RAN 2/8
By REBECCA BURKE
Telegraph Staff
 A poll conducted by National Scholastic Surveys found that although many
college students aren't paying attention to the presidential primary race,
most are certain of one thing. 
 More than 73 percent of the students polled said they did not believe any
of the candidates would follow through with their promises if elected
president. 
 The poll questioned 803 students from public and private universities in
New Hampshire on their political awareness and preference in candidates.
It found many were misinformed or uninformed about the candidates. 
 For example
 - 40 percent of the students surveyed did not know U.S. Sen.  Phil Gramm,
R-Texas, was a senator; 56 percent did not know U.S. Sen. Dick Lugar,
R-Ind., is a senator. 
 - 10 percent said they thought House Speaker Newt Gingrich, R-Ga., was
running for president. 
 - 5 percent said Colin Powell is a candidate, while 10 percent said
California Gov. Pete Wilson is a candidate. Wilson dropped out of the race
last year. 
 - And 28 percent said they didn't know Gramm is a candidate, while 30
percent didn't know former Tennessee Gov. Lamar Alexander is running for
president. 
 Although many students polled did not know who the candidates are, few
described themselves as being completely disinterested in the race. 
 Only 13 percent of the students described themselves as having "no
interest" in the presidential primary race, while 43 percent said they
were following the race with "occasional interest.
 Thirty-four percent of the students said they were paying attention
"somewhat closely." Less than 10 percent of the students surveyed said
they were following the race "very closely." 
 The survey's margin of error was reported to be plus or minus 3.4
percent. 
  The survey results also identified who college students are supporting. 
Excluding those students who vote Democratic, the survey reported that 23
percent of students would vote for Dole, while 18 percent would back
magazine publisher Steve Forbes. Eight percent of the students said they
would vote for Patrick Buchanan, wh ile another 8 percent said they would
vote for Alexander. Thirty-three percent of the students said they were
undecided. 
 And 74 percent of the undergraduates questioned said Dole is the only
Republican candidate who can beat President Clinton. 
 National Scholastic Surveys is an independent, non-partisan organization
founded by 22-year-old Jeffrey Brodsky, a political science student at
Washington University in St. Louis. 
 Brodsky, who is from Manchester, said he is taking a semester off from
school to work in New Hampshire during primary season. He was a senior in
high school when he founded the organization in 1991, he said. 
 "If there's anywhere in the country where students should have a sense of
the issues . . . it should be New Hampshire," Brodsky said. 
 Students polled were from Dartmouth College, Keene State College, New
Hampshire College, Daniel Webster College, Thomas More College, Rivier
College and Notre Dame College. 
 Brodsky said the survey shows students have mixed levels of political
awareness, but he believes the numbers should be significant to
candidates. 
 "If (the candidates) can't excite students about our democracy, I'm
curious to see who could," he said.