Gateway vs. SAO

If all of the schools to which you are applying accept both, why not use SAO & submit one set of essays? DS’s current list of schools allow both, but the Gateway essays differ for each school (they are the same as each school’s individual application) while the SAO form accepts one standard essay. I’m afraid that I’m missing something - am I?

Gateway app and individual app allow students to tailor their applications to each school, e.g., some schools ask why did you choose their school, one can write about specific EC the school offers (while other schools might not offer,) etc. Some schools ask alumni/legacy information but I guess such information could be provided during interviews or via separate communications to AO.
It’s a personal choice. I think focusing all efforts into one set of essays and doing SAO application is fine.
Even using Gateway app, one can recycle/repurpose most of the essays so it’s not really much additional work.

OK, thanks @payn4ward. Based on our (short) list, it just so happens that the Gateway/School essays are really quite different from SAO, and from each other. So for us, it makes the most sense to use SAO and to address any missing pieces of information separately.

Just three of the seven schools where my student intends to apply are on the SAO so many essays it is.

Yes, 2 years ago when my daughter applied, only one of her schools was on SAO, so we went with Gateway. This time around it seems as if they have added more schools. Interestingly, last year NYC private schools (ISAAGNY) adopted common essay prompts - I think that there are 5 choices. So much more humane!

Some schools use SAO, but require own essays anyway.

@jwalche That’s what I was worried about, but it doesn’t seem to be the case - at least for my list. Maybe I’m not looking in the right place? For example, the column all the way over on the right is the “School Supplement Form”. If it is listed as “not required” for each school, than the standard SAO essay prompts (seen in the “Student Essays” column) would apply to each school - i.e.: would be the same for each, right? I’m afraid that I’m missing something & don’t want to pay all of the fees through SAO only to find out later that the essays are not, in fact, the same.

You would be paying the fee through SAO or Gateway. And using SAO probably won’t cause you to write more essays than using Gateway, so I don’t see why you would worry for that?
I would worry that, if an SAO school is my top choice and does accept the standard essays, if my application would be weaker because it doesn’t answer the school specific questions answered by other applicants who used Gateway.

I understand that no matter what, I’d be paying the fee ;-). You said above that some schools accept SAO, but require their own essays anyway. My question is, how do you know if they will require their own essays?

What I meant was the extra supplementary column that you mentioned. But thinking about it, I also found additional requirements for homeschoolers that were not shown in either gateway or sao. So I plan to ask each school’s admission office for if I am missing anything, after submitting the essays.