<p>Just wondering how earning the rank of Eagle scout is viewed by the college. Is it considered a significant EC or just a check in the box? If you have personal experience/knowledge could you please respond?</p>
<p>You can use the search box on the site and find several threads that discuss this topic at length.</p>
<p>My son is an Eagle Scout, but I have no idea if or how much it mattered because it was just one of many leadership ECs. It probably helped fill in the picture of a person who loves the outdoors and is interested in the environment and public service, which was also relevant to his intended major. I would never encourage a boy to get the Eagle for college admissions, however. I don’t think it’s any better or worse than other ECs, and it’s the kind of commitment that should be made because the boy wants the accomplishment and service, not for a resume builder.</p>
<p>I agree. It has to be supported by a strong resume overall. A couple of good things about it are that it’s a multiple-year process and has to show commitment and planning. Lots of the service activities can provide opportunities to pursue those things outside of the usual high school activity list. My son is an Eagle Scout and was admitted ED to engineering, but his grades, scores, and other EC’s had to be there, I’m sure.</p>
<p>IMO, being an eagle scout is probably looked at as a pretty good EC, seeing as there are very few of them, and how much effort you had to put in to get it. I have a friend who is an eagle scout and he was showing me this 40 page essay he had to write. Also you probably did things to get that that you can put on your ap.</p>
<p>I would have to rate it as very significant. Attaining the rank of Eagle scout is only achieved by roughly 5% of all Boy Scouts. It requires significant dedication, a significant effort, and along the way the development of strong leadership qualities. Eagle scouts are usually the senior scouts in their troop and serve as role models for the younger scouts.</p>
<p>Being an eagle scout is a very, very good ec. Definitely significant in admissions</p>
<p>Yes I would say eagle scout is significant.</p>
<p>I’m wondering, however, if any of you actually work in admissions and can say “yes” with absolute certainty. My feeling is that while the Eagle Scout EC does require a lot of work and commitment, most of it is done while a boy is in grade school and junior high. I don’t think it is necessarily any better than, say, starting a club in high school or obtaining a national level leadership position in some organization. Those two, just for instance, look more mature on an application than being a boy scout.</p>
<p>The groundwork and a few ranks occur in middle school, but the bulk of requirements and leadership opportunities go to guys in high school. In my sons’ troop, many boys were scrambling to get all the requirements and boards of review, etc. done by their 18th birthdays. It can be a junior high school activity for many, for my S’s troop, it was clearly a high school EC. Our “senior patrol” was full.</p>
<p>It shows a lot of commitment & it is very significant. Definitely seen as more than just having started a club in high school. Probably as good as some national awards</p>
<p>I’m an eagle scout and I just hope it will get me into Cornell. As someone said only 5% of boy scouts make and thats correct. Only 3 - 5 % make it. So it looks very good to have it.</p>
<p>It looks good, yes, but not alone. Some areas have made it easier to get than in others, so alone it is a marginally useful title. The work you do to achieve it, however, can be invaluable in the college admissions process. Essentially, provided you feel you make a real difference through the completion of your project and other community service works, then it can be quite useful, but if you’re solely doing it for the title of Eagle, and scraping the bare minimum, I regret to inform you that you could’ve most likely better spent your time elsewhere, following your passions.</p>
<p>I would like to hear from people who are not into “scouting”. At my HS boy scouts seem to be a very, very small group who do not have any leadership experience beyond what they do with their troop. The Eagle scouts seem to always make a bench or a picnic table for their big project. It pales in relationship to the things the top students are accomplishing. I am sure that in other areas this is probably not the case so I realize that my experience is strictly anecdotal but IMO being an Eagle Scout in and of itself is no big deal. The context of that award is what is really going to matter.</p>
<p>^^Yes, if your son is also an excellent student and has significant leadership in other areas of his life, then I think it can look very good and sort of round out an otherwise academic applicant. If you’re an average student with no other leadership or involvement, then of course it’s not going to help much.</p>
<p>I think the greatest benefit is for a high SAT, high gpa applicant.
One thing all troops have in common is the opportunity to work and “play well” with others as well as lead. You don’t find many loners in Scouting, especially Eagles.</p>
<p>
Being an Eagle as well as a top student can make the difference and gives some of those academic types something a little bit different on their resume. I do think that the combination is the key.</p>
<p>Agree with others who said it is only one aspect of the resume, but adding about 200 or more hours of community service with the Eagle project alone is a good thing and IS impressive. Being an Eagle scout is something that is carried with you for LIFE and not just in the college admissions process. Many employers will look at this achievement with high regard. </p>
<p>I do think it is important NOT to achieve the honor TOO EARLY! It is more impressive to achieve it as a HS sophomore, junior, or senior when time constraints are more intense, etc.</p>
<p>^^Yes, and the type of leadership and activities the older scouts are involved with are also more impressive. </p>
<p>Employers have liked my son’s Eagle award. Scouts have a " let’s get it done" reputation.
Remember, the early scouts were based on a military model, and some troops carry that with them a bit. I know ours did.</p>
<p>As a Boy Scout (and Eagle) I have to say that while it can be very impressive for some people (who go above and beyond with project, are into troop leadership, get involved in OA with higher leadership), I have seen it (quite a few times) as a minor accomplishment. Not to downgrade those who do earn their Eagle - but its significance varies - and I think that can be reflected by the other items that you list in Boy Scouts in your application. Just my two cents.</p>