<p>S went with online all the way. He was able to print and preview all apps and make any necessary format changes. No applicaton was submitted until we were 100% sure of the finished product. As was stated earlier, many of the schools indicated a preference for online apps and stated that any apps submitted via snail mail were scanned into their system, so make sure there is no faint or light colored ink used. I also don't have problem with a parent helping with clerical work and have lended this helping hand to my kids.</p>
<p>Common app vs school app is pet peeve of mine. I think you can get much more in tune with what a particular school is looking for by using their own app. I also think it lets you focus on just that school and give that app your undivided attention. Whichever app kids use, I think they should always read over the school's own app to see what that school values and then use the one that can best showcase your qualities. If using the common app, make each submission separate, don't just check all the schools' boxes and hit send. Applications should be individual and tailored to each school. Sometimes just a short paragraph in the add'l info section about why you want to attend XXX can give a little boost. For online submissions always try to submit a few days early. This year with so many kids submitting online, many of the college's websites experienced very heavy traffic and were very slow or unable to be accessed on the last days before the deadlines.</p>
<p>I think a reluctance to submit online is something many of these kids are going to have to overcome in the future. My older S, who just finished his college sophomore year, has indicated that most of his professors will only accept online homework and term paper submissions. Hard copies are becoming a thing of the past.</p>