<p>I know one of you very smart people can answer this question for me. If S applies online to schools, can you start application and save it to complete later? He has time now to start filling in the nuts and bolt type of info, but is still working on essays, etc. He might be doing some commom app. schools, but also some specific school apps. Also, how have experiences been doing on line vs. paper apps (beside the hand cramps). Thanks for the info.</p>
<p>Yes. There is a button on each page for saving it. When he logs in next time, it will still be there waiting for him.</p>
<p>Weenie,
You are the best. You always know the answers to those questions we are afraid to ask in public (so not to look dumb)!</p>
<p>
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Also, how have experiences been doing on line vs. paper apps (beside the hand cramps).
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</p>
<p>septembermom,</p>
<p>I had responded to a similar question about this matter... and here is a portion of my earlier post:</p>
<p>*Here are some of the reasons why college admissions departments highly recommend online applications (vs. paper):</p>
<ul>
<li>Immediate, verified receipt and tracking of applications.</li>
<li>More accurate and complete applications (e.g., online field validations will catch errors or omitted data, interjecting error messages before application is submitted).</li>
<li>With some schools receiving tens of thousands of applications, it is easier to deal with the volume electronically (you may not like being a "number", but you'll find out later in life that you are only a SSN to many).</li>
<li>Electronic, online applications are more economical for schools -- if everybody submitted paper apps, the additional people resources required for processing would ultimately boost the cost of education for students who ultimately enroll (yes, that means you, potentially).</li>
<li>For the benefit of the school and for the applicant, there is the added assurance that information submitted online is indeed accurate -- if a school has to do data entry of your information and makes an error on an important field (i.e., your SSN, your address, your e-mail address, your telephone number), who is to blame? Pointing fingers may not change the consequences of human error. Better to take personal control and bypass the potential for such possible errors (and trust me, human errors happen all the time).*</li>
</ul>
<p>NorCalDad,
Thanks for the info. As the paper applications are rolling in (I wonder how many trees have been cut down for these things) it seems to me that online would definitley be easier. S has fairly neat handwriting, but I know he can "type" much faster. Think he will be more receptive to seating at computer to fill them out and not at the dining room table. Schools we visited definitely seemed to want the online.</p>
<p>I recommend starting the online process with the safety schools first so that you have the system down when you get to your top choices. Both of my boys had mishaps doing their apps on line and whoooosh, the apps went incomplete to admissions. Then the program refused to let them do another app since they were on record as already having applied! Once they did get the hang of it, things went well. Also things are much better with the on line programs now as compared to 6 years ago when my first son was applying. I expect that my third child will be applying on line for most if not all of his colleges. I do recommend, perusing a hard copy of an app first, though the kids just won't do that. They found the hard way that some apps were more involved than expected.</p>
<p>^ Yeah. That's the one place I DEMAND to be involved. Tell your son to be sure to not hit that SEND button until you've looked over the entire thing.</p>
<p>S completed only one app by hand, and I thought that this one was the easiest to complete. What made it even easier was that the school already completed the first page for him (name, address, etc.). This app was given to gc, and transcript, recs, etc. were all mailed in one envelope, which minimized the chances of pcs. being lost. This was the only school that S applied to which did not offer online apps (via their website, or common app). Son's essay was not written by hand. It was printed and sent along with the paper application. This was so simple.</p>