May 1st—often referred to as National College Decision Day—marks a major milestone for high school seniors and their families. It’s a moment to celebrate how far you've come, and also a time to make a thoughtful, well-informed final decision about where your student will spend the next few years. At these schools, national championships don’t just belong to the athletes—they belong to the entire campus.

When most people think of college sports, their minds jump to massive stadiums, powerhouse Division I programs, and nationally televised games. But there’s something uniquely special about athletics at small liberal arts colleges—something that’s often overlooked. At these schools, national championships don’t just belong to the athletes—they belong to the entire campus.

The concept of Ikigai, a Japanese framework that describes where your passions, skills, values, and sense of purpose intersect, has become a guiding touchstone in my work.

When families begin the college search, one of the first questions I often hear is, “What’s the best school my student can get into?” It’s a natural impulse—after all, we’ve been conditioned to equate rankings with quality, and to treat college admissions as a high-stakes competition.

T.S. Eliot once wrote, “April is the cruelest month.” Ask any high school senior—or their parents—and they might agree.

March is “Mad” for plenty of reasons—final admissions decisions rolling in, wondering if Spring will ever come, brackets getting busted...