Hi Jeremy,
Sadly, it looks like Crescent guitars are not very worthwhile. Harmony Central, which generally gives artificially-inflated glowing reviews of gear, puts this one through the wringer.
Is it being shipped to you, or do you have a chance to back out of the purchase? If you're looking for a cheap but decent Strat copy, I might recommend either Rondo Music or Xaviere guitars. While not top of the line, both companies will get you a strat that is at least passable, and will give you a good foothold. Rondo has a good selection of left-handed guitars.