Building up your drug empire in Schedule 1 is relatively simple, but you’ll need to put in the time to make it happen - and, as you do, you’ll begin to level up. However, not all drug dealing activities in Schedule 1 are created equal, and there are several ways you can optimize your EXP harvesting efforts to level up quicker. In line with this thought, today, we’re looking at some of the different methods you could try that can help boost your EXP gain and allow you to reach higher levels in Schedule 1 as soon as possible!

How to Gain EXP Fast in Schedule 1

Leveling up your rank in Schedule 1 is pretty straightforward, and as your drug business grows, so will your character - and your rank. However, optimizing your early gameplay can make it easier to level up, and the following tips are all worth keeping in mind.

Don’t Just Outsource Everything!

If there’s one golden rule when it comes to leveling up quickly in Schedule 1, it’s this: make as many deals as possible personally. Indeed, while it’s tempting to assign most of your customers to your dealers (especially when your client list starts getting long), handling the sales yourself yields far more EXP overall - potentially an extra 500 EXP per day!

Every completed deal gives you a significant experience boost, whether it’s a planned delivery or an impromptu street deal. Better still, this applies to all product types—even basic, low-cost strains that are easy to make and keep on hand to make those early morning trades. In short: the quality of the products you’re selling doesn’t really matter much for EXP purposes, so much as the act of making the deal itself.

Keep in mind that if your customers are already assigned to a dealer, you won’t be able to make a deal while they’re waiting on the dealer to turn up. So, try to get to customers with deals very first thing in the morning before they order from a dealer to ensure you’re able to get as many impromptu trades as possible.

If you’re particularly serious about increasing EXP gains and don’t mind making slightly less money for a while, you could also consider limiting the number of customers assigned to your dealers. This forces more of your clients to contact you directly, giving you more selling opportunities for extra EXP boosts.

Take Advantage of the Curfew Bonus

Many people don’t realize that heading out after curfew can significantly increase your exp gains, but it makes sense when you think about it and what your dealer rank represents (your experience in illicit activities!) Indeed, nighttime deliveries made during curfew hours offer an EXP boost, but keep in mind that this is far riskier than a regular daytime deal. So, only try this if you’re confident of not getting caught.

Prioritize High-Yield Products Like Meth

As you progress through Schedule 1, your unlocked product range expands. And, while it’s fine to stick with basic weed strains early on, switching to higher-value products like Meth once you have the tools and ingredients will increase your EXP gains a great deal, especially as you discover new combinations. So, be sure to experiment if you want to rise up through the ranks more quickly.

Grow and Trim Your Own Plants

To begin the game, you’ll need to do all your own growing and harvesting. This can be tedious, but it’s a brilliant way to bolster your exp - so, if you have time to dedicate to manually growing and trimming, be sure to keep it in mind. When combined with daily selling rounds, the extra EXP from manually harvesting weed can definitely add up fast.

Escape Police Chases

Getting caught by the police is never a good thing - but if you can successfully outrun the cops after reaching Wanted: Dead or Alive status, you’ll enjoy a handy little EXP bonus. However, keep in mind that it can only be done once per day for a nice boost of around 40 EXP. In addition, you can get around 20 exp per kill if you start a wanted chase and kill the cops, so this also offers a new opportunity to level up - but a very risky one, so take that into consideration.

FAQs

Why have all my EXP and progress been lost in Schedule 1? There is a common glitch in Schedule 1 where all of your EXP progress can be lost after sleeping. As such, it’s worth saving every night right before you go to bed, to prevent this from becoming an issue.

Do I get more EXP in Schedule 1 for doing jobs manually? Yes! You’ll get far more EXP by doing as much as possible manually in Schedule 1 compared to outsourcing work to your dealers, growers, etc. So, try to keep some tasks back for yourself to keep your character rising through the ranks.

Final Thoughts

Leveling up fast in Schedule 1 comes down to a simple priority, for the most part: putting in the time and effort over convenience. Indeed, while automating can be very tempting, focusing on direct sales, running around to make trades after curfew, trimming your own plants, and engaging in small side activities like police chases, you can dramatically boost your EXP gains and boost your rank in Schedule 1 quickly as a result.