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How to Brainstorm a Personal Statement That Doesn’t Sound Cliché
Practical tips to help you uncover real, specific stories that make your college essay stand out.
Unsure of how to begin? Learn how to brainstorm a personal statement that sounds authentic—not overused. Kingfisher Prep shares practical steps to find a unique college essay topic and write with detail, honesty, and purpose. You’re Not Alone (and You’re Not Behind)
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Nov 6, 20253 min read


Creating Your College List: How to Use Naviance and Scoir Effectively
Creating your college list can feel like an overwhelming task, but with the right tools and guidance, it becomes an exciting step in your...
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Sep 10, 20256 min read


College Application Changes: New Supplemental Essays in 2025-2026
Navigating the college application process can be a daunting task, especially with recent changes to the supplemental essays for the...
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Aug 13, 20253 min read


College Application Tips: Successfully Requesting a Letter of Recommendation from Your Teacher
If you're applying to college, you'll need to secure one to three strong letters of recommendation from teachers, coaches, or mentors....
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Jul 31, 20255 min read


Summer Camp Personal Statements: Beyond the Cliché
Many students fear writing about summer camp experiences in their college admissions personal statement because they fear it will sound...
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Jul 24, 20254 min read


The Art of Authenticity: How Personal Reflections Can Transform Your Common App Personal Statement
Many students struggle to create their Common App personal statement. Crafting a compelling Common App personal statement is an art form...
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Jul 9, 20255 min read


Helping Kids Through Burnout
Ah, the end of the school year: seniors are totally checked out, juniors are (momentarily) regretting their decision to take so many AP...
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Apr 23, 20253 min read


Kingfisher Prep Founder, Head Tutor, and Mentor, Nathaniel Dolquist, Featured in Medium.com
Nathaniel Dolquist: A Transformative Mentor at Kingfisher Prep In an educational landscape that is constantly evolving, supporting...
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Nov 21, 20242 min read


What My Teachers Did for Me
Mr. Hogan taught me that reading wasn’t enough: I needed to internalize and take good notes. Mrs. Mac let me cry on her shoulder in the...
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Aug 10, 20222 min read


What Do You Know About Rejection?
When I was a sophomore at Yale, my acting professor Toni Dorfman looked at the class over the top of her Hogwarts-level spectacles and...
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Jun 1, 20223 min read


For Unmotivated Students: Battling Burnout
Even the brightest kids go through periods of boredom and lack of motivation. Burnout is becoming more common, and it’s not the student’s...
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May 17, 20222 min read


A Yale Admissions Story
When I was in the fifth grade, I asked my cousin what colleges were the most difficult to get into. “Harvard, Yale, Princeton, and...
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Mar 31, 20223 min read


Should I Take the SAT/ACT?
No . During the COVID-19 pandemic, many schools reevaluated the utility of including standardized testing in their admissions process....
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Mar 31, 20221 min read
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