Learn everything you need to know about the Standard Application Online (SAO).
Why a "Common" Application?
An API, or Application Programming Interface, is a data bridge that allows systems to share information and data. The Enrollment Management Association offers a robust, gold-standard API – a customer interface for technology products that allows software components to communicate. This data bridge allows admission offices to seamlessly integrate information and data between unique school databases or application management systems and the SSAT scores and SAO.
Learn how to set up your SAO.
SAO delivers applications as soon as the biographic profile section is submitted with your school application fees...
What is the function of “optional” for the SAO forms? In some cases, like the SSAT or recommendation forms, schools want to put “optional” for families,...
Once submitted, an application cannot be removed by the end user...
Any EMA member access organization can enroll themselves to participate in the CBO program...
Schools can create multiple setups if their requirements differ by grade, by student type, and residential status...
Please login to your Member Access Portal (MAP) at portal.ssat.org...
EMA is considerate of different family situations. Our system requires one parent or guardian with an option to add multiple parents or guardians as needed.
Once the application is paused, new students cannot apply to the school, but students who have already submitted an application can continue to update their application.
Once the application is submitted (application fee paid in the portal), the user cannot pull back the application. The family would need to contact the school to inform them of the issue.
EMA integrates with several software partners free of charge to members...
You may upload your school's logo...
The SAO supports a library of standard forms as follows:...
No, you can't edit the copied form because it is attached to the 2023 application because that Supplemental Form has responses from 2023...
No, all data will be stored during our annual rollover maintenance window, which will be released at midnight Eastern time on August 1...
The SAO does not contain any questions regarding IEPs or 504 plans...
The form builder doesn't have a way to customize the validation treatment for fields...
No, not from EMA...
No, you cannot edit or delete a Supplemental Form once there are responses attached to that form...
Yes, only completed forms for submitted applications are displayed on the Applicants tracker...
There is a processing fee to cover administrative costs...
Setting up the SAO is a simple four-step process that takes less than twenty minutes per application...
The SAO system operates in real time—meaning both the member and student portals are updated the moment application components are submitted...
In an effort to make the SAO more accessible, we created an SAO Affiliate Member status for participating associations...
If your application does not require a component, the student may not complete that component in the SAO system if they are applying to your school only...
Yes, you can edit an existing published setup...
We ask for transcripts for the past two full years plus the year in progress...
Yes, you may pause previous applications if you no longer have seats available for a given year...
The COPY function creates a duplicate application...
SAO allows the student to upload their achievements via their profile...
Your applicants are available in real-time through your EMA Member Access Portal (MAP)...
If your school has additional information you would like to give to your students, you can write it under the “special instructions” step of the setup wizard and the student will be able to view it on their SAO dashboard...
At this time, SAO is not integrated with an interview scheduler...
We want to offer schools with as much flexibility as possible...
The SAO platform collects and reports personal and sensitive data about families and students applying to schools...
The Standard Application Online (SAO) is a free service provided by The Enrollment Management Association to member schools...
EMA Member Access Portal delivers and stores data for two consecutive years...
Click on “New Application” ...
The SAO portal for families is designed to convey requirements and deadlines and track the completeness of the application in a streamlined experience...
Both buttons allow you to create a new application within the portal...
A student's biographic profile contains all the data about the student, their parents, address information, interests and activities...
The SAO has a built-in advisor workstation made for placement counselors at feeder schools and community based organizations...
School specific supplement forms are not shared with any other school...
The last updated date reflects the date when an update to the application was delivered to your school...
To accept the SSAT and the Snapshot, indicate the SSAT and The Snapshot as Not Required or Optional for the grades you are setting up the SAO...
When you set up your SAO, we highly recommend that you place a badge on your website and in your communication to families and students...
Not at this time...
Yes, you can view and export individual components from the tracker by clicking on the icon associated with that component...
The logic of a domestic vs. an international student rests within the SAO...
EMA supports only SSAT and The Snapshot as configurable assessments as part of the SAO...
The Standard Application Online (SAO) is a free, online service for EMA member schools that allows students to submit their information, essays, transcripts, and recommendations once to any school that accepts it...
In the student access portal, the SAO for families is designed to convey requirements and deadlines and track the completeness of the application in a streamlined experience...
You can create Supplement Forms in SAO 3.0 using the Form Builder tool that is embedded in your setup wizard...
We have found that a little over half of our applicant families are choosing to share their basic profile information...
In order to maintain consistency in our portal experience, we have intentionally kept the font control within the system...
The SAO supports consolidating the SSAT and The Snapshot requirements all in one place...
Yes, Simply select “copy” next to the desired application...
We have been working on enhancements for the 2021-2022 season...
If your admission team does not want to see financial aid and ethnicity as part of the SAO, you can hide these by clicking on Customize Biographic Profile...
You can set up different applications for grade levels...
You can delete an application setup that is draft status only...
Yes...
Multiple users from your school can be in the system at the same time (anyone with a user-name and password)...
An application is delivered to your school once the applicant submits their profile with your school application fees...
That information will automatically be embedded and pre-filled for students...
An applicant can submit the application even though an interview is required...
Yes! SAO allows schools to accept applications for the current and upcoming academic year concurrently...
Do not worry! Our exit button automatically saves the information...
The SAO setup supports a form builder feature for the schools to author their school-specific supplement form...
You can include additional instructions to the interview component...
It is important that you set up your application each year, but don't worry, you do not have to reinvent the wheel...
Families are the most important part of the SAO process...
Yes, if a school has not renewed membership and is deactivated, it will no longer be able to receive student applications through the SAO...
There are many advantages to your school and your applicants when using the SAO...
The SAO system disburses the application fees on a quarterly basis...
Launched in 2005, the SAO was envisioned as a tool that would simplify the application process for both students and schools...
The Teacher Recommendation Form is designed for Grades PK-1 and 2-4 students...
We recommend that you split your applications in a manner that makes sense...
In most cases, this is because your school has not published the set up for the year that the family wants to apply for...
The template shows how to format the forms and what type of field prompts can be used for certain types of questions...
Interests or activities are optional as part of the student profile, as we do not want to intimidate students should they not have anything to fill in...
