Eagle Scout rank as a hook for admissions

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Boy Scouts is a disgusting organization. Gross. Can’t imagine being a part of that. Eagle Scouts kids are amazing and none of that mess is their fault, but why continue associating with an organization that abetted horrific behavior for decades. Yikes.

+1 I would never let my kids join this organization. I am surprised parents are okay with this in 2020. Yuck

LOL. Lots of boys still participate, and it's far from the impression that you have of it. Lots of educated progressive people have their sons involved in Scouts. Just because the national organization may take one position does not mean that local troops take those positions. And the women's groups were urging the Boy Scouts to allow in girls, and so the Boy Scouts did so a few years ago. (BTW, the leader of the Girl Scouts was very upset and made some ad hominem attacks on the Boy Scouts.) And the Mormon Church recently disassociated with the Boy Scouts for becoming too progressive in their view.

My 17-year-old son is currently working toward his Eagle rank. He completed a big community service project that he planned all on his own. I told him he'd be a great project manager in the workplace someday. He's learned tons of skills through scouting, and has done a lot of camping and hiking. He's gained a lot of leadership experience along the way.

If you only read a few random articles a year about the Boy Scouts, then you are not in a position to opine on the entire scouting experience. It's a great opportunity for boys to learn skills and gain leadership experience. Unlike so many activities, it does not require athleticism (although lots of athletes participate). Also, it's a very affordable activity for those who do not have means (although plenty of very wealthy troops in NW DC and Bethesda, etc).

Ok, now I'm offended.

Just because the national organization may take one position does not mean that local troops take those positions?

My brother was molested by his scout master on an overnight campout... so were a lot of other boys in their troop.

The fact that you minimize what thousands of boys have gone through with your "lol's" because your kid is heavily engulfed in this organization, says a lot about your moral compass.

And yes, we grew up in the DC area...

So you do not think any other kids should benefit from scouting which has completely changed their method of operations to safe guard children ever again? WIll that make things right for your brother?

[Anonymous]

So much hate here...absolutely achieving Eagle impresses most sane people because of the diligence and discipline required. As a hiring manager for recent graduated college and MBA grads, the eagle scouts get a significant extra look because of this. There still has to be the requisite smarts, but I think outside of DC people don't quite get how important this can be.

[Anonymous]

I am in the Midwest. It is still a big deal around here.

[Anonymous]

It's not a question of the inherent value or amount of effort, it is a pure numbers game. Last year 61,366 kids got eagle. Great for them, something to be proud of definitely, but too many to be a hook at an elite college.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:So much hate here...absolutely achieving Eagle impresses most sane people because of the diligence and discipline required. As a hiring manager for recent graduated college and MBA grads, the eagle scouts get a significant extra look because of this. There still has to be the requisite smarts, but I think outside of DC people don't quite get how important this can be.

...in an organization that participated in widespread pedophilia. So yeah, some hate. The justifiable variety. Guess you don’t care. We all have values. Yours dictate that it’s okay to have anything to do with such an organization. Many people have values that preclude that.

[Anonymous]

...and knew about it for decades. Google “perversion file” and read about the patterns of abuse, awareness and efforts to hide it all. Grotesque. Apologies and fixes after you got caught aren’t enough. Go away.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The Boy Scouts will be a transformed organization a year from now, because it will lose an overwhelming majority of its assets to pay deserved compensation to victims of things that went on in the 80s and before. It will probably lose 2/3 of its members in the process, made worse by COVID. Local sponsors are going to begin dropping soon, because of the unavoidable liability and PR difficulties that will become clear when over 25K claimants are announced in late November. As a long time volunteer, I have to accept that the majority of the public does not believe the organization needs to or should survive. Even terrorists condemn any one or thing which has had any arguable connection to child abuse. The seemingly extreme comments shared above are,unfortunately, reflective of a majority view. These people do not even want to hear about the secure practices in place or the great non-abuse record of the last two decades. My thought at this point is that those of us involved locally may need to re-evaluate whether this is worth doing any more in the face of such condemnation. I spend 20 hours a week on Scouting and do not want it to lead to personal liability when an enterprising parent sees me as a nice bank account for them. Any allegation of abuse, no matter how evidence-free or far fetched is instantly believed and the accused is ruined. We probably have 50 families involved in our group. Someone is going to realize they can make money off of this and blow it all up. For those of you who posted positive things about the BSA, thank you. However, if your words have meaning, you need to back them up through financial or other activity. This organization is being taken down quickly by the tort industry and is about to go under water.

The Scouts currently have the strongest anti abuse policy if any organization. Individual adults can never be alone with the kids. What liability are you concerned about? Not excusing 30 years ago but so much has changed.

Agree. If pp was truly familiar with the current Scout child protection policy, they’d know that it protects the children, but also protects adults from baseless allegations. The troops I have been involved with are very strict about the child protection rules.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The point is that I agree there were indeed incidents where the abuse was not handled effectively and in some incidents minimized. Payments should be made to provide whatever degree of justice that can be obtained at this overly-late point. My point is that even after this is achieved through the bankruptcy, the majority of people still want any prospective Scouting activities ended through disbanding the organization. They want this as retribution and as a means to curtail the further teaching of Scouting ideas and skills. The good record on abuse matters for the last 20 years is meaningless to these people. I believe this will largely occur through the bankruptcy.

You’ve said this repeatedly. This sounds like your opinion, despite the fact that you claim to be a supporter of scouting. What evidence do you have that this is true?

[Anonymous]

Has anyone shared first hand knowledge that an admissions counselor said Eagle specifically was desireable?

The article linked at the beginning has VERY general comments of support. It reads like admissions offices like a range of leadership opportunities and don’t value Eagle Scouts over any others.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The point is that I agree there were indeed incidents where the abuse was not handled effectively and in some incidents minimized. Payments should be made to provide whatever degree of justice that can be obtained at this overly-late point. My point is that even after this is achieved through the bankruptcy, the majority of people still want any prospective Scouting activities ended through disbanding the organization. They want this as retribution and as a means to curtail the further teaching of Scouting ideas and skills. The good record on abuse matters for the last 20 years is meaningless to these people. I believe this will largely occur through the bankruptcy.

You’ve said this repeatedly. This sounds like your opinion, despite the fact that you claim to be a supporter of scouting. What evidence do you have that this is true?

Well if 55k get their Eagle and only a small percent of scouts do...I think a good number still support Scouts.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Has anyone shared first hand knowledge that an admissions counselor said Eagle specifically was desireable?

The article linked at the beginning has VERY general comments of support. It reads like admissions offices like a range of leadership opportunities and don’t value Eagle Scouts over any others.

It sounds like some do and some don’t. Some were general, but many of the quotes were very specific. The consistent message was that they like to see leadership and long-term commitment, and very few extracurriculars demonstrate that as well as being an Eagle Scout. To achieve Eagle, you have to start in 6th grade and stay consistently involved for another 4-5 years, at least.

A few examples:

Bucknell University

Lewisburg, Pa.

“Being an Eagle Scout shows the admissions office that the student has a great deal of dedication and perseverance. … We know that students who work hard to reach their goals will thrive at Bucknell. The words “Eagle Scout” indicate to an admissions reader that the student spent considerable time and energy on something that is meaningful to them. It also elicits an interest in the outdoors, developing leadership skills and the potential to make a positive impact on the world.”

Tulane University

New Orleans, La.

“We love seeing Eagle Scouts on an application because we see a lot of value in long-lasting extracurricular activities. A lot of applicants will do something once or twice, but to be an Eagle Scout requires years of commitment and dedication, and our admission committee is keenly aware of the time needed to achieve this rank. It’s definitely one of those few extracurricular activities that can help an applicant stand out.”

Pomona College

Claremont, Calif.

“At Pomona, we value leadership, and we know that becoming an Eagle Scout requires initiative, effort and problem-solving skills, all of which are at the heart of leadership development. When I see ‘Eagle Scout’ on an application, I know that the student has achieved something special. Perhaps they have completed a significant project for their community, solved a challenging problem for a local organization, or contributed something real and long-lasting to their neighborhood. This dedication to service is always viewed positively in our process.”

[Anonymous]

Largest point value for admission to West Point. Not exactly sure, but also likely big hook for ROTC scholarships.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:So much hate here...absolutely achieving Eagle impresses most sane people because of the diligence and discipline required. As a hiring manager for recent graduated college and MBA grads, the eagle scouts get a significant extra look because of this. There still has to be the requisite smarts, but I think outside of DC people don't quite get how important this can be.

...in an organization that participated in widespread pedophilia. So yeah, some hate. The justifiable variety. Guess you don’t care. We all have values. Yours dictate that it’s okay to have anything to do with such an organization. Many people have values that preclude that.

I hope you have this kind of vitriol for the Catholic Church too. Their systemic abuse was transnational and much more widespread than Scouts.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Largest point value for admission to West Point. Not exactly sure, but also likely big hook for ROTC scholarships.

Interesting, thanks for this bit of info.

A commenter to the article said something like 10-20% of each incoming class at Annapolis are Eagle Scouts. If you really like Scouting, military is a natural next step.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:So much hate here...absolutely achieving Eagle impresses most sane people because of the diligence and discipline required. As a hiring manager for recent graduated college and MBA grads, the eagle scouts get a significant extra look because of this. There still has to be the requisite smarts, but I think outside of DC people don't quite get how important this can be.

...in an organization that participated in widespread pedophilia. So yeah, some hate. The justifiable variety. Guess you don’t care. We all have values. Yours dictate that it’s okay to have anything to do with such an organization. Many people have values that preclude that.

I hope you have this kind of vitriol for the Catholic Church too. Their systemic abuse was transnational and much more widespread than Scouts.

Absolutely I do. Don’t you?