Standard Application Online (SAO)
The premier common application for K–12 independent schools helps you simplify the application process to make it easier for students and families to apply to your school.
Applying made easy.
The complexity of applying to independent schools is a barrier for many. Let families know your school supports them by accepting the Standard Application Online (SAO). Accepted at over 400 independent schools, the SAO simplifies the process and saves families time by streamlining every application step.
The SAO makes receiving applications easy for schools, too! A free resource for EMA members, the SAO integrates with the industry’s leading enrollment management solutions, enabling SAO applications to appear seamlessly in one system alongside the school’s native submissions.
The Benefits of a Common K–12 Application
Through the Standard Application Online, families save time by compiling their information, essays, transcripts, and recommendations once and submitting them to any school that accepts the SAO. In turn, schools enjoy the following benefits.
519,059+ SAO applications submitted—and counting!
Standard application. Remarkable results.
1
Free to Members
As a free, member-exclusive service, the SAO boosts membership ROI and works seamlessly with other EMA enrollment tools such as the SSAT and Character Skills Snapshot for reporting results.
2
Customization
Standardization of forms, recommendations, and essays simplifies the application process, but the SAO is also flexible, supporting school-specific supplemental forms, student body cohorts, and admission event dates.
3
Enrollment Funnel
Through Admission.org, EMA’s resource site for families, new candidates from around the world are discovering and applying to independent schools that accept the SAO.
4
Data-Rich Dashboards
Perfect for board reports, easily track enrollment trends with previous-year and peer-school comparisons. See a breakdown of applicants from your school’s website and EMA referrals, and monitor the overlap report for competitive insights.
5
Application Fees
Customize and collect your school’s application fee, charged to families in one sum payment with EMA’s nominal SAO processing fee.
6
Parent Appreciation
Parents will thank you for accepting the SAO. Displaying the SAO badge on your school’s website strongly indicates that the school cares about the parent experience.
See what admission professionals say about the Standard Application Online.
"At a time when we are trying to reduce barriers, create access, and alleviate unnecessary stress on families, the value of the SAO has never been more evident."
“The Standard Application Online is a game-changer. It gets us the application pieces we need in a more streamlined fashion, we can customize certain components for our different divisions, and there’s seamless processing with our backend enrollment management system."
Schools Benefiting From the SAO
