<p>I am an Eagle Scout and I was wondering if how important that is in an application. Could it be a deciding factor?</p>
<p>No, not unless you're like the best Eagle Scout in the country to tell you the truth Dylan.</p>
<p>colleges won't see being an eagle scout a hook, as there are a lot of them, but its definately a good EC to put down. it prolly w*ouldn't be a deciding factor, but it would definately help the adcom think that thhe applicant is strong extracirricularly. eagle scouts will help, but it won't have nearly as much influence as something like bineg a URM or whatever</p>
<p>I think that being an Eagle Scout is definitely a good hook. It's really difficult to become an Eagle scout and shows a lot about your strong character. Colleges look for and value eagle scouts in determining the personal character of applicants.</p>
<p>yes, i was wondering the same thing, but with the Girl Scout Gold Award.</p>
<p>Being an Eagle Scout is only a good hook if you are in the top 10% of your class, have an SAT score above 1400, or are famous in one respect or another. Lets face it, Harvard is an academic institution. Many contend that grades are meaningless in Harvard acceptance, but I still strongly believe that EC's are looked at only after they have determined that you are academically competent.</p>
<p>Well, I learned this year that there are Eagle Scouts who are valedictorians with extensive academic and extracurricular involvement and accomplishment who get deferred. I have no idea what definitely is a hook, but Eagle Scout isn't all by itself.</p>
<p>That being said, schools <em>should</em> view it as a strong positive in an application, but it's really hard to know for sure. Some less selective colleges offer automatic scholarships for Eagle Scouts, so I suppose it's seen as a hook there. But you would really think that Eagle Scout coupled with lots of other strengths should make you competitive for Harvard.</p>
<p>Hooks =
1. Legacy
2. URM
3. Athlete (Recruited, usually)
4. Special Talent or Skill (recognized at the State or National Level)</p>
<p>Let me put it to you this way:
I have a 1580 on my SAT, speak German fluently, am from the South, was on national TV several times, in an independent film, have leadership at the state level through a service organization, am salutatorian of my class, and was co-captain/varsity on my cross country team.</p>
<p>I was also an Eagle Scout.</p>
<p>I was deferred from Yale.</p>
<p>Being an eagle scout can be a hook if its a central element of your overall presentation of leadership and rugged independence.</p>