The students are stressed out as they find out who was accepted and who didn't make the cut for early admission to Yale. Meanwhile, Serena bonds with Rachel, her Shakespeare teacher, who is unaware of what Blair has in store for her following receiving her first B; Chuck finds an unlikely ally in his feud with Jack; and Nate and Vanessa have a romantic evening together.

Blair puts pressure on Georgina to making amends for her past bad behavior by helping her in an evil plan. The rivalry between Nate and Chuck over Blair reaches a boiling point. Lily makes a secret plan to help Rufus with Dan's college tuition.

Blair and Serena spent their summer living it up in the belly of the beast: Paris, France. But where there's Paris there's bound to be boutique, Balenciaga, and of course, boy trouble. Unaware of Chuck's shooting in Prague, Blair struggles to forget him; things take a turn, however, when Chuck mysteriously shows up in Paris with a foreign stunning blonde at his arm. Meanwhile Serena contemplates which of her long-time beaus could be the one for her: Dan or Nate? Even on the Upper East Side drama erupts as Dan figures out the baby mama drama with Georgina, and Nate realizes something about himself when he meets fellow Columbia student, the intriguing Juliet.

Ben’s mother comes to town, forcing issues to the surface between Ben and Serena. Russell Thorpe is determined to destroy Chuck’s family legacy, but he risks alienating his daughter, Raina, in the process. Billy Baldwin returns as William van der Woodsen, Lily’s ex-husband and Serena and Eric’s father.

Chuck invites Jack to town to thank him for saving his life, but finds the trip doesn’t go exactly as planned. Blair and Dan attempt to consummate their new relationship -- but unexpected roadblocks get in their way. Meanwhile, Ivy finds an unlikely ally in William in her quest to be accepted on the Upper East Side, and Nate is hopeful a new investor will save his newspaper.

Serena volunteers to help Dan find a new place to live but their time together brings up unexpected emotions.