▁emphas izing ▁its ▁negative ▁effect ▁in ▁modern ▁American ▁society . ▁It ▁specifically ▁exam ines ▁the ▁belief ▁that ▁being ▁successful ▁depends ▁on ▁att aining ▁the ▁perfect ▁G PA ▁and ▁being ▁accepted ▁by ▁the ▁" right " ▁college . ▁ ▁Through out ▁the ▁work , ▁the ▁author ▁follows ▁eight ▁students ▁who ▁have ▁a ▁l ifest yle ▁where ▁over ach ieving ▁takes ▁priority . ▁She ▁occasionally ▁interrupt s ▁to ▁address ▁issues ▁that ▁affect ▁one ▁of ▁the ▁te ens ▁and ▁explains ▁its ▁negative ▁effect ▁on ▁an ▁international ▁scale . ▁She ▁discuss es ▁how ▁social ▁pressure ▁from ▁parents ▁and ▁friends , ▁dru gs , ▁drink ing , ▁and ▁suic ide ▁play ▁a ▁part ▁in ▁high ▁school ▁te en ager ' s ▁lives . ▁ ▁She ▁puts ▁the ▁No ▁Child ▁Left ▁Be hind ▁Act ▁in ▁a ▁negative ▁light ▁by ▁placing ▁an ▁emphas is ▁on ▁standard ized ▁tests ▁and ▁claims ▁the ▁college ▁adm issions ▁process ▁in ▁the ▁United ▁States ▁to ▁be ▁cor rupt ▁and ▁in efficient . ▁ ▁For ▁three ▁sem esters ▁( J uly ▁ 2 0 , ▁ 2 0 0 4 ▁– ▁December ▁ 9 , ▁ 2 0 0 5 ) ▁Alex andra ▁Rob b ins ▁followed ▁eight ▁W alt ▁Whit man ▁High ▁School ▁students ▁around ▁in ▁their ▁daily ▁lives ▁to ▁document ▁their ▁lives ▁and ▁incorpor ate ▁them ▁into ▁her ▁book . ▁Rob b ins ▁chose ▁Whit man ▁because ▁" in ▁the ▁mid - 1 9 9 0 s , ▁in ▁many ▁ways ▁Alex andra ▁Rob b ins ▁was ▁these ▁students , ▁r ushing ▁through ▁the