All the Wisdom and None of the Junk

Now Available!

All the Wisdom and None of the Junk: Secrets of Applying for College Admission and Scholarships guides high school students (and their parents and high school counselors) through the daunting and often stressful college and scholarship application process.

This book takes you step by step through the application process, using actual prompts and sample responses to the Common Application (accepted by nearly 700 colleges and universities) and the Boettcher Scholarship Application. While the text and examples come from one or the other application, the strategies we impart are valuable whether you’re completing the Common App (as it is commonly referred to), an institution-specific college or university application, or a scholarship application.

For discounted bulk orders of 25 or more books, contact info@boettcherfoundation.org.

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"(S)tudents and parents who use it will be better informed about how to put forth a stellar application packet."
Foreword Reviews
“This is THE book for college-bound students. It should also sit firmly on the shelves of all high school guidance counselors and others involved in helping students navigate the often-challenging application process.”
Blue Ink Review
"It’s remarkable how much useful information is packed into such a condensed manual—all delivered in mercifully accessible prose. … A clear and practical resource, intelligently structured."
Kirkus Reviews
“I have spent the last 15 years working in the field of scholarships and have studied many scholarship programs and read many scholarship applications. … The authors are correct, this arduous process requires knowing the basics AND a willingness to self-reflect, ask for help and to look outside of yourself for perspective, all challenging for people of any age. This book will be front and center in my office and will soon have dog-eared pages. Thank you for this valuable resource!”
Amy Weinstein, Executive Director, National Scholarship Providers Association (NSPA)
“Increased competition to earn scholarships and admission to top colleges has turned most students’ senior year of high school into an anxiety-ridden roller-coaster. This book relieves the fear with clear guidance on how to prepare, who to ask for help, where to find resources and most importantly, how to tell your story effectively. … Read this book and take the guesswork out of college admissions and scholarships.”
Anne Lassen, Assistant Vice President, Flinn Scholars Program
“I highly recommend this book for students and families; there are many takeaways and tips to set you apart. As a higher education administrator and former admissions officer, I know that colleges are looking for academically-talented students who will be great citizens in the community. All the Wisdom and None of the Junk will help you show them why you are a great candidate!”
Jennifer McDuffie, Assistant Dean of Students, University of Colorado Boulder
“All the Wisdom and None of the Junk helps demystify the admission and scholarship application processes that millions of students and families struggle with each year. It’s a pragmatic path that any student can benefit from knowing.”
Kevin Byrne, Managing Director, U.S. Programs, Michael & Susan Dell Foundation
“Finally, the book that provides detailed insights into the college and scholarship application process. Go behind the scenes and understand what committees are really looking for in your application. The authors, experts in college scholarships, give powerful advice on how best to present yourself to colleges and scholarship programs. Get this book and lower your anxiety about the application process!”
J. Mark Davis, President, Coca-Cola Scholars Foundation
"This book provides students detailed strategies for college and scholarship essays. The authors give students clear examples of strong writing, as well as examples of what not to provide. For students completing the Common Application, this book guides you in completing all written sections, and helps you to better understand what colleges and scholarship organizations need to hear. … I highly recommend this tool!”
Rena Maez Lead College Advisor, Thomas Jefferson High School, Denver Scholarship Foundation
"I love this book. It’s a useful and practical guide for any student who is applying for competitive colleges or scholarships. The examples and analysis make clear what students should do, and, just as importantly, what students should not do. I will have a copy of this book on my shelf to use as a reference with my students!"
Adam Silver, Vice President, Denver Test Prep

Check out these five helpful scholarship tips!

About the Authors

KATY CRAIG

As the Boettcher Foundation’s first leadership coach and content developer, Katy Craig focuses on leadership development for participants in the Boettcher Scholarship and Webb-Waring Biomedical Research programs.

Katy joined the foundation in 2005 as the scholarship program director. Her early career included serving as the assistant director of the University Honors Program at the University of Denver while simultaneously holding the positions of first-year English instructor, honors seminar instructor, honors symposium instructor and Nelson Hall faculty resident.

Her extensive knowledge on issues relating to college admissions, program management, competitive selection processes and access to higher education makes Katy a frequent conference presenter and expert panelist in local, regional and national venues. Katy has also served on selection committees for various organizations including The Coca-Cola Scholars Foundation, The Daniels Fund, The Denver Post Colorado Voices Series and The Denver Independent Publishers Association. Katy’s own writing has appeared in The Denver Post and Snowshoe Magazine. She has also twice been named a Finalist in Glimmer Train Short Story Contests for New Writers.

A Boettcher Scholar herself, Katy also attended DU, where she graduated with majors in French, creative writing and communications. In 2004, she completed her master’s degree in literary criticism, also at DU. Katy was honored to receive the university-wide Pioneer Ambassadors, Distinguished Senior, Pioneer and Founders Awards, while also graduating Summa Cum Laude.

KATIE KRAMER

Katie Kramer is president and CEO of the Boettcher Foundation and is responsible for all aspects of the $300+ million Colorado-based philanthropic foundation.

Katie has come full-circle with the Boettcher Foundation—she was selected as a Boettcher Scholar in 1993 and has been at the foundation in various roles since 1997. From July 2014 to July 2015, Katie served as the interim executive director of the Denver Metro Chamber Leadership Foundation on an executive loan, while still serving as vice president of the Boettcher Foundation. Katie was recognized as one of the Denver Business Journal’s “40 Under 40” in 2014, and by the Colorado Women’s Chamber of Commerce as one of the Top 25 Most Powerful Women of 2016.

Her extensive community involvement has included leadership positions on many national and local boards including serving as past-president of the National Scholarship Providers Association and immediate past-chair of the Denver Metro Chamber Leadership Foundation. Katie currently serves on the board of governors for the Denver Metro Economic Development Corporation and the boards of the University of Colorado’s Leeds School of Business and Denver Civic Ventures.

Katie is widely regarded as a national expert in scholarship selection processes and helping students navigate the transition from high school to college. She has served on the conference faculty for the National Association for College Admissions Counseling, the Rocky Mountain Association for College Admissions Counseling and the National Scholarship Providers Association. She has also so served on numerous local, regional and national scholarship selection committees within the past 15 years. In 2006, she was named the Colorado Leadership Alliance Alumni of the Year by the Denver Metro Chamber Leadership Foundation. Katie is also the recipient of the Colorado Council on High School/College Relations’ Outstanding Service Award and Hall of Fame Award.

A fourth-generation Colorado native, Katie attended the University of Colorado Boulder, where she was a Presidents Leadership Scholar and honors graduate at the Leeds School of Business. In 2009, she completed her Executive MBA at the University of Denver’s Daniels College of Business.