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American Morning

Two College Students Discuss Feelings About SATs

Aired August 28, 2001 - 10:19   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
LEON HARRIS, CNN ANCHOR: Now millions of teens rely on the Scholastic Aptitude Test, the SATs, to help them get into college. But the people who give the test rely on it to learn more about the people who take it.

Results of the 2001 test are out this morning, and our Jeanne Meserve is in Washington, and she's got a look at what they show.

Good morning.

MESERVE: The question is who exactly is in the freshman class at America's colleges? Last year's SATs give us a snapshot.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

GASTON CAPERTON, PRESIDENT, COLLEGE BOARD: 2001 seniors is the largest number and the most diverse group in history. More students are taking the SAT than ever in the history, 45 percent versus 33 percent 20 years ago. More than a third of this year's test takers are minorities.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

JEANNE MESERVE, CNN ANCHOR: And joining me now is Jeff Nestle of Boca Raton, Florida, a Junior at George Washington University, and Tishelle Blaize, a freshman from Hanover, Maryland.

Thanks for joining us.

Tishelle, you are not big fan of the SATs. Tell me why.

TISHELLE BLAIZE, FRESHMAN: I believe there's a lot of pressure that is put on the SATs which discourages students from taking them a lot more than they should. I believe the SATs are important. At the same time, they do not define who you are as a student. They can only give you a projection of how learned you the final (ph) material that you were in high school.

MESERVE: But do you think it's any predictor of how you'll perform in college?

BLAIZE: Not necessarily. I don't believe that. If you are a good student, you have good study habits, SAT or not. JEFF NESTLER, JUNIOR: I tend to disagree. I'd say the SAT is a pretty good determiner of how you'll do in college. It's not the overall determiner. Obviously, your high school grades and other activities have some impact of how you'll do in college. But in general, throughout the country the SAT is kind of a nice factor where you can say everybody is equal, on the same starting pace to judge how they're going to do in college..

MESERVE: This of course from a guy who did pretty well on the SATs. Let me ask you about the crowding situation. We were talking the last hour with the vice president of this school, who told us that 300 freshman, more than expected, have enrolled.

Tishelle, what's the impact been on you?

BLAIZE: The impact, basically, I think Jeff can agree with me on this, there's like lines everywhere, and just waiting, and you see a whole bunch of different people, and things like that.

MESERVE: When you say lines everywhere, what do you mean?

NESTLER: I mean, you go to the to the Student Union, our Marvin Center, and it is packed. It's 20-30 minutes to get a meal to it. The bookstore line is out the door. It's over an hour just to get inside the bookstore. And just everywhere you want to go, getting into any building, gets crowded, crowded, crowded. There's too many new faces. It's very, very crowded here.

MESERVE: We have to leave it there. Jeff Nestler and Tishelle Blaize, thanks a lot for joining us from the campus of George Washington University. And now back to you in Atlanta.

HARRIS: Thank you, Jeanne. We will see a bit you later on as we cover the story throughout the day -- Daryn.

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