School pencils are rated #1, #2 and #3.  It is a different rating system, one which I haven’t researched because I am a pencil artist, not a student nor a school teacher. #3 is really hard, and it is horrible if you are writing on a soft surface such as a math workbook. #1 is really dark and wonderful if you get one by accident. #2  are the most common and are the same as the HB drawing pencils. Ever notice that before?

School pencils come with erasers. Those erasers never last as long as the pencils. Drawing pencils don’t come with erasers. My theory is this: the eraser will wear out very quickly but you will have the habit of flipping the pencil over. If you have that habit, when your eraser is gone, you will scratch the heck out of your drawing. Then you will cry. Your drawing will be wrecked. If you are used to reaching for a separate eraser, there is less chance of this sort of disaster. Or tragedy.