Problem with programs printing out CAF - holding up my app

[dianamd]

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Hi,
I have a problem on MyERAS "view your CAF" that is holding up my submission.

When I click "view my CAF," it looks fine -- it's about 6 pages long.

When I print from that page -- or if I try to save the page as a PDF (eg, so someone can proofread it), there is an entire page blank -- actually it has some lines, but no activities. Consequently, an entire page of my "experience" section is missing. but from just glancing at a printed copy, I don't know that you'd realize that all these activities are missing -- it looks like the printer just messed up or something.

From reading AProgDirector, Law2Doc, and some others, my impression is that programs will be able to download my app, print it out, and read. I'm afraid that they will do this, have this mostly blank page, and then throw it out, and keep the other five pages of my application. Those are some important activities to me!

I was hoping to submit it by Sunday night, so that programs could get it on Monday morning, but I am afraid to do it with this problem hanging out there.

Anyone else have this problem? Suggestions? THANK YOU!!!

 

[Still Kickin]

This happened to me, too, back before I submitted my CAF. (I was printing it out to proofread...) The final page did not print out and based on the page numbers on each sheet (ie "Page 1 of 5", "Page 5 of 5") you would have thought everything was there. (It was like the final page had never existed.)

Very strange. (And then I tried printing AGAIN, so I could proofread that final page and the next time around everything was o.k. (ie - "Page 1 of 6" through "Page 6 of 6".)

I don't know which of your pages is missing but like I said, in my case it was the final page, and I realized that although the page numbering didn't indicate anything was missing, that final statement certifying everything was true to the best of my knowledge, etc. was not there. I was hoping that would be a major clue if this also happened when a program tried to print out my CAF.

 

[Southpaw]

I never noticed before I submitted but I tried to print it out just now and the same thing keeps happening to me. It's not the final page though, it's a page of experiences. I suppose the best thing to do is to contact ERAS?

 

[vicious]

I've seen similar problems when printing in Firefox that got fixed when printing in Internet Explorer. But in any case, I think that residency programs use special software to print out the applications (i.e., they're not just printing from the website). My reasoning is that I saw the AMCAS printout my school had on file and it looked nothing like the ones we printed out for ourselves, and also based on comments aProgDir posted about the personal statement and how if we set margins to like .3" on the sides that it would look like how it showed up to them.

So yeah, I wouldn't hold on submitting just because it doesn't print out right on your computer. As long as it looks okay while you read it on your computer, it will be fine.

 

[PeeWee137]

i have the same problem. although, if you highlight all of the text and then print selection, it works, but when i do it this way sometimes a line of text gets split between 2 pages. i am using firefox if that matters. i hope the programs have an easier time printing my CAF than i do.

 

[Law2Doc]

I never noticed before I submitted but I tried to print it out just now and the same thing keeps happening to me. It's not the final page though, it's a page of experiences. I suppose the best thing to do is to contact ERAS?

Yeah, I get this glitch on the experiences page. (Also using Firefox). It's pretty obvious from the context that something is missing, so I'm sure PDs will figure it out. I wouldn't sweat it, it likely has to do with the system, not anything in the personal account.

 

[Still Kickin]

I use Internet Explorer. But then it was a different page that messed up for me vs. what's been happening for you guys.

(Also, it wouldn't auto-resize to the correct width so I had to print it out in landscape mode [not portrait] but I don't think that explains where the last page disappeared to... or why it re-appeared the next time I tried to print...) (I was still in landscape second time around, too.)

 

[NotAProgDirector]

When I'm viewing/printing applications, we are using the ERAS software. Your CAF will print out just fine. I know ERAS is thinking of switching my end to a web based platform -- this thread demonstrates the problems that can happen with that plan.

In any case, it doesn't matter if your CAF doesn't print out correctly on your machine. It will be fine on my end.

 

[dianamd]

THANKS everyone for your replies!