<p>do people in boy scouts have an advantage in getting accepted over other people who are not in boy scouts?</p>
<p>Boy Scouts alone will not get you in. However, as the application asks if you have been involved in Scouting, it is valued by WP. And if you look at the profiles of incoming classes you will see how many cadets were active in Scouting - among many other things.</p>
<p>JJx: </p>
<p>When USMA calculates your Whole Person Candidate Score used to rank candidates, my understanding is that extra points are given if you have earned the eagle rank and/or held leadership positions within your troop. </p>
<p>As Momoftwins points out, scouts alone won't get you into USMA, but every point counts when your in a competitive ranking situation.</p>
<p>Good luck.</p>
<p>My son is a West Point grad and told the story of when Scouting came up at his dinner table. As usual, the cadets were trying to out-do each other. In this case it was about being an Eagle Scout. It turns out that all cadets at his table except one were Eagle Scouts. The lone non-Eagle was a female -- and she had her Gold Award! The conversation then turned to comparing how many Eagle Palms they had earned.</p>
<p>I think being an Eagle Scout especially is a very good credential for those seeking an academy appointment. My son is one and was appointed to the Coast Guard Academy and was a finalist at USNA(couldn't get a vision waiver however). A large number of coasties are Eagle Scouts and all of the academies list the numbers of Eagle Scouts admitted in each class. So I'm sure they value this accomplishment highly. Civilian schools do, to, from what I can gather. Go for it and good luck!</p>
<p>The Civil Air Patrol milestone awards (Mitchell, Earhart, Eaker and Spaatz) are also highly looked upon by the service academies because Civil Air Patrol has more of a military influence than do the Scouts. CAP may not carry as much weight as BSA when applying to a civilian university, however, because it is not quite as well-known. I think both BSA and CAP are great organizations; doing well in either or both is looked upon highly by any service academy and achieving Eagle or Cadet Officer status is great leadership preparation for the real world.</p>
<p>Looking at the profile of the class entering in last year (c/o 2008), just under 15% of cadets were eagle scouts or gold award, so 85% were not---as Aspen said, certainly not a requirement, but EVERY point counts and the academies obviously value that distinction! It would, however, be tougher to get in without a H.S. varsity letter than without being an Eagle or Gold Award based on the class profile numbers. Good Luck!</p>
<p>JJX..</p>
<p>My son is an Eagle Scout, he received an appointment to USMMA & three fulll ROTC scholarships.</p>
<p>USMMA, actullay has a club for Eagle Scouts</p>
<p>From my understanding, Boy Scouts and varsity sports are evauated under the "leadership potential" category for your whole candidate score. According to The West Point Candidate Handbook by William Smallwood admissions will be looking to see if you are a leader or a follower, if you finish things you start (not a quitter), if you believe in service to others, if you can manage your time (extracurricular activities and good grades), and are not a "loner". Being an Eagle Scout or having a Gold Award demonstrates all of these qualitites. The quote Smallwood: "Over and over the author heard Academy officials saying, 'Eagle Scouts and Gold Awards do well here.' The reason of course is that the Eagle Scout or Gold Award has to work for years to obtain the rating. The admissions office knows from experience that such individuals tend to transfer that same determinaion when faced with four rigorous years at the academy."
To support Shogun: Smallwood goes on to say that varsity athletics is by far the most desirable school activity, with contact sports such as football, soccer and wrestling being most desirable. Apparantly this goes back to MacArthur (superintendant after WWI) who believed that the training on the athletic field produces fortitude, self control, resolution, courage, mental agility and physical development which is fundamental to an efficient soldier.</p>
<p>I don't have the numbers yet for the Class of 2009, but in the last four West Point classes -- 2005 through 2008, 91%, 87%, 88%, and 88% earned at least one varsity letter in high school. </p>
<p>Even more impressive, 58%, 59%, 60%, and 63% were captains of at least one of their high school teams.</p>
<p>As Ann wrote, they are looking for leaders.</p>
<p>MacArthur summed it up thus,</p>
<p>"On the fields of friendly strife are sown the seeds that on other fields, on other days, will bear the fruits of victory."</p>
<p>Then there is the comment of WW II Army Chief of Staff George C. Marshall (VMI '01). He is reputed to have said, </p>
<p>"I have a secret and dangerous mission. Get me an Army football player."</p>
<p>Some VMI grads claim it was a sly dig at the intelligence of Army football players, but USMA chooses to interpret the comment as a tribute to their reliability and valor.</p>
<p>thanks so much guys</p>
<p>The military also awards enlisted service members one pay grade when entering the service. Scouting is a para-military organization sponsered by d.o.d. that teaches skills like d&c, marksmanship, and use of chain-of-command. I don't remember where I was going with this... :)</p>
<p>Being an Eagle Scout does earn an enlistee one pay grade upon elistment. Scouting is NOT a para-military organization sponsored by the DOD.</p>
<p>Maybe I'm wrong but I dont think so. </p>
<p>check out this website if you're interested. It talks about how to get permissive TDY to work at BSA summer camps.</p>
<p>So what is your point Mr. GreenApple? A few getting leave approved counting as time served, does that make the organiztion sponsored by the DOD or the organization paramilitary? Sounds like from your other post you have an ax to grind with the USMA.</p>
<p>Because BSA has a Federal Charter, the military is allowed to sponsor BSA activities. However, this does not make BSA an extension of the military. BSA remains a private organisation. BSA was however founded on the military principles of Lord Baden Powell.</p>
<p>ax to grind with the usma? hey cute thing, im not here to get in a ****ing contest. Cheer up and dont be so grumpy :)</p>
<p>Paramilitary, maybe not.</p>
<p>However, Boy Scouts definetly has connections with the DOD. This was actually a major debate about a year ago involving Sec. Rumsfeld and paying personell who help out at different events and camps at bases. </p>
<p>Is the National Jamboree not held every 4 years at an Army installation?</p>
<p>(YES, Fort A.P. Hill Virginia)</p>
<p>Many camporees I've been on are also hosted by DOD bases:
Coast Guard, Navy etc.</p>
<p>I even have a patch that states
"America's Army Supports Scouting Since 1937"</p>
<p>The connection is there.</p>
<p>However, BSA is NOT a government controlled entitee.
(Although the US President is nominally in charge, but that's another story)</p>