 3. Verify with the live Shop panel after Update Log changes.
Should I buy Smart Watch or Smart Glasses first?
Watch first — it is cheaper and more useful early. Glasses are better after phones are owned.
How many exams does it take to afford a phone tier?
Roughly 2–4 clean runs at good grades per tier at current community-tracked prices. See Credits Planner.
Do level skips make sense?
Only after you can survive exams cleanly. Buying a level skip before holster skill is waste.