Teal Redmann

Emily throws Rory an elegant birthday party and invites Chilton students, but Rory is embarrassed that the kids she doesn't get along with have been forced to come to the party by their own wealthy parents.

Rory asks Dean to accompany her to a formal dance at Chilton, but the lovely evening is spoiled when they fall asleep together after the dance.

Lorelai tries to break up with Rory's teacher Max, on parent-teacher night, which leads to more problems for her daughter at school.

Though Lorelai is excited about going to a Bangles concert, she offers the four concert tickets to Rory and three of her new schoolmates.

Still struggling to catch up at Chilton, Rory receives the first `D' of her life on an English assignment and is so humiliated that she plunges into obsessive studying.

Rory's first day at Chilton Prep begins badly when Lorelai accompanies her daughter into the intimidating school wearing a T-shirt, cut-off jeans and cowboy boots, an outfit that draws disapproving stares from the other mothers.