How to Get the Best Evaluation from Grandpa in Stardew Valley

To earn all four candles in Grandpa’s evaluation, reach at least 12 points across the game’s milestones. The first evaluation happens at the start of Year 3 and counts progress from the first two years—but it is not your only chance. If you fall short, keep playing and offer a diamond at Grandpa’s Shrine to request another evaluation.

How Grandpa’s evaluation works

The evaluation awards points for farm earnings, skills, achievements, relationships, the Community Center, and keys. There are 21 points available in total, but you do not need to complete every milestone: any combination reaching 12 earns four candles.

#	Preview	Product	Price
1		Stardew Valley (Nintendo Switch)	$33.99	Buy on Amazon
2		Stardew Valley [Nintendo Switch - Standard Edition]	$32.69	Buy on Amazon
3		Stardew Valley - Nintendo Switch [Digital Code]	$14.89	Buy on Amazon
4		Minecraft - Nintendo Switch	$29.82	Buy on Amazon

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The candle results are grouped into four bands:

• 0–3 points: one candle
• 4–7 points: two candles
• 8–11 points: three candles
• 12 or more points: four candles

The first evaluation takes place at the start of Year 3. Grandpa’s in-game note says, “Wait for my return at the dawn of the 3rd year.” The Stardew Valley Wiki’s Grandpa page documents the timing and scoring.

Which milestones earn points?

Use this list to identify attainable points that fit your save. Earnings, skills, and completion goals can add up in different ways, so you do not have to pursue every category.

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Total earnings: up to 7 points

Cumulative earnings unlock points at successive thresholds: 50,000g, 100,000g, 200,000g, 300,000g, and 500,000g. Reaching 1,000,000g adds two points, bringing the category total to seven.

Skills: up to 2 points

Gain one point for at least 30 total skill levels and another for at least 50 total levels. The 50-level threshold means reaching level 10 in all five skills.

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Achievements: up to 3 points

• Complete the museum collection.
• Catch every fish.
• Ship every item.

Each of these goals is worth one point.

Relationships: up to 4 points

• Be married and have at least two house upgrades.
• Reach the required friendship level with five villagers.
• Reach it with ten villagers.
• Raise your pet’s affection to approximately five hearts.

The five-villager and ten-villager milestones are separate scoring goals. The game checks a friendship score of 1,975, slightly below the visible eight-heart mark of 2,000; the exact score is not displayed in-game. The Wiki says it can be checked in the save file.

Community Center and keys: up to 4 points

• Complete the Community Center for one point.
• Attend its completion ceremony for two points.
• Obtain the Skull Key for one point.
• Obtain the Rusty Key for one point.

The Community Center’s two milestones together are worth three points. Choosing the Joja Warehouse route means you cannot earn points for completing the Community Center or its ceremony, but the other categories still offer enough possible points to reach four candles.

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Choose a route to reach 12 points

First check which milestones your save has already reached, then focus on the remaining goals that match how you like to play. These are scoring categories, not mandatory routes:

• Develop the farm: earnings and skill levels reward steady farm growth and can contribute up to nine points combined.
• Finish collections: the museum, fish, and shipped-item milestones can provide up to three points, though each requires a completion goal.
• Build relationships: villager friendship, marriage, house upgrades, and pet affection provide several options if you are already spending time with the community.
• Complete milestones: the Community Center and keys offer points for progression goals. The Community Center points are unavailable on the Joja Warehouse route.

No single category is required. For example, a player who does not complete the Community Center can still reach 12 through earnings, skills, achievements, relationships, and keys.

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What to do if you did not get four candles

1. Keep progressing. The first result is not a deadline; work toward additional milestones from the scoring list.
2. Place a diamond in Grandpa’s Shrine. This requests another evaluation. The shrine is on the farm; the Stardew Valley Wiki’s Farm page covers its location and re-evaluation.
3. Let the re-evaluation happen. Once it awards four candles, interact with the shrine to claim the reward.

If you marry on Year 3, Day 1, the marriage cutscene can take priority over Grandpa’s evaluation scene. The candles still reflect the evaluation; the evaluation cutscene can play the next time you enter the farmhouse.

Claim the Statue of Perfection

After all four candles are lit, interact with Grandpa’s Shrine to claim the Statue of Perfection. It produces 2–8 Iridium Ore per day, according to the Stardew Valley Wiki’s Statue of Perfection page. Lighting the candles is the evaluation result; interacting with the shrine is the separate step that collects the statue.

Quick Recap

Bestseller No. 1

Stardew Valley (Nintendo Switch)

become a part of the local community: get to know all 30+ residents of Pelican town!

$33.99

Bestseller No. 2

Stardew Valley [Nintendo Switch - Standard Edition]

$32.69

Bestseller No. 3

Stardew Valley - Nintendo Switch [Digital Code]

$14.89

Bestseller No. 4

Minecraft - Nintendo Switch

Minecraft is a game about placing blocks and going on adventures; Play on the go in handheld or tabletop modes

$29.82

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