As the 2025-2026 school year seniors are continuing their traditions of senior week, signing shirts, gifting presents and saying goodbye to teachers, May 1st is always one of the biggest days. May 1st is the decision deadline for all seniors who are interested in pursuing college for the 2026-2027 year. Most seniors put a lot of spotlight on this day, going all out as one last hoorah before the chaotic wave of AP exams start. However, some students are waiting to get off the waitlist at some schools, so they will hold off on celebrating until they are sure that they’re fully committed to the college that best fits them.
On May 1, seniors will wear shirts that say what college they will be attending in the fall or spring and try to dress up so that they are picture ready. Many seniors will wake up as early as six in the morning to be able to make it to the Washington D.C. area to take pictures with the sunrise. Other seniors will have a brunch with their friend groups and take pictures at someone’s house. Decision day is a day where most get opportunities to look back on how far they’ve come, realizing that their time in high school is almost over. This tradition is not just a Freedom High School activity, but one that most of the seniors in Northern Virginia embark on.
As seniors are acknowledging their future schools and having fun with it, decision day is also for the seniors who are following a non-traditional pathway like trade schools and gap years. Freedom High School likes to highlight this special day for all seniors making a “donuts and decisions” day which was when all seniors were offered a donut when they walked through the building doors on May 1st. It overall is supposed to be a fun day for seniors to highlight their accomplishments and be excited for what is ahead.
