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.
Rachel is portrayed by Lea Michele. Younger Rachel has been played by Lauren Boles. When Ryan Murphy was casting for "Glee", he wanted actors who could take on theatrical roles. Murphy did not want to do network casting calls. He instead, spent three months on Broadway. He found Michele, who was starring in "Spring Awakening". The role of Rachel was written just for Michele. In an interview with "The Washington Post", Michele commented on her casting, saying: "I was kind of just thrown into this—this is one of the first television jobs I've ever had. Of course being able to sing helps bring a sense of comfort. The character I'm playing is really outgoing—she performs in her everyday life as though she's performing in front of a huge audience."
In December 2010, Murphy announced that the cast of "Glee" would be replaced. He stated that the replacements would happen at the end of the third season. Which would be around the time when they graduate. Murphy said: "Every year we're going to add a new group [of people]. There's nothing more sad than a high schooler with a bald spot." He also revealed that some of the original cast will leave as early as 2012: "I think you have to be true to the fact that here is a group of people who come and go in these teachers' lives." Murphy said in July 2011 that Michele would be one of the actors leaving. Michele commented on this, saying: "We always knew we'd graduate in real time. It's all part of the plan and it's all good! It's going to make Season 3 amazing! This is just the beginning!" However, Falchuk later stated that Michele, along with Chris Colfer and Cory Monteith will graduate at the end of the third season. He also said: "because they're (they are) graduating doesn't mean they're (they are) leaving the show." Falchuk also said: "it was never our plan or our intention to let them go…. They are not done with the show after this season."
Sandra Gonzalez of "Entertainment Weekly" commented on the news about the cast leaving. She said: "Indeed, a rolling cast list has done some shows good in the past. I'll admit that it took me some time to warm up to the 'new kids' on "Friday Night Lights", which ends its run tomorrow on NBC, but it was a well-done transition. What I loved most was that the new blood (group) didn't (did not) try to be the new versions of the old characters. They were new characters with completely different outlooks and goals. "Glee" could learn a lot from what "Friday Night Lights" accomplished (have done successfully): a seamless, realistic (real) transition (change). The problem? 'Seamless' and 'realistic' have never been "Glee"s strong points, which is not to say they couldn't (could not) be. But the question is: Is "Glee" looking to be the less-attractive comedy cousin of "Friday Night Lights"… or "Saved By the Bell: The New Class"?"
Michele took the role as Rachel because of her characterization. Michele explained: "Not only is she a singer, but she has so much heart—I think it's what we need on TV. A show that is filled with heart and love that is funny. It sends an amazing message to kids about the arts and being who you are." Michele described the first thirteen episodes of "Glee". She described it as: "Rachel's journey of finding herself within the glee club". She also said that "she's learning how to be a team player and work within this group. She's a very strong, driven girl, who's (who is) sometimes a little misunderstood."
"Glee"s costume designer Lou Eyrich described Rachel's costumes. Eyrich told "Entertainment Weekly": "Originally (at first), the inspiration for her look was Tracy Flick from "Election"—very buttoned-down (someone who is serious in the job they are doing), preppy (someone who looks like a high school student), obnoxious (not very well liked by people), squeaky clean, nerdy. But she's got at least 12 costume changes each episode. That same look all the time just gets boring for the screen (television) and for the actress to wear, so we spread it out a lot. We try to have her buttoned-up or wearing a nerdy sweater over a cute dress, like she doesn't quite get it right. Or she takes that sweater and tucks it into the skirt and pairs it with knee highs and flats. She makes it her way, which is more quirky. The popular girls find a way to make it look cool, but Rachel makes it look nerdy. But it's not old-school nerdy with thick glasses and pocket protectors. She thinks she's taking a trend and making it cool, but she wears it wrong."
Michele have stated that she was just like Rachel when she was younger. She also gets inspiration from the movie "Election", and "Gossip Girl" character Blair Waldorf. She has explained: "[Blair] is shady (a mean person), but you still love her. She's still vulnerable (easy to get hurt). That's what I try to do with Rachel. Rachel will never be popular because her looks aren't (are not) considered beautiful, and when I was in high school it was the same for me. I didn't get a nose job, and every single girl around me did. Therefore, I was out. I was not cool. What's so great about Glee is that it shows you how that kind of stuff hurts, but it doesn't (does not) matter: You can still be who you want to be. And in four years, high school will be over and all of that crap won't (will not) matter anyway."