It's back to school at Degrassi, which means new students, new classes and new complications. Mia's junior year starts off with a bang when she is scouted out by a high-profile modeling agency. Degrassi graduates Liberty, Emma, and Manny adjust to the brave new world of college.
Jane's love for football gives her the courage to try out for the team, despite it being exclusively boys. Jane is still determined to play but being the sole female teammate causes heated conflicts both on and off the football field.
Liberty plans to gain status in college by pledging a sorority. Her determination to fit in and impress the sorority sisters ultimately strains her friendship with Manny and Emma. Holly J is elected Student Council President and revels in being the queen bee in school. However, a crush on a fellow classmate may unseat Holly J's influence.
Sav and Anya plan to celebrate their anniversary on the school's overnight trip. Sav's sister Alli also joins the trip but the adventure turns sour when Sav overhears rumors about his sister's behavior. Emma and Manny become rivals when they both develop a crush on their roommate Kelly.
Holly J is desperate to maintain her popularity after finding out her parents are having a financial crisis. Peter's mom crashes at his place while she is in town but it starts to put a cramp Peter's social life.
Spinner starts to breakdown when he doesn't get into college as planned. Clare has to decide between KC and Conner when both guys ask her to the school dance. Kelly and Emma's flirtation finally leads to an actual date.
Spinner is willing to try anything to win Jane back after disappointing her. Clare agrees to go to the dance but not with the partner she truly desires. Kelly nearly ruins his opportunity with Emma until he comes up with a way to earn her trust.
The school's Panthers team is scoring great, thanks to star player Riley Stavros, but in fact he's taking steroids. Another short-term side-effect seems a straight libido, so he dumps his gay boyfriend for a cheerleader, Sav's girl. That doesn't feel right for either, so they break up by agreement and Riley drifts back to a former gay mate.
After an explosive outburst, Conner ends up expelled from school. When Clare finds out Conner's behavior is caused by a medical disorder, she protests the administration's unfair treatment of him. Sav wants to prove his devotion to Anya by inviting her to dinner with his supremely strict family.
Lucas Vaughn enjoys his father's return into his life, unlike his sister Jane who gets mean, drunk and has vague nightmares resurfacing from her early childhood. Shep is back on the job, in charge of alumni week. A birthday party truth or dare game exposes Cheng's 'cool' lies.
Instead of being supportive of her father making the family whole again and giving Lucas a night guard job, Jane gets even meaner and convinces everyone he abused her when they were toddlers. Alli loses her self-confidence and acts jealous when her smarter nerd classmate Claire manages a make-over, until she gets some male attention herself.
Try-outs for the Degrassi basketball team is an event welcomed by all. But this spells trouble for some, such as Kelly Ashoona, who is among those now tested for drug-use. For K.C. it's a dilemma when his foster father allows him to attend providing he keeps out of trouble in light of his court terms. His well-meaning, but clumsy friend, Connor, makes things even worse after jocks start taunting academically superior K.C.
Alli is desperate for Johnny's approval and starts acting out to get his attention. Including spending time in the ravine, a seedy hangout, with some dangerous people. Peter, torn between Mia and Darcy, finally chooses Mia. But when Mia finds out about Peter's secret, will she even want him?
The pressure at Degrassi reaches an insane level as end-of-year exams loom over the students. Mia folds under the stress and plans to drop out of school to devote her time to modeling. Holly J is upset when she receives a less-than-perfect grade on an art project and must push herself to create something more expressive. Sav struggles with whether to sign up for engineering classes or music classes for his next year at Degrassi.
Spinner and Holly J are held at gunpoint when a robber comes into The Dot. Conner tries to reconcile KC and Clare while Peter tries to make amends with Mia.