Standard Application Online (SAO) for Schools | EMA
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Admissions Ecosystem
Reimagining enrollment marketing for K–12 independent schools, each channel in EMA's Admissions Ecosystem works together to attract and engage candidates throughout the recruitment funnel.
ADMISSION.ORG
INTERNATIONAL
RECRUITMENT
Student
Prospect
List
open seat
list
standard
application
online
Admission.org Search
Expanding the top of the recruitment funnel, Admission.org Search connects your school with families worldwide actively exploring independent day and boarding options. Built-in efficiencies from the Standard Application Online and prospect list nurturing keep families moving from research to application.
International Recruitment
Expand your school's global enrollment reach with EMA's best-in-class student recruitment fairs and agent events. Build a network of skilled agents advocating on your behalf and establish trust with motivated families by meeting face-to-face. The result is long-lasting impact through the most powerful form of school marketing: authentic word of mouth.
Student Prospect List
86% of applying parents are part of Generation X—the email generation. Utilize advanced segmentation to send nurture and retargeting emails to over 35,000 prospective families already engaged in EMA's system. Direct them to your school's Admission.org Search profile for a quick-start gateway into the application process.
Open Seat List
Activated after the traditional April enrollment decision period, the Open Seat List connects schools with over 4,000 outstanding students who are new to the application process or are navigating the uncertainty of waitlists.
Standard Application Online (SAO)
Families in EMA's Admissions Ecosystem are motivated and application-ready. Whether navigating the Admission.org Search or receiving a Student Prospect List email, they're a click away from beginning an application to your school via the Standard Application Online (SAO), the most widely used K–12 common independent school application.
The Benefits of a Common K–12 Application
Through the Standard Application Online, families save time by compiling their information, essays, transcripts, and recommendations once and submitting them to any school that accepts the SAO. In turn, schools enjoy the following benefits.
Increased Applications
Schools that go all-in on SAO can see first-year application growth as high as 20%.
Ease of Use
As a cloud-based application, the SAO operates in real-time and is available to schools and families anywhere with an internet connection.
Simple Setup
You can customize application components and immediately receive submitted applications and pre-application inquiries.
Seamless Data Integration
The SAO’s partnership with leading enrollment management system providers allows for
seamless integration
with existing school databases.
Superior User Support
EMA operates a full-time customer service center to support families and provides
training and instructions
to support EMA member schools.
Expanded Access
EMA’s
Community-Based Organization (CBO) program
combines the SAO and the application fee waiver process to provide students and access organizations with a simple, one-stop option.
640,860+ SAO applications submitted—and counting!
It's time to champion transformational education journeys. Let’s do it together.
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ADDED VALUE
Standard application. Remarkable results.
EMA Membership Benefit
The SAO is an EMA membership benefit that boosts ROI for schools with no upfront subscription cost. It works seamlessly with other EMA enrollment tools, such as the SSAT and Character Skills Snapshot, to help streamline the application submission process.
Customization
Standardization of forms, recommendations, and essays simplifies the application process, but the SAO is also flexible, supporting school-specific supplemental forms, student body cohorts, and admission event dates.
Enrollment Funnel
Through
Admission.org
, EMA’s resource site for families, new candidates from around the world are discovering and applying to independent schools that accept the SAO.
Data-Rich Dashboards
Perfect for board reports, easily track enrollment trends with previous-year and peer-school comparisons. See a breakdown of applicants from your school’s website and EMA referrals, and monitor the overlap report for competitive insights.
Application Fees
Customize and collect your school's application fee, charged to families in one sum payment with EMA's nominal SAO processing fees. Schools incur a small administrative fee with each paid application, which provides the flexibility to absorb the cost or build it into your school's application fee.
SAO fee waivers
are also available for eligible students.
Parent Appreciation
Parents will thank you for accepting the SAO. Displaying the SAO badge on your school’s website strongly indicates that the school cares about the parent experience.
Access
The Ride to Independent Schools
The Ride
Reports…
As the most widely used common K–12 application with a growing candidate funnel generated from Admission.org, the SAO is uniquely positioned to simplify the application experience and reduce families' stress. Take a look at how the data supports SAO usage.
55%
Rated the independent school application process as too stressful.
49%
Said the work to apply was more than they expected.
49%
Indicated essays are the most stressful aspect for students.
Data Speaks for the SAO
See what admission professionals say about the Standard Application Online.
"At a time when we are trying to reduce barriers, create access, and alleviate unnecessary stress on families, the value of the SAO has never been more evident."
Quentin McDowell
Head of School
Mercersburg Academy (PA)
“The Standard Application Online is a game-changer. It gets us the application pieces we need in a more streamlined fashion, we can customize certain components for our different divisions, and there’s seamless processing with our backend enrollment management system."
Ginny Bachman
Director of Admission & Financial Aid
St. Luke’s School (CT)
Schools Benefiting From the SAO
Standard Application Online Resources
View All
RESOURCE
Data Speaks for the Standard Application Online
When 55% of "The Ride to Independent Schools" parents rate the application process as too stressful, it's worth a closer look, and the SAO data is compelling.
RESOURCE
New Feature: Hide Race, Ethnicity, and Financial Aid on SAO Applications
Independent schools using the Standard Application Online (SAO) can now hide student race, ethnicity, and financial aid information on submitted applications.
RESOURCE
Frequently Asked SAO Questions
Explore the SAO FAQs from schools in our EMA Help Center.
RESOURCE
EMA Gender and Ethnicity Data Updates
Learn how EMA has updated our data collection practices to offer expanded options for non-binary gender, race, and ethnicity.
Featured SAO Resources
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Test Administration
General Questions
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Featured resource
Why Use the SAO?
Why a "Common" Application?
Featured resource
Seamlessly Integrate SAO Applications Into K–12 Enrollment Management Systems
An API, or Application Programming Interface, is a data bridge that allows systems to share information and data. The Enrollment Management Association offers a robust, gold-standard API – a customer interface for technology products that allows software components to communicate. This data bridge allows admission offices to seamlessly integrate information and data between unique school databases or application management systems and the SSAT scores and SAO.
Featured resource
SAO Case Studies
An API, or Application Programming Interface, is a data bridge that allows systems to share information and data. The Enrollment Management Association offers a robust, gold-standard API – a customer interface for technology products that allows software components to communicate. This data bridge allows admission offices to seamlessly integrate information and data between unique school databases or application management systems and the SSAT scores and SAO.
Featured resource
What is the SAO and Vericant integration?
The SAO and Vericant integration streamlines the application process for international students and families.
Featured resource
CBO Access Program
An API, or Application Programming Interface, is a data bridge that allows systems to share information and data. The Enrollment Management Association offers a robust, gold-standard API – a customer interface for technology products that allows software components to communicate. This data bridge allows admission offices to seamlessly integrate information and data between unique school databases or application management systems and the SSAT scores and SAO.
Featured resource
Setting Up Your SAO in 4 easy steps
Learn how to set up your SAO.
Interested in The Standard Application Online?
Fill out this form to get started!
PARENTS AND STUDENTS
: This form is not where you create a Standard Application Online account. You can
learn about the SAO
contact our family support
, or
start an SAO application
at these links.