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.
In most cases, this is because your school has not published the set up for the year that the family wants to apply for...
We recommend that you split your applications in a manner that makes sense...
No, you cannot edit or delete a Supplemental Form once there are responses attached to that form...
The Teacher Recommendation Form is designed for Grades PK-1 and 2-4 students...
Launched in 2005, the SAO was envisioned as a tool that would simplify the application process for both students and schools...
You may upload your school's logo...
The SAO system disburses the application fees on a quarterly basis...
Once submitted, an application cannot be removed by the end user...
There are many advantages to your school and your applicants when using the SAO...
Yes, if a school has not renewed membership and is deactivated, it will no longer be able to receive student applications through the SAO...
Families are the most important part of the SAO process...
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,...
SAO delivers applications as soon as the biographic profile section is submitted with your school application fees...
It is important that you set up your application each year, but don't worry, you do not have to reinvent the wheel...
You can include additional instructions to the interview component...
No, not from EMA...
The SAO setup supports a form builder feature for the schools to author their school-specific supplement form...
Do not worry! Our exit button automatically saves the information...
The template shows how to format the forms and what type of field prompts can be used for certain types of questions...
Yes! SAO allows schools to accept applications for the current and upcoming academic year concurrently...
An applicant can submit the application even though an interview is required...
That information will automatically be embedded and pre-filled for students...
An application is delivered to your school once the applicant submits their profile with your school application fees...
Multiple users from your school can be in the system at the same time (anyone with a user-name and password)...
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...
There is a processing fee to cover administrative costs...
Yes...
You can delete an application setup that is draft status only...
You can set up different applications for grade levels...
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...
We have been working on enhancements for the 2021-2022 season...
Yes, Simply select “copy” next to the desired application...
The form builder doesn't have a way to customize the validation treatment for fields...
The SAO supports consolidating the SSAT and The Snapshot requirements all in one place...
The SAO does not contain any questions regarding IEPs or 504 plans...
In order to maintain consistency in our portal experience, we have intentionally kept the font control within the system...
We have found that a little over half of our applicant families are choosing to share their basic profile information...
You can create Supplement Forms in SAO 3.0 using the Form Builder tool that is embedded in your setup wizard...
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...
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...
EMA supports only SSAT and The Snapshot as configurable assessments as part of the SAO...
The logic of a domestic vs. an international student rests within the SAO...
Yes, you can view and export individual components from the tracker by clicking on the icon associated with that component...
Not at this time...
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...
No, all data will be stored during our annual rollover maintenance window, which will be released at midnight Eastern time on August 1...
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...
The last updated date reflects the date when an update to the application was delivered to your school...
School specific supplement forms are not shared with any other school...
The SAO has a built-in advisor workstation made for placement counselors at feeder schools and community based organizations...
Yes, only completed forms for submitted applications are displayed on the Applicants tracker...
Setting up the SAO is a simple four-step process that takes less than twenty minutes per application...
Please login to your Member Access Portal (MAP) at portal.ssat.org...
A student's biographic profile contains all the data about the student, their parents, address information, interests and activities...
Both buttons allow you to create a new application within the portal...
The SAO portal for families is designed to convey requirements and deadlines and track the completeness of the application in a streamlined experience...
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...
Click on “New Application” ...
The SAO supports a library of standard forms as follows:...
EMA Member Access Portal delivers and stores data for two consecutive years...
The Standard Application Online (SAO) is a free service provided by The Enrollment Management Association to member schools...
The SAO platform collects and reports personal and sensitive data about families and students applying to schools...
We want to offer schools with as much flexibility as possible...
At this time, SAO is not integrated with an interview scheduler...
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...
Your applicants are available in real-time through your EMA Member Access Portal (MAP)...
SAO allows the student to upload their achievements via their profile...
The COPY function creates a duplicate application...
Yes, you may pause previous applications if you no longer have seats available for a given year...
We ask for transcripts for the past two full years plus the year in progress...
Yes, you can edit an existing published setup...
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...
In an effort to make the SAO more accessible, we created an SAO Affiliate Member status for participating associations...
The SAO system operates in real time—meaning both the member and student portals are updated the moment application components are submitted...
EMA integrates with several software partners free of charge to members...
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.
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.
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.
No, you can't edit the copied form because it is attached to the 2023 application because that Supplemental Form has responses from 2023...
