Admissions film gets its latest makeover

A "typical" day for Penn students should prove pretty tempting for high school seniors.

At least that's what the Admissions Office hopes as it updates the Penn Admissions film, used to attract prospective students to the University.

This new film will focus on the daily lives of 10 Penn students who participate in a wide variety of extracurricular activities.

The director of the project, College alumnus Glenn Hollstein, said the film opens with rowers practicing at 5:30 a.m. with the sun rising in the background, followed by the delivery of The Daily Pennsylvanian.

Through the day and into the evening, the film will show different academic and extracurricular events interspersed with social activities.

"We want to show a very typical, exciting Penn day," Hollstein said.

Hollstein and his crew will film everything from student-government activities to a student working as a DJ spinning records at Marbar.

"We are trying to show that there is a place for you at Penn, no matter where your interests lie," Hollstein said.

He emphasized that, while the film covers all aspects of Penn, it primarily focuses on life as a freshman.

"We will try to capture life in the Quad and the whole freshmen experience, keeping in mind that our audience is mainly prospective freshmen and parents," he said.

College junior Iska Hain, one of the featured students, said she is excited to share her life as a student athlete and as the vice president of a sorority.

"It's nice to do something that gives back to Penn," she said.

Hollstein will begin filming in April, but several key events like Homecoming and the Penn-versus-Princeton basketball game have already been captured.

Admissions officials say that they hope the film - which will be available as a DVD for the first time - will provide applicants with a more updated view of Penn and its programs.

"For students unable to come to campus, [the DVD] brings Penn's campus to them," admissions officer Valerie Welsh said.

Hollstein expects to take about 20 hours of footage for the 20- to 30-minute DVD, which is expected to be ready in late summer.

Dean of Admissions Lee Stetson said he does not expect the film to show all facets of student life, but he said the DVD should add a "human feel" to presentations about Penn.

Please note All comments are eligible for publication in The Daily Pennsylvanian.