Recommendations: A Dean's List.

You're perfect, of course. Here's how to get your teacher to say so.

When it comes to letters of recommendation for college admission, the equivalent of grade inflation has set in. As a member of Cornell University's admissions committee for a decade, I would search applications in vain for a single negative phrase like, "While Susan did not participate often in discussions, ..." In a sea of competing accolades, it's important to make your recommendations effective. Here are a few do's and don'ts:

* Don't submit more than two or three letters, unless you are certain they are all gems. There is truth in the admissions adage, "The thicker the folder, the thicker the applicant."

* Unless they know you well, do not solicit letters from graduates of the university to which you are applying, your parents' business or law partners, members of Congress, Governors, titans of telecommunications, or ex-Presidents of the United States. A recommendation letter from an eminent person who is not well acquainted with you will be a ho-hum testimonial. And if generous donors have an impact, it's only on their own children's applications.

* The most influential recommendation letters are filled with concrete details and a comparative assessment of the applicant. Supply teachers with copies of essays you have written for their classes, descriptions of science projects, and other quotable items. The same specificity should be used to describe activities outside class.

* Ask teachers to focus on particular academic and personal skills they have directly observed. If teachers ask for your high school transcript and a list of extracurricular activities, gently remind them that members of the admissions committee will have this information and can interpret it for themselves.

* Employers can help if they supervised you themselves. A few years ago, a roofer wrote about a young man from a middle-class family who had worked as a manual laborer one summer, willingly carrying shingles up the ladder to the roofers, even on the hottest days. Cornell admitted the young man.

* Strategy in obtaining recommendations is no substitute for performance. Those who do their best give their teachers, employers, and others material for an excellent evaluation.

The Application: Tips From the Pros

When it comes to applying for college, admissions directors offer the following do's and don'ts:

* DO consult with parents or a guidance counselor before attempting an offbeat or unusual approach in your application.

* DO remember that judgment and taste are something admissions committees consider.

* DON'T forget the basics. As University of Pennsylvania admissions director Lee Stetson notes, "Make sure you don't spell Penn D-U-K-E. Every year we have some applications come to the wrong place."

* DO show off talents and skills. Send items such as videotapes, portfolios, or writing samples.

* DON'T have too many people read your essay and make suggestions. Then it won't be you anymore.

* DO get recommendations from teachers who know your complete academic work.

* DO research the schools you're applying to, and consider an overnight visit.

* DON'T apply to too many schools.

* DON'T project an attitude of entitlement. If you come from an upper-income family, don't let your application sound as if going to an elite college is something you are owed. "A lot of upper-income kids see this as a birthright, and when that comes across in an application, it can really rub admissions officials the wrong way," says Bruce Poch, dean of admissions for Pomona College in Claremont, California. For example, he once received an essay on a "dull African safari" that ridiculed a trip many of us would look upon as a great opportunity.

* DON'T think there is just one school for you.

* DO be yourself.