Hundreds Want to be College Millionaires

Students from across Massachusetts waited eagerly outside the Marriott Cambridge Hotel yesterday, hoping to walk away with an invitation to lock horns with Regis Philbin on an upcoming college edition of ABC's "Who Wants to be a Millionaire."

"Don't we just scream freshmen?" said Jackie S. Kane, who along with her four Boston College roommates lightened up the line wearing bright orange BC logo T-shirts.

The hit game show is holding auditions this month in five cities for its three college editions that will air this fall.

In order to be eligible, students who showed up for the 30-question "fastest finger" test had to present a current tuition bill as proof of their college enrollment.

Only the first 125 students in line were allowed in for the test, and for those who passed, a videotaped interview followed. The show held three sets of auditions yesterday.

Those who arrived after the 125 slots had already been filled walked away with heads hung low. The few left in line were left to calculate their slim chances of making the show.

Since the show will accept 30 students of the 1,875 it interviews, students set their chances at 1.6 percent.

John P. Leone of Haverhill, who said he attended Northern Essex Community College, was first in line for the test.

Saying he was just in it for the money, Leone, 51, said he was relying on his natural skills as a born genius to pull him through the difficult audition process.

This was Leone's 16th try to get on the show.

"Why else would anyone do it than for the money?" he said. "If I wanted to be famous I'd have been on Survivor."

The show's publicist, Trisha Miller, said they had turned away more than 40 people from the 9 a.m. round and would probably have to break even more hearts as the day went on.

The college theme is part of the show's quest for a second year "freshness" for its viewers, Miller said.

The show was instant hit when it premiered last fall. It is credited with rejuvenating the profit margins of the entire network, and undoubtedly helped its primetime line-up snag a Neilsen victory for the television season.

Though the show does not normally interview potential contestants, Miller said they were trying to make sure the college edition was fun and exciting.

"After the interviews, we want to really get to know the people," she said. "We're looking for someone who is fun, charismatic and knows their trivia."

In the videotaped interview, students had to answer questions about themselves and their personality, trying to prove themselves TV-worthy. Those who were lucky enough to be interviewed will be called back in mid-October.

The show qualified contestants on the basis of "poise, sense of humor and television presence," and finalists will be flown to New York to have the chance to compete in the show.

Though Harvard students were scarce in the 150 member crowd, Andrew P. Marcus '01was on hand to try for a million dollar prize.

Last April, Harvard student Richard Cooper '01 won $1000 on the show.

"Being on national TV is pretty cool but it would definitely be nice to have a lot of money," he said.

Kane said she was relying on her winning personality to survive the interviews, and like Leone, considered herself to be an "all-around genius."

"The coolest part of the show is that whole music, lights, dan dan daahhhhhh effect," she said.