H. W. Workman, the mogul of Monarch Pictures, finds himself in a dilemma when Toddy Tobin, the wife and dancing partner of his star, Freddy Tobin, discovers that she is pregnant just before they are to begin production on a big budget musical. To save the picture, press agent Joe Drews formulates the brilliant scheme of selecting a new star through a college dance contest. To make certain that their new discovery can really dance, dancer Patty Marlow, the daughter of vaudevillian Pops Marlow, is planted in a small college to be the winner of the contest. Then, to make sure that Patty will be accepted in the halls of higher education, Joe orders his secretary Eve Greeley to take her entrance exams, and the pair enroll in Midwestern College. Trouble begins, however, when Pug Braddock, the editor of the campus paper, begins an investigation to determine if the contest is legitimate and Patty falls in love with both Pug and journalism. When Pug and Patty are threatened with expulsion for publishing scandalous pictures of the faculty, the president of the college sends for Patty's father, prompting Patty to confess the truth to Pug. Pug becomes incensed when Patty insists upon going through with the contest, and consequently, on the day of the competition, as an unsuspecting H. W. arrives to pick the winner, Pug arranges for several of his friends to kidnap Patty. Patty finally convinces Pug to allow her to return to the contest, but meanwhile, in her absence, Joe has substituted Eve to stall for time. All ends happily when H. W. selects Eve to be his new star and offers Pop a job as a dancing coach, while Pug proposes to Patty.