<p>My D earned a Girl Scout Gold Award, the Girl Scouting equivalent to the Eagle Award. She did earn it to late to put it as earned on her college apps, though she did put that it was “in progress” or some such wording.</p>
<p>Another thing to consider, besides college apps, is that the Eagle Scout and Gold Awards will earn you other perks during life. If you decide to join the military, this award automatically gets you one higher rank upon joining, and the pay that goes with the higher rank.</p>
<p>It also looks good on job applications. You never know when a hiring manager or HR person will be another Eagle Scout. It may be the deciding factor between you and another as qualified individual that does not have the Eagle Scout.</p>
<p>4Kids- Thanks for the encouragement and I agree completely. My near Eagle is just 14 and a HS freshman so, he’s got plenty of time. His project is signed off and he’s got a class for one of the badges scheduled for August. The other, he should be able to complete in the fall.</p>
<p>He also made his school’s well regarded jazz band and will probably play a spring sport. A full plate for a freshman but, he is very self motivated. We encourage him to pursue his interests and never pester him to practice and only a bit with his school work.</p>
<p>It’s also possible that a kid who has devoted that much time and energy to success in Scouting is not likely to be happy at a college that will hold decisions made by the BSA’s national (adult) leadership against a 17-year-old.</p>
<p>I didn’t say the <em>college</em> would hold decisions made by BSA against a 17 yo. I said it’s possible that individual adcoms might have their own unstated or unconscious prejudices for or against the BSA based on its national policies. Just like individual adcoms likely have their own unstated or unconscious prejudices for or against all kinds of things – playing the piano, student government, certain sports, etc. Just like we all do, because we’re human. I’m not saying this is systematic, and I also think it’s random enough that it all comes out in the wash.</p>
<p>I do think, however, it is possible to recognize the achivement of being an Eagle Scout while simultaneously having a dislike for the national organization and perhaps subconsciously thinking that a kid who participates in Scouting is sanctioning the national BSA policy. Let me be clear – I don’t care enough about Scouts one way or the other to put a lot of energy into caring what they do or don’t do. But it’s very plausible some people might.</p>
<p>^^Anything is possible, but I think it would be unusual enough that a kid need not worry about it.
Anyone familiar with BSA knows that this has been a divisive issue within the organization for years, with members and staff having a variety of opinions.
Sort of like the rest of the country.</p>
<p>Well, not of us are admissions officers, but I think that Eagle Scout shows many years of dedication, character, resourcefulness, and initiative. That Eagle Scout project is no joke - and some young men have done really incredible, lasting projects. (I know of an Eagle Scout project that was a memorial bench and garden to a classmate; the classmate had drowned. I don’t know this Eagle, but knew the young man who passed away. The memorial was very touching and a permanent tribute to the young man’s life.)</p>
<p>A lot of non-athletic ECs are hard to evaluate: they could be parent-driven projects, the type of things that meet once a month, or volunteer work done for the sole purpose of beefing up a college application; or it could be a genuine passion that creates a meaningful contribution to the school or the community. There’s not much that’s ambiguous about Eagle Scout: you must have worked hard at it for a decade. </p>
<p>As for those hyperventilating about the political correctness issues involved with being an Eagle Scout: get a grip. It would insult the tens of thousands of warm, loving, tolerant young men who become Eagle Scouts every year - would insult, if it weren’t so absurd to start trashing Eagle Scouts. (Let’s not forget that in the 2008 elections, Obama, and Biden ran as opposing gay marriage. So what’s the problem with the BSA? It’s a group with a deep religious history that took all of six seconds longer that atheist Obama to embrace gay pride?)</p>
<p>I read a book published ten years ago and it says that they see it as garbage,and college admissions has become tougher so you do the math. Forgot what book but I believe it was a is for admissions</p>
<p>@Hunt - the only thing I would take exception to is the statement that a substantial portion obtain eagle scout after college applications. I have not seen the demographics but, based on our troop, I would tend to believe that a relatively small % achieve eagle after applications are submitted. Most in our troop obtain it before they start their Senior year (most as sophomores and juniors) and you have to achieve it by your 18th birthday.</p>
<p>KCTaxguy - I wish that were the case in DS’ troop. It seems that most of the Eagles in his troop our busting their rears to get it complete by their 18th birthday, my DS included! He turns 18 in December. His project is out for approval and hopefully can be completed in a month - so MAYBE it will be finished before he gets all of his applications in! But those scouts that have spring birthdays are still working on it up until their 18th birthday!</p>
<p>In fact, DS was filling out a school scholarship application last night and it asked if the applicant was an eagle scout. I told him to hold off on completing the app until he had card in hand!</p>
<p>My S is completing his project this summer and should have it all official before his college apps. The college apps did provide additional motivation to get it done this summer for sure!</p>
<p>5 years ago my Eagle Scout nephew was asked in a college interview about his views on gays in scouting, in a very condescending manner. He was able to give an articulate answer, but that (very fine) school immediately came off his list. He wanted no parts of attending a school where an administrator and representative of the college held a blatant lack of respect for the institution of scouting.</p>
<p>My own S achieved his Eagle Scout in May of his senior year (he turned 18 in August.) He was a 2-sport athlete and a volunteer firefighter, so his journey took a bit longer than it otherwise might have. He applied ED to his top choice school, and this school absolutely does value the Eagle Scout rank. He included it on his application as “Eagle Scout pending”, and was then able to provide more detail about his status and timeline in the optional personal statement.</p>
<p>Two of the Eagles I know did get $1000 or more merit awards from their Us for being Eagle Scouts. It was not asked about, but a nice surprise for the scouts and their families. They did not apply for it separately, it was just a nice surprise in their merit package. ;). </p>
<p>S never mentioned being asked about scouts by his U, and especially nothing offensive.</p>
<p>“A lot of non-athletic ECs are hard to evaluate: they could be parent-driven projects, the type of things that meet once a month, or volunteer work done for the sole purpose of beefing up a college application; or it could be a genuine passion that creates a meaningful contribution to the school or the community. There’s not much that’s ambiguous about Eagle Scout: you must have worked hard at it for a decade.” </p>
<p>Sorry, don’t know how to properly cite a previous post, but I heartily agree with post #28. My S earned his Eagle a few weeks before his 18th birthday and it was the culmination of 7 years of work which can be verified! He continues to be a Venture Scout with his troop and, as an adult scouter, is leading a group of younger scouts to Philmont this summer (he goes off for college 3 days after he gets back!) He’s in scouts for the right reasons, not just for his college apps, and the skills he’s gained will help him throughout his life. Oh, and BTW he is a kiddo with very liberal views on everything.<br>
Interesting anecdote: DS’s pediatrician once shared with us that he is also an Eagle Scout and that this is the one thing he keeps on his CV from his youth–it certainly still means something to him.</p>
These are worth looking into–I believe they are all need-based.</p>
<p>I’d be interested to know how many Eagles are obtained just short of the 18th birthday–around here it’s quite a few.</p>
<p>I would also say that just as a scout wouldn’t want to be judged by the views of the leadership of BSA, you shouldn’t judge a college by the attitudes of a single interviewer. Don’t mark a college off your list just because a volunteer alumni interviewer (or even an admissions office staffer) says something you don’t like.</p>
<p>Finally, about keeping Eagle Scout on your CV–I think you should, especially while you are a young adult–but later on, you might only want to do so if you remain involved in Scouting as an adult volunteer in some capacity (even if it’s just to be an occasional merit badge counselor).</p>
<p>^^^S2 received his Eagle Rank 20 days before he turned 18, and 5 days before he headed off to college. S1 procrastinated and despite being in scouts until 18, did not earn it (a big regret for him). S3 is entering his senior year and is just beginning his project…hopefully he will get it in the next couple of months. I can’t go through the stress that S2 put me through again!!! </p>
<p>I’ve been reading this thread and hope that recruiters and the public at large recognize the achievement of reaching Eagle; these young men worked hard and policy that they do not control should not be held for/against them.</p>
<p>My H was an Explorer scout, he didnt attend college but he still talks about his experiences with the Post.</p>
<p>I actually don’t know much about what is required for Eagle, but Ds BFF made Eagle with 7 of his friends from Cub scouts! I think that is so cool. ( his sister also earned the equivalent award in Girl Scouting)</p>
<p>I think most people can separate their views of the national organization from the work that is done locally.</p>
<p>“I’ve been reading this thread and hope that recruiters and the public at large recognize the achievement of reaching Eagle; these young men worked hard and policy that they do not control should not be held for/against them.”</p>
<p>I think general “public at large” recognition of the hard work involved in Eagle Scout is widely variable. Lots of families have only girls, or just aren’t familiar with Boy Scouting. I don’t think the public at large “automatically recognizes” the hard work of it. I suspect it differs widely by urban vs rural, part of the country, and personal experience w Scouting.</p>
<p>I think too much is made of the politics of the BSA. I wrote that it was a bad idea to discuss it in an essay, but that does not mean one should hesitate to list it in the activity list, among the -hopefully-- other activities.</p>
<p>As far as the impact on admissions, do not build demeasured expectations. Think about the number of HS students who participate in varsity athletics. A good number parlay that into athletic scholarships and thumbs on the scale, but they tend to be recognized superstars in their sport. The participation in the BSA is more akin to the HS varsity participation than being a superstar. Despite the mention of 40 to 60,000 ES and the 2 percent, it does not really mean THAT much. We have 30 to 40,000 Val student every year!</p>
<p>The above does not belittle the accomplishment; it is a remarkable achievement. But it still does not represent much in an admission world that rewards the truly ANGULAR students over the BWRK.</p>
But those scouts that have spring birthdays are still working on it up until their 18th birthday!</p>
( his sister also earned the equivalent award in Girl Scouting)</p>