Typing up Secondaries?

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Robizzle

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Hey folks, my question is regarding the secondaries PDF files that we download off school websites. I noticed that for some (such as Tulane), we can actually type right into the fields which is really neat.. While others (such as Jefferson), we can't. Are you guys just gonna print and then write in pen.. or is there some way to screw around with Adobe Acrobat so that we can type in the fields?

Thanks.

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I think I tried copying one of the non-typeable secondaries into Word (as an image), and it worked with some tweaking, but it wasn't worth the frustration. I filled out several (minus the essays, of course) by hand. Not a big deal. If they can't make their applications user-friendly, they have to deal with your handwriting.
 
There's Acrobat Professional that you can buy or "borrow" that allows you to create text fields to type in. It's kind of labor intensive -- it gets old after half a dozen secondaries. A cheaper solution is to track down a typewriter at a thrift store and do it that way. I scrounged up a typewriter from the basement at work and did this ... it's kind of fun. Invest in some whiteout, though! (Then copy the secondary to make it look like you didn't make any mistakes ;) )
 
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If you have the full Acrobat software (not Reader), then you can use the Touch-Up Text Tool under the Tools --> Advanced pull-down menu. You can then click anywhere on the PDF and begin typing.
 
How about when a school like Dartmouth mails us a paper copy of the application? They have essay questions and a space for us to write. Is it okay for me to handwrite the essay, or should I find a typewriter and type it?
 
hehe i have the full version here so i make my form fields and just put it in. But as I do recall, a bunch of my friends would use acrobat, print screen and just add in text that way, a painstakingly tedious process, but nonetheless, the same. Word probably has similar functions. im sure you can find somewhere online which you can overlay text fields easily over pdf files.
 
Robizzle said:
Hey folks, my question is regarding the secondaries PDF files that we download off school websites. I noticed that for some (such as Tulane), we can actually type right into the fields which is really neat.. While others (such as Jefferson), we can't. Are you guys just gonna print and then write in pen.. or is there some way to screw around with Adobe Acrobat so that we can type in the fields?

Thanks.

Jefferson now has an online form that you can fill in directly.
 
If you get forms in the mail, why can't you just neatly cut and paste essay responses (literally, cut and paste your paragraphs) onto the paper? Or, I guess if you formatted your word document correctly you could just print onto it directly?!?

Acrobat Professional is an arm and a leg.
 
lol what the who revived this thread? i wrote this thing like a MONTH ago! when i was just a little SDN newbie =).
 
Robizzle said:
lol what the who revived this thread? i wrote this thing like a MONTH ago! when i was just a little SDN newbie =).
yo mama revived this thread!!!
 
You may want to print out the file and use a typewriter if you have access to one. Adobe also lets you create a text box if the file doesn't let you type directly into it.

Robizzle said:
Hey folks, my question is regarding the secondaries PDF files that we download off school websites. I noticed that for some (such as Tulane), we can actually type right into the fields which is really neat.. While others (such as Jefferson), we can't. Are you guys just gonna print and then write in pen.. or is there some way to screw around with Adobe Acrobat so that we can type in the fields?

Thanks.
 
for the paper secondaries, im going to scan the forms into pdf files
then make textboxes

for other pdf secondaries, the "typewriter" function on adobe acrobat pro
works really well
 
jackieMD2007 said:
If you get forms in the mail, why can't you just neatly cut and paste essay responses (literally, cut and paste your paragraphs) onto the paper? Or, I guess if you formatted your word document correctly you could just print onto it directly?!?

Acrobat Professional is an arm and a leg.

I agree with Jackie. This is probably the easiest thing to do.

Just type out your essay normally, print it out and then cut and paste it onto the page. That way, they don't have to deal with your handwriting, you don't have to mess with PDF formatting, and you don't have to buy extra software/typewriters.

No need to overthink this.
-Dr. P.
 
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