The Undergraduate A Novel

The rule for students at Montpelier is simple: party hard; nurse your hangover, and graduate into your place in America’s best and brightest. But Will Ferguson is not one for rules. When he drinks, he goes all out – generally until he blacks out, leading to many escapades he can brag about later. No big deal…except one night’s drunken bender ends with a very unwanted pregnancy for Kristen, Will’s occasional friend-with-benefits.A typical college life of wild campus parties, morning after remorse, a semester abroad in Italy, and high expectations comes to a crashing halt as Will must come to grips with Kristen’s reluctant and pained decision to have an abortion — and for his part in bringing her to such desperation. Crushed and lost, he turns, haltingly, to the Catholic faith that he has ignored since childhood. The Undergraduate is Less Than Zero for the Millennial generation – a painfully relatable tale of how privileged youth can be torn asunder by the sudden intrusion of adult responsibility and burning questions of moral culpability. Will’s journey stands in for the struggle so many who are raised with impossibly high standards for success, a sad tolerance for delayed adulthood, and a shallow sense of morality. Will’s search for redemption is not just personal; it’s the hero quest of an entire generation.