Before Pencey Prep, two of the members played in local punk bands; Frank Iero from Sector 12 and Neil Sabatino from Stick Figure Suicide.

Along with their label-mates Thursday, Pencey Prep was considered part of New Jersey's growing post-hardcore and punk scene, and in 2001, they signed with Eyeball Records.

[5] Sabatino left Pencey Prep in 2001 and started Fairmont, originally a solo acoustic project; however, McGuire joined on bass shortly afterward.

[7] Shortly after disbanding, Iero began playing with the bands I Am A Graveyard and Give Up The Ghost,[2] before landing a spot as rhythm guitarist with My Chemical Romance.

"[2] Keyboardist Simon went on to tour with My Chemical Romance, as well as co-author the 2013 comic-book series The True Lives of the Fabulous Killjoys with Gerard Way.