Like many ambitious New York City teenagers, Craig Gilner sees entry into Manhat
tan's Executive Pre-Professional High School as the ticket to his future. Determ
ined to succeed at lifewhich means getting into the right high school to get int
o the right college to get the right jobCraig studies night and day to ace the e
ntrance exam, and does. That's when things start to get crazy.
At his new school
, Craig realizes that he isn't brilliant compared to the other kids; he's just a
verage, and maybe not even that. He soon sees his once-perfect future crumbling
away. The stress becomes unbearable and Craig stops eating and sleepinguntil, on
e night, he nearly kills himself.
