As the new online version of the Common Application faces technical problems, Northwestern has extended its early decision deadline by a week.

The University announced the change on its website for undergraduate admissions.

“With our November 1 early decision deadline approaching, for applicants and school counselors experiencing difficulties with the Common Application, our submission deadline has been extended until November 8,” the announcement says. “The new deadline also applies to applicants participating in the QuestBridge Match Program.”

The University of Chicago, which offers an early action application option, announced the same weeklong extension.

The rollout for the 2013-14 admissions cycle of the application, which serves more than 500 colleges and universities, has been plagued by glitches. More than a dozen technical issues are listed as “in progress” on the application website’s support page.

“Thank you to all of the colleges that are taking steps to reassure students and parents,” the Common App tweeted Wednesday.

Skokie native Carly Tennes, who attended the Medill-Northwestern Journalism Institute over the summer and plans to apply early decision, said she had experienced technical problems with the application, finding that it would not save her personal information several times.

“The whole thing’s just been a disaster, and I know a lot of people are getting really frustrated about it because applying to college is a pretty big deal to a lot of kids and the fact that it’s not working is just very frustrating,” Tennes said.

She added that though her application is now glitch-free, she has heard from friends who are still having issues and appreciates the extra time to work on her submission.

Last academic year, NU pushed back its early application deadline from Nov. 1 to Nov. 7 due to Superstorm Sandy. The change did not affect the release of admissions decisions.

— Joseph Diebold