For many Branford high school seniors, clicking the submit button on a college application feels like crossing the finish line of a marathon. 

However, while the most intense part of the application process may be over, the weeks after submission are far from a passive waiting game.

May 1 is National College Decision Day, the standard deadline for high school seniors to submit a deposit and official select a college. 

From now until May 1 this period marks the start of a new phase filled with follow-ups, financial aid tasks, and important decisions.

Some students already know where they are headed. Senior Julianne Henkel, for example, committed to Western New England University for volleyball back in August. Others have announced their intentions in the last few months, while many students, like Moiyan Williams, are still weighing their options and finding that choosing the right college can be stressful.

“I think the most stressful yet important part of senior year is actually deciding where to go,” Williams said. “It’s hard seeing where the right fit, whether it’s your major or knowing how far you want to go.”

For seniors, this stage of the year can feel strange. The stress of applications is mostly over, but decisions haven’t arrived yet. While students wait to hear back, it’s important to stay organized, check emails regularly, and keep track of any updates from colleges.

“This stage of the college application process can be both exciting and uncertain for seniors,” said Branford School counselor Amiee Harkins. After submitting applications and the FAFSA, it’s important to stay organized, keep up with schoolwork and thoughtfully consider each offer, said Harkins.

The applications may be submitted, but the journey to college is still moving forward. For Branford seniors, these next few months are about staying on top of the details and getting one step closer to where they’ll be next fall.

Before you close the tab and forget about financial aid until graduation, here are the essential steps to ensure your funding stays on track.

Rather than viewing this time as a void, students should see it as a critical window to ensure their hard work actually reaches the right hands, sdhool officials said.

While the administrative check-ins for your application are vital, there is another “marathon” happening simultaneously: the financial aid race.

Many of these deadlines include Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). For many families, this moment marks the end of a long marathon of digging through tax returns, social security numbers, and bank statements. However, while the heaviest lifting is done, the financial aid process is far from over.

As the federal government continues to update its systems, the weeks following your submission are just as critical as the application itself.

Editor’s note: Aziley, a staff reporter for The Branford Buzz for last two years, knows full well the stress of the post-submission waiting game. She’s still deciding what her plans will be for next year.