Using the Standard Application Online

Using the Standard Application Online

Getting Started Start by searching for schools using the School Search feature on www.ssat.org. Keep a note of the name of schools you are interested in.

www.ssat.org Use the Search Filters to discover the schools accepting the SAO. Make sure you check the Accepts the Standard Application Online box! You can also look for this badge on each school s website.

Log into your Student Account Write down a list of schools where you would like to apply Click on the Student Login link at the top right of the screen on www.ssat.org. Enter your user name and password.

Using the SAO Select the My Applications tab

Starting your Application Complete and Submit your Biographic section by selecting the *Click to Complete Biographic Information* link shown below. Important to Remember: The Biographic section cannot be saved as a draft. Once the section is submitted, no edits are possible. Please note, that some applicant information can be edited via *My Profile* on your Student Access Portal.

SAO: Completing the Biographic Section This section inquires about the student s biographic details such as Applicant Information, Education, and Family Information. The applicant must complete the required fields in each section and press continue and click Submit button to submit the Biographic Section.

Biographic Information Complete Once saved the Biographic Information button will change to *Biographic Information Complete* as shown below. If you would like to print a copy for your records, simply click on the green icon.

Continuing the Application Select the grade grouping that you are applying to from the drop down menu. If you are applying to grades 6,7,8,9,10,11,12, or Post Graduate, select Grades 6-PG Then, you may click on the gray Submit button.

Working with an Advisor If you are working with a Placement Counselor at your current independent school select Yes. If you are not working with a placement counselor, select No. Skip to: Adding Schools on page 12. Once you have made a selection, you may click on the gray Submit button.

In the search field, type the name of your current school. Read the Acknowledgement statement and place a mark in the box by clicking on it. Then, select the underlined words, Add Advisor next to the correct Advisor. If you are working with a placement counselor, please wait to assign recommendation forms until you have received directions on how they wish for you to proceed. Your placement counselor can advise you of their preferred method for assisting you with completing your applications. Please note: Your current school or educational consultant must be an SSATB member to serve as an SAO Advisor. Granting this permission allows the advisor to submit recommendation forms on your behalf and monitor the status of your applications. If you are not working with a placement director or educational consultant, leave this field blank. Only one advisor may be designated for all applications and cannot be removed once the advisor has submitted any application components on your behalf. Working with an Advisor, if YES

Adding Schools 1. Once the Biographic Section is complete, you can begin the process of selecting schools to apply to by selecting the + Add Schools icon. 2. Next, type the name of a school where you want to apply into the search field and press Search. Always pay attention to the state list next to the school name as some schools have similar names but different locations. 3. Choose the correct school name and click *Select* to add the school.

Adding Schools Select the appropriate responses for: Grade Applying To Residential Status Financial Aid Take note of any Special Instructions for applicants that might be provided by the school. Enter Legacy information for the school. If you do not have any legacy information to share, simply leave those fields blank. Select Add School Now to proceed. Students may continue to add additional schools by repeating the process outlined here.

Pay for your Application Your Application homepage contains a payment table showing all unpaid applications. Schools will not be sent your application until you have paid their application fee. Application fees vary by school. Schools usually have different fees for domestic and international students. Notes: If an applicant decides not to submit an application to a selected school, it can be removed at any time prior to payment of the application fee by selecting Remove from this dashboard. Please note, once an application has a Status of *PAID* it cannot be removed. The Special Instructions information for each school, if any, can be viewed anytime by clicking on the View link.

Pay for your Application You must pay for at least one application to activate your application workstation components. Select the application(s) for which you want to submit payment by placing a check mark in the box and selecting Pay to Submit Selected Applications Application fees may only be paid by Visa, MasterCard, or Discover. Note: A $6 administrative processing fee will be applied by SSATB, per application submitted.

Pay for your Application Review your selected school(s) and submit credit card payment by filling in the requested information. Once you submit payment, you will see a confirmation screen showing your transaction has been processed.

Pay for your Application using a Fee Waiver If the application fee poses a financial burden, the applicant may request an application fee waiver by contacting the school(s) to which he/she is planning to apply and requesting an Application Fee Waiver. Waivers are granted at the discretion of each school s Office of Admission. An Application Fee Waiver is only valid for the application to the school that issues the waiver. If a student is applying to more than one school, a fee waiver will need to be requested from each school. If using an Application Fee Waiver, enter the code in the blank box, press Click to Apply Fee Waiver, and then select Pay to Submit Selected Applications Note: If you are submitting an application with an application fee waiver, the SSATB administrative fee will be waived.

Work on your Application Components Paying for an application will activate your application workstation. Begin by reviewing which components are required by the school(s) to which you are applying. All required components will be marked with the word Required on your workstation shown below. When applying to multiple schools, always look at the required components for each school, while one school may require all components, another may not.

Application Components: Student Essays and Parent Statements The Student Essays and Parent Statement for grade group 6-PG and the Parent Evaluation for Grade Groups PK-1 and 2-5 are standard and required of all applicants to those grade levels. These sections can be submitted only once and they will be applied to all applications. You can preview these items by clicking on the red box containing their names. When filling out the forms, do not select Submit until you have answered each question thoroughly. We strongly recommend you take your time to review these pieces before submitting them, as you do not have the ability to save a draft or edit them once they are submitted. Completing short answer questions or essay components in a Word-type document that can be saved, and then copying and pasting your responses into the appropriate fields, is strongly recommended for both parents and students. The submitted Student Essays and Parent Statement can be printed for your records by clicking on Click to Print

Application Components: Student Essay Limit of 5000 word characters including spaces per question!

Application Components: What are 5,000 word characters?

Application Components: Supplement Forms Some schools require supplemental forms as part of the SAO. 1. If you see this item marked as Required, click the gray button labeled click here. 2. In the pop up box, select here to open the PDF supplement form. The form is a fillable PDF so you can save the form to your computer and then type your answers directly into the document. 3. When finished, come back to this component and attach the saved, completed PDF by browsing your files. 4. Last, select Upload to attach the document to your application. You must upload the form in it s PDF format only.

Application Components: Teacher Recommendations Each recommendation form can be assigned by clicking on the red box containing the name of the form. A pop-up box will appear for you to complete and submit. Once you designate a form to a recommender, you will notice that the component status on your workstation dashboard will change from Required to Required Designated. Complete this process for each Required Recommendation. Your teachers will automatically receive an email from SSATB with a link to complete the online recommendation form. Teachers do not need to create a recommender account. Stay connected with you recommenders! If you notice that your teacher has not yet had a chance to submit the recommendation after some time has passed, check with them to make sure they received the email link. If they did not, you can re-send it using the same instructions as you did to assign it. If a teacher can no longer complete a recommendation for you, you can reassign a designated recommendation form to another teacher so long as the previously designated recommender has not yet submitted the form. Simply click on the name of the form and enter the new contact information for the teacher who will now be completing the recommendation.

Monitor the Status of your Applications Once a form is designated to a recommender, you will notice that the component status on the workstation dashboard will change from Required to Required Designated. When any piece of the application is completed and submitted (by the student, parents, or recommenders) the status for that component will change to Required Submitted. The status will also show the date that the form was submitted.

Monitor the Status of your Applications When all of the application components display Required Submitted your SAO is complete for that school! It is very important that you verify all of the application requirements for each school where you are applying by looking at their website or contacting them directly to ensure that you have completed everything. Some schools have additional application requirements such as Campus Visits or Interviews which you will have to schedule directly with them. Be awareschools may contact you to request additional school records or transcripts. Do not be alarmed, sometimes the initial submissions of these items by your current school are incomplete. Simply request that your current school send those items directly to the school that contacted you for them.

To add additional schools where you would like to apply, click the +Add School button and complete the process as you did initially- searching for the school by name, completing information about your grade level, and so on. Adding Additional Applications You will also notice that all of the application components that were already completed will be shared with the new applications as they are added. Please note: Each school may have its unique requirements, so be sure to pay close attention to the required components when completing your applications. Once you ve added schools, you ll see them in your application workstation with a Status of remove. Even though you see it there, your application and application pieces WILL NOT be submitted to each school until you PAY the application fee. Once you select an application for payment and follow the payment steps, the status will change to PAID and all application pieces on file will be shared with that school.

Still Have Questions? Contact Us! www.ssat.org Call: 609-683-4440 Email: apply@ssat.org Live Chat: www.ssat.org Live Webinar Series www.ssat.org/test/help-center Last revised 10.26.15