If you're expecting something *completely* different from the group that brought us GTA, with it's open-world, free-roaming games then you're probably not going to have any interest in this title at all.
Bully: Scholarship Edition is basically a Grand Theft Auto Jr. set in a prep school for cliched ruffian factions that you'd expect from this high school movie style plot. The "T" for Teen Rating I believe is PERFECT for this title as it isn't overly-violent, but there are touchy pre-teen issues like kissing as a life gauge power-up (nothing near the style of the Sims, if that's what you're thinking already--here it doesn't further the plot, and it isn't something that's a huge focus in the game).
That being said, it's sandbox-style (aka open-world), so within reason (and sometimes from breaking school regulations) you can pretty much roam wherever you'd like around school campus, within various building environments (eg. a gymnasium, the boy's dorm, library, etc) as well as a town that opens up more and more to you as you complete missions.
The plot isn't very creative but it is entertaining as you work your way from being the new kid in a school full of bullies to playing-off the different student groups to further your reputation with them and gain their trust (and their willingness to befriend you and stop harassing you in the halls!); note however that the reputation concept in Bully isn't played-up as it is in a lot of street games, this is of a cinematic style, meaning, you're *not* going to give the greaser gang a bunch of help in your spare time and suddenly they stop bullying you: you have specific missions that change who likes you and who doesn't as the game progresses.
The best part of this game is trying to strive to get the 100% completion rating which for the most part is pretty fun, scouring and venturing out to find different items and complete side missions, like delivering some guys pizzas, collecting crabs in the ocean, protecting one of the nerds on his trip to the school library, which can unlock some fun items like different costumes, and even a giant rubberband ball to be used as a powerful weapon.
This edition includes a heavier emphasis on going to class, which... yeah, I know sounds lame, but every class is actually a mini-game which include things like unscrambling words for English credits, Simon-style button pressing prompts to unlock weapons in Science Class, etc etc.
I don't regret buying this game at all, nor the 14+ hours I put into it (play time will vary based on how hard you want to look for things, how many side missions you want to play through, and overall just how good you are, of course). As long as you know what to expect from it, it should be worth the purchase.
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