TV TONIGHT

"College Hill Atlanta" 10 tonight, BET

BET's "College Hill" is basically MTV's "Real World" with an African-American cast.

And though "Real World" has yet to visit Atlanta after 20 incarnations, BET hit the A-town last fall for the fifth season of one of its hottest shows.

"Atlanta's a great backdrop for us," said Sean Rankine, executive producer. "It's the first time we've done this in an urban area. The city was fantastic."

For two months, BET set up eight lucky college students (from Clark Atlanta, Georgia State, University of West Georgia and Morehouse) in a 10,000-square-foot mansion a block from the governor's mansion on West Paces Ferry Road.

Much like mansions seen on other reality shows, this one is decked out in bold colors and super-bright lighting. There's a pool table in the living room and the requisite hot tub outside to encourage folks to shed clothing. There's an indoor hot tub, too, but producers didn't want the kids soaking the carpets. Instead, the space was decorated with pillows and nicknamed the "Boom Boom" room.

The show is also a veritable travelogue of Atlanta. In the first episode alone, the students pop up at Piedmont Park, the Woodruff Arts Center, Underground Atlanta and Tringali's downtown restaurant and bar.

Over 13 episodes, they work with Atlanta rap star Ludacris and his charity foundation. They attend the BET Hip-Hop Awards at the Atlanta Civic Center. They go whitewater rafting and camping. And they visit London.

The producers also make sure, through casting and artful roommate assignments, that the students clash.

For instance, Drew Hunter, a self-proclaimed ladies' man, was forced to room with Dorion Standberry, who Drew thought was gay. He wanted to be in the coed room. Instead, Anthony Adighibe and Ashley Ragland, who both have significant others outside the show, were placed in the same bedroom.

Not surprisingly, the first episode teases to physical altercations, yelling matches and flirtations galore.

Here are thumbnails of the students from interviews on the last day of shooting in November:

> Shavon Gihan, a fashion merchandising major at Clark Atlanta University. "I love being around people," said the bubbly Gihan. "I love to talk." The cameras weren't allowed on campus, so she would sneak home between classes to see her mom or go to the mall.

> Sira Bah, a Georgia State University finance major. "I'm the most studious one," she said. She moved to Atlanta a decade ago from Guinea, West Africa. "She's my African Nubian princess!" Gihan said.

> Ashley Ragland, a Georgia State marketing major. "I'm going to be portrayed as the pretty girl who thinks too much of herself," she predicted.

> Dennis Goodman, a Morehouse College sociology major. He's the youngest guy and the most naive.

> Ashley Lasseter, a Georgia State business management major. "We call her Oprah," Goodman said. "She's the leader." She said she already knew four of the others before the show.

> Drew Hunter, a University of West Georgia mass communications major with rapper ambitions. "I'm the bad guy. I'm all controversy, in all the fights," he said.

> Anthony Adighibe, a Clark Atlanta mass communications major. The party promoter is the most mature guy. "He's like my big brother," Goodman said.

> Dorion Standberry, a Clark Atlanta mass communications major. "He's very charismatic, very crazy," said Ashley R.