SOLVED. Young Adult, sci fi. I read in Jr high 1992 newish at the time. Set in apocalyptic future and revolves around a set of friends who graduate, get an apartment, and enter to play a "game". [s]

[Kris]

The game involves learning skills to survive on a different planet. The winner of the game is the group that can survive the longest on the planet. They go through several "deaths" in the game and research and learn tricks, what to eat, how to provide medical assistance and whatnot. The book ends with them in the game and them remembering they walked down from a delivery ship that was egg shaped. They ended up being one of several groups sent to the new planet to seed and the "powers that be" sent the best people the population had to offer.

[Mai]

Searching young adult sci fi "graduation" "apartment" "game" "planet" this book came up:
Invitation to the Game by Monica Hughes. It was published in 1991.
A chilling account of life in 2154, when most jobs are done by machines. Lisse and her friends are unemployable after graduation, but the government gives them an abandoned warehouse in a bleak neighborhood to live in. Anxious to escape their dreary lives, the friends embrace The Game, which takes them to paradise. But is this world real or only a computer simulation?

[Rachel]

Sounds like Invitation to the Game by Monica Hughes.

edit: Mai, you beat me by one minute! I should have refreshed before posting.

[Kris]

You guys are awesome, that's it. I've been looking for this book for years.

[Rachel]

Fun fact: the book is very frequently searched in this group! A lot of people seem to have vague memories of it but not remember the title.

[Kris]

***Update*** found the book on Amazon, it will be here tomorrow....thanks so much guys

[Mai]

You're right, Rachel, this book comes up in 49 threads! Must have been popular! I don't think it was even a minute, we posted pretty much at the same time :-)

Kris, I'm glad this is the book you were looking for! I hope you enjoy reading it again!