At first, Some people miss starting education. Some people start with whatever sounded/looked good. Some people start a course after comparing the working stat gains. Some people ask their faction mates or in the new player chatroom and start. Some people forget. And, Some people just don't care.

But Education here is as important as the real-world education. The interesting thing is, if you stick with Torn for long, you are bound to complete all the education courses (roughly 4 years) along with 16 merits.

GOAL of this GUIDE:

• To let every tornian know the available approaches in the game
• To help prepare torn citizens do calculated decisions.
• To enumerate the options available in early as well as late game, so that one can have a good grasp on Torn's education system.

Caution:

2) Always mind your goals before starting a course as each bachelors can take up to 6-7 months to be finished. Your goals, priorities and even the game play itself can change in that time.

Ways to reduce Education time (In order of usual feasibility):

2) Promoting to the top rank of the starter job Education (Principal), you will gain a passive 10% reduction in education time. You will keep this passive even if you leave the starter job later.

You would need 1300 Manual labour, 4800 Intelligence, and 1300 Endurance to fast track this job. So I would suggest not to immediately jump into this city job when you start anew.

Found at News Paper > Job Listing > Jobs > Education - Go to interview

3) Having a West Side University (WSU) Stock Benefit Block of 1,000,000 shares will reduce education time by 10%. For this you have to first buy a 'Stock Ticker', at the 'Points Building', in the 'City'. This allows you to buy, sell, receive, send, or trade stocks. It roughly costs 88 mil atm.

You need to wait for 7 days to start getting the benefit. You may want to have it forever or buy for a week before your new course is started. I would suggest the first option, ALWAYS.

4) By joining in a PLAYER COMPANY ( 1* Fitness Center-Healthy mind OR 7* Hair Saloon-Cutting corners ), you can earn job points and buy 'time reduction of 30 min for 1 job point'.) Usually better used if your ongoing course is going to end shortly when you will not be available to restart another course immediately.
For Hair saloon the other special is not much of a use unless for specific people. For Fitness center, It is a debate whether to use it on edu or str gains. With present gym system the stat gains are not too low.

Ultimately the bonuses work as additives.

So the total time reduction for having full education merits + principal + WSU bb will be 40%.


Structure of the courses

Courses are divided in three tiers. Completion of previous tier courses of the same degree is a necessity for starting the next tier. Each group will have one Tier 1 (T1) course and one Tier 3 (T3) course. Tier 2 (T2) Courses vary in number throughout different groups/subjects. Tier 2.5 (T2.5) courses also vary in number. A new Tier 2.7 (T2.7) course is released for crimes 2.0. This nomenclature is not official.

First/Definite courses

Throughout the game, these courses are undoubtedly regarded as the first courses to be finished.

This course is For every one to reduce their spending on medical bills and to get access to higher tier medical items. After the 'Newbie Protection' period of first 14 days into the game there will be a need for having equipped with our own blood packets.

Blood bags will heal more amount of life and hospital time while giving less medical cooldown compared to other kinds of healing items.
These can be acquired either by buying in item market or by filling up of empty blood bags (Which are preferably bought at item market. Pharmacy is their place of origin but you would need 'Bachelors in Biology' to access it. They are also available at mission credit market in 'Missions' tab. But 'Mission Credits' are precious don’t waste them on empty blood bags).

Why do we need to worry about medical supplies?
Being attacked is natural in this game. This is a crime based one. What do you expect? And you have a nice merit for using 25,000 medical items. filling empty blood bags comes under this. You are going to use them for years.

Now we are going to discuss the steps that can be taken from this point onwards.

You can choose like most of the players, the 'popular approach'. Or the 'alternate approaches'. The key here is knowing 'WHAT YOU WANT TO DO WITH THIS GAME?' This can only be answered by 'YOU'.


The Popular approach is,

Battle stats are the core of the game, You gain respect with that. All your networth will go into training them at some point. These numbers usually measure the real growth of your account.

Gains: 2% Gym stat gains for all the battle stats and 2% Passive stat bonus for all the battle stats. You unlock Sports Shop.

ALTERNATE APPROACHES

Money, Crimes, and Merit hunting are the three most sought alternatives by players as an approach rather than a battle stat-centric approach.

CRIMES 1.0 IS NO LONGER AVAILABLE FOR NEW PLAYERS. THEY START WITH CRIMES 2.0. SO YOU DO NOT NEED TO DO EDUCATION RELATED TO 1.0 UNLESS FOR COMPLETION. 

A. MONEY-CENTRIC approach:

These people are mostly concerned with money. In reality, this is a more important stat than battle stats because it can boost your training efficiency in leaps.

For this, newbies have very few viable options (some of these are time gated, may not be viable for newbies but the reason for mentioning them here is that you can get an idea so that you can plan)
- Flying, Selling losses, Crimes, Trading, Company direction, Casino (in the order of ease)

Now coming to the various education courses that will help earn money

1. Crimes like FBI hacking from crimes 1.0 can earn you a good amount of daily income. But you will need to have 35-40 natural nerve (not possible for a newbie in the short term). You need to finish a course to unlock this ability. The new Crimes 2.0 brought new educational courses with it. which can also earn a bit extra money.

CMT1520: Introduction to Computing (1 week)
CMT2540: Networking (2 weeks) - access to hacking crimes (crimes 1.0)
CMT2230: Web design and Development (1 week) - unlock the ability to create an online store for your counterfeit DVD (crimes 2.0)
CMT2570: Fundamentals of computer architecture (2 weeks) - reduces heat generation from rig components by 25% (crimes 2.0)
CMT2128: Overclocking (1 week) - unlock rig overclocking up to 30%
CMT2129: Advanced Overclocking (1 week) - unlock rig overclocking up to 50%
PSY2132:  Interpersonal Dynamics (1 week) - This unlocks a range indicator deemed essential for the later scam methods.

CMT2130: Web Security and Penetration Testing (1 week) : This unlocks additional Email Farming outcomes that result in a higher number of email addresses gained.

CMT2131: Automated Data Mining & Processing (2 weeks) : This unlocks the ability to initiate website scrapers while Email Farming, allowing you to gain more email addresses passively over time. 

2. Company direction: The high-tier companies can earn 100s of millions a week. But running them is a hard task as the competition is going hard and it is getting hard to acquire loyal employees. So you need to enter with conviction and a full set of education

BUSINESS MANAGEMENT Bachelors (37 weeks)
MTH1220: Introduction to Mathematics (1 week)
MTH2280: Probability (3 weeks)
LAW1880: Introduction to Law (1 week)
LAW2100: Media Law (3 weeks)

3. Trading: The basics of trading is appeasing the larger mule community of fliers. Getting rid of their plushies and flowers can give you good mileage and can rope in recurring customers. How does education help this? After acquiring all those stuffed animals and exotic flowers you would need a place to exchange them to get points out of the sets is MUSEUM. You need to unlock it only by education.

HISTORY Bachelors (25 weeks)

B. CRIME-CENTRIC approach:

As crimes are done through separate stat (nerve) and it is mainly depending upon an invisible stat (Crime Experience - CE), this approach can be said as an additional approach rather than an alternative approach. Education helps little in this aspect but is important.

1. Hacking (crimes 1.0): As said above. It is a CE-draining crime that can be done after achieving 35 NNB (natural nerve bar) but lucrative.

CMT1520: Introduction to Computing (1 week)
CMT2540: Networking (2 weeks)

2. Grand Theft Auto (GTA) crimes (crimes 1.0): To be able to do them you need to first finish these courses. These courses are also useful for unlocking the staple crime for positive CE - Arsons (warehouse)

GEN1112: Introduction to General studies (1 week)
GEN2113: Driving license (2 weeks)

3. Bootlegging crimes (crimes 2.0): To set up an online store to sell all the DVDs on its own.

CMT1520: Introduction to Computing (1 week) - to unlock CMT2230
CMT2230: Web design and Development (1 week) - unlock the ability to create an online store for your counterfeit DVD (crimes 2.0)

4. Cracking crimes (crimes 2.0): To be able to do them you need to first finish these courses and get the rig working over its capacity. So far this is the highest paid crime in crimes 2.

CMT1520: Introduction to Computing (1 week) - to be able to do cracking crime
CMT2570: Fundamentals of computer architecture (2 weeks) - reduces heat generation from rig components by 25% (crimes 2.0)
CMT2128: Overclocking (1 week) - unlock rig overclocking up to 30%
CMT2129: Advanced Overclocking (1 week) - unlock rig overclocking up to 50%

5. Scamming crimes (crimes 2.0): To aid the scamming three new courses were introduced

PSY2132:  Interpersonal Dynamics (1 week) - This unlocks a range indicator deemed essential for the later scam methods.

CMT2130: Web Security and Penetration Testing (1 week) : This unlocks additional Email Farming outcomes that result in a higher number of email addresses gained.

CMT2131: Automated Data Mining & Processing (2 weeks) : This unlocks the ability to initiate website scrapers while Email Farming, allowing you to gain more email addresses passively over time. 

6. Crime success rate: A 10% increase in crime success rate will be seen after finishing this course

PSYCHOLOGY Bachelors (24 weeks)
CMT1520: Introduction to Computing (1 week)
CMT2610: Computer Science and Defense (10% increase in hacking crime success rate) (4 weeks)

C. MERIT-CENTRIC approach:

These players want to earn or plan their progress according to maximize the capacity to earn as much as possible number of merits. They tend to splurge a large amount of money on it sometimes which may hamper their battle stat growth.

Finishing all the education courses itself can provide a good 16 merits. But some courses are so much helpful for gaining an early start on many 'long-burn merits'.

1. Busting: It is severely time-gated to earn merits in busting as you may be able to only bust 2-3 people a day in the beginning at max. While busting others can cost 2-5 nerve depending upon the faction specials. Self-bust can cost more than half of your nnb.

LAW1880: Introduction to Law (1 week)
LAW2890: Public Law (Reduced chance of being caught when trying to escape from jail) (2 weeks)

LAW2920: Criminal Law (5% bonus to your skill in busting) (2 weeks)

LAW2970: Social and Economic Law (10% bonus to your skill in busting) (3 weeks)

LAW2990: International Human rights (Use less nerve when trying to escape from jail) (3 weeks)

LAW3102: Bachelor of Law (Busting is 50% easier and bailing is 50% cheaper) (6 weeks)

2. Bailing: You use money to bail yourself or others out of jail. It can be quite costly.

LAW1880: Introduction to Law (1 week)
LAW2900: Common Law (Gain the ability to buy yourself and others out of jail while you are in jail yourself) (3 weeks)

LAW2930: Administrative Law (5% discount when buying people out of jail) (2 weeks)

LAW2980: Use of Force in an international law (10% discount when buying people out of jail) (3 weeks)

LAW3102: Bachelor of Law (Busting is 50% easier and bailing is 50% cheaper) (6 weeks)

3. Weapon experience: A nightmarish merit is achieving 25 weapons' experience to 100%, which would take at least 2000 hits with each weapon. But to start acquiring weapon experience, you need to finish this course. Weapon experience is also useful in battles as a weapon will get bonus damage and accuracy when you reach 100% experience with it.

COMBAT TRAINING bachelors (26 weeks)

4. Virus coding: You can code various viruses using a personal computer or a laptop. You need to unlock each virus coding ability by education. You need to code 250 viruses to get the merit. It takes a long time to code a virus. The below-said courses will help

CMT1520: Introduction to Computing (1 week)
CMT2600: Natural language engineering (+ 10% decrease in virus coding times) (3 weeks)

D. BATTLE-CENTRIC approach:

While the best starting point for this would be 'Sports science' bachelors, some people try to cover other areas first.

1. Passive stats: Xanax usage is associated with -35% of all stats while under drug cool down. This will be seriously hampering getting good respect from opponents in chains or wars. To counter it you can spend merits on passive stats but as new players do not enjoy the freedom of having numerous merits to spare, you can grab passive stats using education also.

The total number of passive stats that can be gained from education would be,
Strength = +5% (9 weeks, including introductions)
Speed = +14% (27 weeks, including introductions)
Defense = +11% (21 weeks, including introductions)
Dexterity = +19% (22 weeks, including introductions)
(Total - 66 weeks)

SPT1430: Introduction to Sports science (1 week)
SPT2490: Nutritional Science - Gain a 2% passive bonus to speed and strength (3 weeks)
SPT2500: Analysis and Performance - Gain a 2% passive bonus to defense and dexterity (3 weeks)
HAF1103: Introduction to Health & Fitness (1 week)
HAF2104: Aerobics - Gain a 1% passive bonus to dexterity (2 weeks)
HAF2105: Acrobatics - Gain a 1% passive bonus to speed (2 weeks)
HAF2106: Power Lifting - Gain a 1% passive bonus to strength (2 weeks)
HAF2107: Yoga - Gain a 2% passive bonus to strength (2 weeks)
HAF2108: Swimming - Gain a 1% passive bonus to dexterity (2 weeks)
HAF2109: Marathon Training - Gain a 3% passive bonus to speed (4 weeks)
MTH1220: Introduction to Mathematics (1 week)
MTH2240: Essential Foundation Mathematics - Gain a 1% passive bonus to speed (3 weeks)
MTH2250: Intermediate Mathematics - Gain a 1% passive bonus to speed (3 weeks)
MTH2260: Geometry - Gain a 1% passive bonus to defense (3 weeks)
MTH2320: Geometry 2 - Gain a 2% passive bonus to defense (3 weeks)
PSY1630: Introduction to Psychiatry (1 week)
PSY2640: Memory and Decision - Gain a 1% passive bonus to dexterity (2 weeks)
PSY2650: Brain and Behaviour - Gain a 2% passive bonus to dexterity (3 weeks)
PSY2660: Quantitative Methods in Psychology - Gain a 4% passive bonus to dexterity (3 weeks)
PSY2670: Applied Decision Methods - Gain a 8% passive bonus to dexterity (4 weeks)
DEF1700: Introduction to Self Defense (1 week)
DEF2710: Judo - Gain a 1% passive bonus to defense (3 weeks)
DEF2730: Krav Maga - Gain a 2% passive bonus to defense (4 weeks)
DEF2740: Jujitsu - Gain a 3% passive bonus to defense (2 weeks)
DEF2750: Tae Kwon Do - Gain a 2% passive bonus to speed (2 weeks)
DEF2760: Muay Thai - Gain a 3% passive bonus to speed (3 weeks)
CBT1780: Introduction to Combat Training (1 week)
CBT2790: Military Psychology - Gain a 1% passive bonus to speed (2 weeks)

2. Misc: There is wide range of educations that help directly and indirectly in battles, apart from gym stat gains and passive stats. The list of courses will not include introductions, as you should work on them in the late phase rather than early.

BIO2350: Evolution (Gain a 1% damage bonus to all weapons) (2 weeks)
BIO2360: Intermediate Biochemistry (Gain a bonus of 10% to medical item effectiveness) (4 weeks)
BIO2370: Advanced Biochemistry (Gain a bonus of 10% to medical item effectiveness) (4 weeks)
BIO2380: Fundamentals of neurobiology (Gain a 10% damage increase when hitting an opponent's neck) (3 weeks)
BIO2400: Forensic science (Decrease an opponent's stealthiness) (4 weeks)

BIO2410: Anatomy (Gain a 3% chance increase of achieving a critical hit) (3 weeks)
BIO3420: Bachelor of Biology (Ability to equip life and stat boosters in your temporary slot) (5 weeks)

CBT2820: Study of Machine Guns (+ 5% increase in accuracy with Machine Guns) (2 weeks)

CBT2830: Study of Sub-machine guns (+ 5% increase in accuracy with Sub-Machine Guns) (2 weeks)
CBT2840: Study of Pistols (+ 5% increase in accuracy with Pistols) (2 weeks)
CBT2850: Study of Rifles (+ 5% increase in accuracy with Rifles) (2 weeks)
CBT2860: Study of Heavy artillary (+ 5% increase in accuracy with Heavy artilleries) (2 weeks)
CBT2125: Study of Shot guns (+ 5% increase in accuracy with Shot guns) (2 weeks)

GEN2116: General Mechanics (+ 5% hit increase with all temporary weapons) (2 weeks)
GEN2119: General Science (+ 5% damage increase with all temporary weapons) (3 weeks)

HAF3111: Bachelors of Health & Fitness (+ 25% increase in speed during an opponent's escape attempt) (5 weeks)

HIS2160: Ancient Japanese History (10% damage increase with Japanese blade weapons) (3 weeks)
HIS2170: Medieval History (2% bonus to all melee damage) (4 weeks)

MTH2310: Discrete Mathematics (5% bonus to ammo conservation) (4 weeks)
MTH3330: Bachelors in Mathematics (20% bonus to ammo conservation) (6 weeks)

DEF2720: Kick Boxing (Unlock kick attack when in a battle) (2 weeks)
DEF3770: Bachelors of Self Defense (100% increase in damage dealt when using fists alone) (5 weeks)

SPT2480: Sports Medicine (Gain a 10% increase in steroid effectiveness) (4 weeks)

FINAL WORDS of Advice

2) You need to finish all courses at some point, but always put your next goal before choosing each course.

Edit1: 28/3/23: Revamped guide in line with present game strategies
Edit2: 29/3/23: Changed usefulness of company specials with edu time reduction comments.
Edit3: 31/12/23: added new education released for crimes 2.0
Edit4: 22/4/24: The perks that reduce education time are now additive

Edit5: 30/8/24: The newly released scamming related educations are added for crimes 2.0

Edit6: 16/4/25: Changed the name of the guide from ‘newbie’ to’ torn’ because crimes 1.0 is not available to newbies anymore but i wanted to continue having the courses about them for everyone’s sake.