Rachel and Kurt plan to go to a performing arts school in New York City after graduation. School counselor Emma Pillsbury (Jayma Mays) suggests they think about going to The York Academy of the Dramatic Arts (NYADA). The two go to an Ohio "mixer". They attend in hopes to get potential applicants. Rachel proposes McKinley do "West Side Story" as the school musical. She believes she can get the lead role Maria. She also needs the experience for her NYADA application. However, Mercedes also auditions for Maria. The directors were not able to choose between the two. After their callbacks, the casting directors decides to "double-cast" the role. Mercedes begins believing that she did better in the callbacks. She refuses to accept the double-casting. She then quit the show and gives Rachel the part. She and Finn decide to have sex in the episode "The First Time". In the episode "Mash Off", Rachel decides to run for class president. She takes herself off when she realizes Kurt will not go to NYADA if he does not win. In the episode "I Kissed a Girl", she starts an election ballot box. She does this because to keep Kurt from losing. He loses anyway and she tells Kurt what she had done. Rachel is then suspended from school for a week. She is also not allowed to compete in Sectionals with New Directions. While at Sectionals, glee club wins without her. At the end of the episode "Yes/No", Finn asks her to marry him. After taking time to think about it, she accepts.<ref name="Yes/No"></ref> Their parents find out in "Heart". They try everything they could to break them up. However, their plans only made it worse. Finn and Rachel announced their plan to get married in May. When the date seems to be too far away, they decide to get marry sooner. They decide to get marry after Regionals in "On My Way". New Directions wins at Regionals. Hours later, the ceremony begins at City Hall. Their parents arrive to New York. They try to end the wedding. Rachel is waiting for Quinn to arrive. She had to go home to get her bridesmaid dress. While Quinn is driving back to New York City, her car is hit by a truck.