<p>Printing is neither bad nor good (unless the printing isn't neat of course). </p>
<p>My D submitted most of her apps in hard copy (well, except UCs and maybe one other college). We did do the pdf thing--seriously, the Adobe program can do some very nice things (the one I like the best is the ability to make a pdf out of a web page, with just a click or two, or a scan). As for apps, the program had an auto-fill feature so that if you wanted to put in your name, you only had to type the first letter or 2 and it would fill the rest in.</p>
<p>But I think it would be perfectly acceptable to neatly print or type (where do you even find a typewriter? I have to borrow from my 80+ year old neighbors) to fill out any boxes and word-process the essays and short answers. D liked the ability to fiddle with the font, size and margins to make her essays fit the space on the app in a pleasing way. Cutting and pasting is perfectly acceptable. My D would print her essays directly onto the app page.</p>
<p>One thing you might want to be on the look out for: many colleges ask that you fill out "Part 1" of the application and send it in right away. That way, they can start a file for you early on in the process. Many colleges will ask that you do that part on line, but you can submit the rest of the app by mail. But some will require you to continue as you started--if online, then you must continue on line. Check in the literature for each school.</p>
<p>The thing I like most about current technology is that you can download most school apps off the internet and print them out. That way, you don't have just one or two copies of the application, which you have to work so carefully with.</p>