1.   And anyone who did it just for that reason, they said, was not going to fool any college admissions officer.

2.   An undercover officer was sent over to pose as an admissions officer and to review his application.

3.   And a national association of admissions officers has begun warning parents and students about the pitfalls of using private consultants.

4.   As applications pour in, admissions officers say they have never worked so hard.

5.   At Boston University, admissions officers advise students not to apply early.

6.   At small institutions, where applications are combed more carefully, admissions officers say that an SAT score provides an unparalleled glimpse into the mind of an applicant.

7.   At Yale last summer, an admissions officer named Peter Chemery sought to cheer up my tour group about the numbers.

8.   Backed by several disability groups, he claimed that such flagging served as a kind of scarlet letter for admissions officers.

9.   At the vast majority of American colleges, admissions officers still see AP classes as indicators that students have prepared well.

10.   At weekly meetings at a Harlem church, these motivated teen-agers organize trips to college campuses, raising the money and preparing questions for admissions officers.