Tom Backster, a sophomore, is eager to leave home at the end of the summer and return to his fraternity, Kappa Nu Alpha (KNA). Mitch, Tom's best friend and roommate at the frathouse, is an obnoxious and temperamental slob, but his wealthy and connected father affords him a great deal of influence. Among the incoming group of freshman pledges, the rebellious and arrogant Gettys O'Brien quickly develops animosity with Mitch. Todd, the KNA president, favors accepting O'Brien into the frat, while Mitch opposes. At a lecture, Tom notices Annabelle, a studious and reserved classmate. Despite his friends mocking her, Tom approaches Annabelle on multiple occasions and initiates conversation. Eventually, they begin a casual relationship. The new Dean of Student Affairs meets with Todd and Tom and warns them about the fraternity's student conduct violations. He forbids them from engaging in
hazing and holding off-campus retreats. Later, Todd suggests that Tom should take on more of a leadership role within the frat. Meanwhile, the bitterness between Gettys and Mitch escalates. Tom continues seeing Annabelle but hesitates to let her visit the frat. Despite the Dean's warning, Mitch plans a retreat at his family's lake house. Todd cannot attend and leaves Tom in charge, urging him to keep Mitch under control and to avoid hazing. When Mitch is unable to hire strippers for the party, the sophomore brothers decide to haze the pledges out of boredom. Tom is reluctant but eventually goes along. Gettys alone rejects the hazing rituals. Having run out of patience, the sophomores proceed to make an example out of him, leaving Gettys as the final pledge to be brought into the garage and tested. Tom and Mitch's circle of brothers take turns attempting to intimidate Gettys, who exchanges insults with them. A fight breaks out, with Mitch ultimately striking Gettys to the ground and killing him, which stuns the group. Tom suggests calling 911; the others resist and tell him he shares the blame. A plan is coordinated to dispose of Gettys' body. The sophomores load the freshmen onto a
pontoon boat with bags over their heads as if part of another ritual. In the confusion, they dump Gettys into the lake and stage it as an accident. Later, the authorities are unable to locate his body. Tom is questioned by police but doesn't give up any information. He later confesses to Annabelle that Gettys was dead before they all boarded the boat, saying he has come to trust her. She rebuffs him and he leaves in tears. All the sophomores involved in the incident are expelled, including Tom. Two years later, Tom is shown doing well at a
community college in his hometown while working as a bartender. Mitch shows up at Tom's bar and attempts to reconnect. Tom politely refuses, recognizing that Mitch has not changed. The film ends with Tom eating pasta with his mother; he tells her that he appreciates her as the TV in the background shows a news report that there has been a pledge found dead due to hazing and that there has been a pledge hazing death every year since 1969. ==Cast==