FLC OF MD88 ENCOUNTERS WAKE TURB ON APCH 3 PT 5 MI IN TRAIL OF A B757. ACFT ROLLS 30 DEGS TO THE R THEN ROLLS 30 DEGS TO THE L AS THE FO BEGINS A GAR. CAPT TAKES OVER CTL AND CONFIGURES AGAIN FOR LNDG.

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WINDS WERE RPTED CALM. CLRED FOR VISUAL APCH TO RWY 26R ATL; 3 1/2 MI IN TRAIL OF A B757. AS WE GOT ESTABLISHED ON THE LOC AND GS; THE B757 APPEARED TO BE HIGH AND MAKING STEEPER THAN NORMAL APCH. WE CONFIGURED AND BEGAN TO SLOW TO FINAL APCH SPD. XING THE MARKER; WE ENCOUNTERED A SLIGHT AMOUNT OF TURB (CHOPPY AIR) AND I ELECTED TO FLY 1 DOT HIGH ON THE GS. AT APPROX 1000 FT AGL; WE ENCOUNTERED THE B757'S WAKE AND OUR MD88 BEGAN ROLLING TO THE R APPROX 30 DEGS. AS I BEGAN TO PUT CTL INPUTS TO STOP THE ROLL; THE ACFT SHARPLY ROLLED BACK TO THE L TO APPROX 30 DEGS OF BANK AND PITCHED DOWN. I IMMEDIATELY EXECUTED A GAR; SIMULTANEOUSLY APPLYING PITCH AND PWR; AS WELL AS HITTING TOGA BUTTONS AND PROCEEDED TO GET OUT OF THERE. AS OUR ACFT BEGAN CLBING AND WE LEFT THE WAKE TURB; THE CAPT TOOK THE ACFT FROM ME; REDUCED PWR TO AROUND IDLE; AND DIRECTED THE AIRPLANE BACK TOWARDS THE GLIDE PATH AND PROCEEDED WITH A NORMAL LNDG. WHY? AN UNEVENTFUL LNDG WAS PERFORMED. (HE RETURNED CTL OF THE ACFT TO ME ON SHORT FINAL AND WAS PREPARED TO MAKE ANOTHER GAR IF NECESSARY.) I BELIEVE THE DECISION TO TRY TO LAND AFTER STARTING A GAR FROM THIS WAKE ENCOUNTER WAS TERRIBLE ON HIS PART. ONCE AT THE GATE; SEVERAL PAX WERE UPSET AND MADE COMMENTS TO THE EFFECT OF BEING SCARED TO DEATH. THE CAPT NEVER OFFERED AN EXPLANATION TO THE PAX NOR TO MYSELF.