The chance to win a million dollars is something most college students dream of. At the beginning of October, three Penn State students were given that chance.

The popular ABC game show Who Wants To Be A Millionaire recruited contestants from the University Park campus for its college week episodes. Although none of the three became millionaires, Mark Levin (sophomore-meteorology) won $64,000.

Levin kept his lips sealed for four months about the outcome of the show until the cash amount finally appeared on the television screen.

Keeping the secret from family and friends was a struggle for Levin.

"It's actually really tough," he said. "Everyone wanted to be that friend that knew."

Levin's friend Ali Turiano (freshman-meteorology) was one of those people. "I pumped him for info, but he was tough to break," she said.

When he returned from spring break, Levin's friends realized he had made a few purchases, including a new Toyota Camry and drum set.

"Based on these things, people made some educated guesses, but of course it was up to speculation," Levin said.

Word quickly spread about Levin's possible million in both his classes and his dorm, Irvin Hall, where he is building president. Eric Wanenchak (sophomore-meteorology) said he found out about Levin being picked for the show right before Levin left for New York.

"He's a pretty smart guy, but I was surprised by the end result," Wanenchak said.

"It's certainly interesting how much attention it's generated," Levin said.

Tryouts for the show were held on campus Sept. 2. Levin was reluctant to go at first because it was over Labor Day weekend.

He was in the first batch of people to take the tryout test, a 30-question multiple-choice quiz. The line for the tryouts snaked out the door of Thomas Building.

The tests were scored as hundreds of students waited to hear results. Some went on to interviews.

Three weeks after his interview, the show invited Levin to appear as a contestant and said they would fly him to its studio in New York City within the next week and a half.

Levin was shocked to hear that he was picked.

"I ended up having to miss a Physics 212 exam, but it was worthwhile. People have always told me I knew useless trivia," Levin said.

Before the show, Levin brushed up on his knowledge by watching CNN and MTV, reading Rolling Stone and playing Trivial Pursuit.

Levin had never seen the syndicated version of the show with host Meredith Vieria until he appeared on it.

"I was more nervous in the green room than on stage," he said. "Onstage I was able to focus on the questions more."

In the syndicated version, contestants are chosen at random rather than in a trivia round. Levin said all the contestants, including a Harvard University student who had been Natalie Portman's roommate, hung out with each other.

"We were really rooting for each other back stage," Levin said.

The show aired last night at 4:30 and 7:30 p.m. The first airing was cut short when President Bush made a live address to the nation regarding the United Nations Security Council meeting. Only Levin's last question and total winnings were aired.

Levin kept an air of good humor as he watched the 4:30 p.m. broadcast.

"Now if this speech runs three hours long and the 7:30 is cut off, I'll be really pissed," he said.

Levin ended up walking away from his final question because he was unsure of the answer and had run out of lifelines.

Who Wants To Be A Millionaire sends the check after the airing of the show. Levin expects to receive it within the next month. After taxes, his winnings will total about $40,000.

Fellow Penn State students Jahnna Harvey (junior-history and comparative literature) and Madhury Ray (junior-premedicine) appeared earlier in the week as a contestants on the show.