by Maureen Johnson - undifferentiated
First published 2015
Statistics major Alex Chen stares at the impossible problem set due tomorrow morning. The biostatistics course that seemed manageable in September now threatens to derail everything. Professor Martinez expects perfection, but Alex struggles with confidence intervals and regression analysis while juggling a part time job and family expectations. When a study group forms around the mysterious transfer student who actually understands chi square tests, Alex discovers that academic survival requires more than memorizing formulas. The real challenge becomes learning to ask for help and finding courage to admit confusion. This campus story explores the universal fear of being exposed as unprepared and the small victories that build genuine understanding.
Genres: fiction, contemporary, realistic-fiction, academic
Vibes: intimate, suspenseful, thought-provoking
Tropes: fish-out-of-water, found-family
Setting: Campus
Period: 21st-Century
69 pages · Spiral-bound · Kendall Hunt Publishing