function validate()
{
	passed_validation = false;
	
	my_form = document.form1;

	input = my_form.stu_id.value;
	
	x = input.length;
	
	berklee_id_length = 7;
	
	if(x < berklee_id_length)  //id is too short
	{
		//padd number with zeros	
		//calculate how many zeroes		
		zero_count = berklee_id_length - x;
		zero_holder = '';
		
		for(i = 0; i < zero_count; i++)//loop to add correct number of zeros
		{
			zero_holder += '0';	
		}
		
		padded_num = zero_holder + input;
		
		//show confirm box to student	
		padd_bool = confirm('Berklee IDs have 7 chracters!\nDid you mean to type? "' 
			+ padded_num+'"'+"\na)click OK to add zeroes\n\nb)click cancel to proceed without");
		if(padd_bool) //submit with pad
		{
			my_form.stu_id.value = padded_num;
		}

		//alert(my_form.stu_id.value);
		passed_validation = false;
	}
	else //else do nothing, ID ok length
	{
	
		passed_validation = true;
	} 

	return passed_validation;

}