Shaun Brumder is intelligent but uninterested in his education, leading a carefree
SoCal lifestyle of
surfing in affluent
Orange County, California, drinking and partying. His best friend, Lonny, is killed in a surfing accident during a massive storm, causing Shaun to rethink his life. Finding a novel on the beach by Marcus Skinner, it inspires him to become a writer. Upon learning that Skinner is an English professor at
Stanford University, Shaun makes it his goal to attend Stanford and study under him. Shaun dramatically improves himself academically, obtaining high grades and
SAT scores and becoming president of his graduating class. Following the advice of his college counselor, Ms. Cobb, Shaun applies only to Stanford. This backfires when he is rejected as Ms. Cobb mixed up his
transcript with that of another student. Reaching out to his wealthy father, Bud, who left his family for a younger woman, Krista, Shaun pleads with him to donate to Stanford to increase his chances of acceptance. Disapproving of his son's dream to become a writer, Bud refuses. Shaun's girlfriend, Ashley, convinces her friend and Lonny's former flame, Tanya, to get Shaun an interview at his home by Tanya's grandfather, a Stanford board member. When Tanya refuses, Ashley resorts to blackmail, which succeeds. Unfortunately, the antics of Shaun's dysfunctional family members—his
alcoholic, emotionally fragile mother, Cindy, and his dim-witted,
stoner brother, Lance—cause Shaun's interviewers to storm out in disgust. In a last-ditch effort, Ashley and Lance convince Shaun to drive to
Palo Alto and plead his case directly to Stanford Admissions Director, Don Durkett. By the time they reach campus, the admissions building is closed. While Lance seduces the secretary on duty, Shaun and Ashley find Durkett's home address. There, Shaun impresses Durkett with his real transcript, but Durkett is reluctant to admit him so late in the admissions process. After much groveling, Shaun convinces him to give it a second thought. Disaster strikes again when Ashley confuses Lance's
MDMA, commonly referred to as
ecstasy, for pain relievers, offering Durkett the pills for his headache, getting him
high. Shaun, Ashley, and Durkett return to find the Admissions Building on fire, caused by Lance setting a list of new students on fire and throwing it in the trash. With Lance wanted for
arson, they abandon Durkett and flee the scene. Shaun becomes frustrated with Lance's antics and blames him for ruining his chances while pointing out how Lance is going nowhere with his life. Frustrated with Shaun's obsession, Ashley points out that his attending Stanford would likely mean the end of their relationship and she leaves. Depressed, Shaun wanders the campus and meets a female student who invites him to a
frat party. He is disappointed to learn the Stanford students are just as vapid as teenagers from Orange County. With a more cynical view of college, Shaun runs into Professor Skinner and is invited to his office. Shaun confides that he is afraid his dreams of being a good writer are over. Skinner reminds him that many famous authors such as
James Joyce and
William Faulkner grew up in places that were not intellectually stimulating, and were inspired by the conflicts in their own lives. Having an epiphany, Shaun realizes his misguided intentions and apologizes to Ashley. They pick up Lance, still hiding from police, and head home. In Orange County, Shaun's parents seek out each other to deal with Shaun's problem. They reconcile, realizing they are much happier together than with their respective new spouses, and conclude they have not been good parents to Shaun. To make amends, Bud donates enough money to Stanford for the construction of a new Admissions Building, which secures Shaun's acceptance and makes the decision to end things with Krista. Initially ecstatic, Shaun remembers what Ashley and Professor Skinner said, and decides to stay in Orange County with Ashley and his family, as they are the true inspiration for his writing. Shaun leaves a copy of Skinner's book at the beach for someone else to find, then surfs with his friends for the first time since Lonny's death. ==Cast==