On an impluse, student poses for 'Playboy'

Most students' idea of a study break entails playing video games or snacking on nachos. But for College senior Susane Colasanti, posing nude in a hot tub for Playboy magazine was the best way to put off studying for her chemistry exam. Colasanti, who will be featured in the magazine's October spread, "Women of the Ivy League," received $500 for being photographed completely naked. Colasanti had to make a difficult choice when she found out about that Playboy wanted her for the photo spread. "They said 'We're shooting today.' I told them I had to study for a chem test. Since they had to shoot on Sunday, I didn't study for the test," she said. Colasanti was taken to a club in Philadelphia for the final shoot. She was photographed in two outfits: a see-through body suit and a low-cut black slip. She said she arranged the clothing according to the wishes of Playboy photographer David Chan. Piece by piece, she displayed her entire body. "Not all of the polaroids were of me naked," she said. "But enough of them were." Colasanti said her decision to pose in Playboy was impulsive, something not especially unfamiliar to a woman standing in a bedroom with poetry recklessly scrawled upon the walls. "I got a feeling to do it, and I did it," she said. "There's no big reason." Colasanti admitted she was a little scared by the thought of removing her clothes in front of the camera. "I was nervous on the first day of the shoot," she said. "But I wasn't for the other two days." This self-confidence most likely helped her through the shoots. "I kind of knew I'd be picked," she added. Playboy conducted a preliminary "interview" on March 14 and 15. Approximately 50 students either brought spring break pictures of themselves in scanty clothing or bathing suits, or were photographed in bikinis at the interview. Students who made the first cut were called back on March 16. They were photographed again -- but this time in both bikinis and in see-through body suits. The poses in the body suits were "basically nude photos," according to Colasanti. Finally, Colasanti and three other accepted applicants were contacted on March 19. They were taken to different sites, where they were photographed for October issue. The women who auditioned each had their own reasons for participating. "People criticized me," said an applicant who did not want her name disclosed. "I felt that if you have a good body, there's nothing wrong with showing it off." But even with such "good bodies," some students had to be cut. "It didn't bother me," College freshman Christina McGuire said. "I wasn't doing it to get into the magazine. It was curiosity, probably." Chan made sure the women who were photographed did not come into contact with the other applicants. "They spaced out the interviews," said the female student who did not want her name used. "They didn't want the people to see each other." Chan also coordinated the salaries of the women. "They said they paid me $500 because they were going to use the naked shot," Colasanti explained. "They give you $100 if you are wearing clothes, and $250 if you are topless." Following their shoot at the University, the Playboy photographers headed to Columbia University to continue their Ivy League photo tour.

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