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Laurels: Middlebury New Filmmakers Festival Official Selection
Laurels: Official Selection Sidewalk Film Festival
Laurels: Yellow Springs Film Festival 2026

REVIEWS & FESTIVAL PRAISE

“A moving and important film that speaks directly to the experiences of high school students, parents, and educators.” — Sea Cliff Film Festival
“An intimate, moving portrait of perseverance…” — Lighthouse International Film Festival
“…the transformative power of one committed mentor to help students imagine futures once thought impossible.” — Berkshire International Film 

FESTIVAL PROGRAM NOTES

Berkshire International Film Festival
 
Admission Possible follows first-generation college applicants from a New York City public high school as they fight for access to higher education in a rapidly changing admissions landscape. Guiding them is Bill Short, a volunteer college counselor. Intimate, urgent, and hopeful, the film moves from classrooms and homes to campus visits and application deadlines, revealing the personal stakes behind a national issue — and the transformative power of one committed mentor to help students imagine futures once thought impossible.
 
Lighthouse International Film Festival
 
The filmmakers follow seven New York City students as they step into their senior year and embark on the high-stakes journey of applying to college.  As aspiring first-generation college students from immigrant families, they carry both the weight of expectation and the promise of possibility. Navigating shifting affirmative action policies, rising tuition, and systemic barriers, each teen confronts uncertainty with resilience and heart.
 
Through moments of doubt, disappointment, and hard-won triumphs, the film captures something deeper than ambition–it reveals the joy, humor, and humanity of young people daring to imagine a different future.  This is an intimate, moving portrait of perseverance, and a testament to the courage it takes not just to dream, but to believe those dreams are within reach. -Natalie Caricato
 
Middlebury
 
Admission Possible follows first-generation students from a New York City public high school as they navigate one of the most consequential years of their lives. At the center of the film is Bill Short, a veteran college counselor who first arrived as a short-term volunteer and never truly left. For 23 years, he has returned week after week, helping students imagine futures that once seemed out of reach. As the teens navigate essays, applications, family pressures, campus visits, and a rapidly shifting admissions landscape, Admission Possible reveals the intimate human stakes behind a national crisis in college access — and the extraordinary ripple effect of one person’s sustained, quiet devotion.
 
Sea Cliff Film Festival
 
Admission Possible follows first-generation students from a New York City public high school as they navigate one of the most consequential years of their lives. At the center of the film is Bill Short, a veteran college counselor who first arrived as a short-term volunteer and never truly left. For 23 years, he has returned week after week, helping students imagine futures that once seemed out of reach. As the teens navigate essays, applications, family pressures, campus visits, and a rapidly shifting admissions landscape, Admission Possible reveals the intimate human stakes behind a national crisis in college access — and the extraordinary ripple effect of one person’s sustained, quiet devotion.
 
A moving and important film that speaks directly to the experiences of high-school students, parents, and educators.
 

Sidewalk

Tender, urgent, and hopeful, Admission Possible follows seven New York City high school seniors applying to college as first generation students. Guided by their determined and caring college admissions counselor, they grapple with the complex cultural, social, and political factors influencing higher education today. Debates over testing, legacies, and family loyalty muddy the waters of their decisions.

–Melissa Scott – Screening Committee
 
 
Woods Hole Film Festival 35th Anniversary
 
An intimate look at high-achieving, first-generation students from a New York City public high school as they navigate the fraught college admissions process. Against the backdrop of pandemic aftershocks, shifting national policies, and debates over equity, the film follows these students—many from immigrant families—as they confront daunting obstacles and immense pressure.
 

PRESS

Berkshire International Film Festival to premiere ‘Admission Possible’ documentary highlighting Mount Washington college counselor.

THE BERKSHIRE EAGLE

View Article / Download

 

20th Berkshire International Film Festival: Critics Notebook

“The humanity of these students, their families, and the encouraging school officials is shown through a compassionate lens… We cheer for them all the way and hope for nothing but the best for what the world has in store for them.”  

HAMMER TO NAIL

Read the full article →

Winner, Best Documentary Feature
– Berkshire International Film Festival

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