How much does Eagle Scouts help in college application?

[Anonymous]

Nobody can answer the question. What percentage of these Eagle Scouts are high stats kids? I doubt low stat eagle scouts are getting begger college offers so the high stat scouts are probably over valuing the activity.

[Anonymous]

I think it depends on the AO reading it...

It's an admirable achievement. Unfortunately, it could be easily dismissed by some

[Anonymous]

Its fine. Not really exceptional and on par with volunteering in the community, a part time job, a travel sport, etc.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I think it depends on the AO reading it...

It's an admirable achievement. Unfortunately, it could be easily dismissed by some

+1 Like some on this board who clearly know little about the years of work and level of accomplishment involved. It is hardly equivalent to a PT job at the mall.

[Anonymous]

An AO at a Top 25 school directly told me this:

Eagle Scouts/Gold Award recipients automatically passed the "personal traits" portion of the applicant's assessment. They also stated that the long-term commitment always impressed.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I think it depends on the AO reading it...

It's an admirable achievement. Unfortunately, it could be easily dismissed by some

+1 Like some on this board who clearly know little about the years of work and level of accomplishment involved. It is hardly equivalent to a PT job at the mall.

+1 my kid is an Eagle Scout and had a PT job. ES takes a lot more commitment, organizing, planning. He just had to show up at the PT job a few hours a week. It didn't require planning or organizing.

Some AOs probably don't know what goes into being an ES.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:An AO at a Top 25 school directly told me this:

Eagle Scouts/Gold Award recipients automatically passed the "personal traits" portion of the applicant's assessment. They also stated that the long-term commitment always impressed.

it's definitely a long term commitment. Most of these kids start scouts in ES. Lots of kids dropout once they hit MS or HS. For the kids who stay until they get Eagle Scout in HS, it's a very long commitment (for the parents, too).

[Anonymous]

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Anonymous wrote:I follow a former college admissions counselor on Instagram and he just today gave his out of ten rankings for different activities- none scored a ten, but Eagle Scout was one of the few 9s he gave.

Can you share where to see this?

I follow so many of these accounts- sorry, I can’t find it or I’d link it. But Eagle Scout is super hard, shows years of dedication and work. I would agree that it’s gotta be a boost!

Its not that impressive. The projects I've seen have been things like, build a bench or put shelving into a storage shed. A lot of scouting hours and badges can be faked.

Spoken like someone who is truly clueless.

Eagle is very difficult to achieve, and it's likely AOs know that. Only 2 - 6% of those who enter Scouting achieve that rank, depending on the year. Less than 1% of the entire youth population of the country earns it. Of the 21 total merit badges needed, 13 are specifically Eagle-required, many with significant time and effort involved. Eagle projects must demonstrate meaningful leadership skills to be approved.

Regardless of impact on college admissions, it's an achievement one carries through one's life. It's not uncommon for obituaries to note the attainment of the rank.

Who cares about how difficult it is to get, that’s not how you evaluate an extracurricular activity. What does it show colleges, that you’re great at grinding useless tasks for years? Please.

Isn’t difficult grinds the type of ECs that get DCUM parents excited? Nationally placed math/science competitions, etc? And what are travel sports besides useless grinding over an entire childhood? Hell, what’s taking 15 APs, most being outside your child’s future career, than useless grinding? Parents on this board *advocate* unceasing, years-long, grind.

Is Eagle Scout going to be your silver bullet into the T10? Probably not. But for some schools, it’s a solid EC & a worthwhile accomplishment if your kid is into outdoors stuff. Additionally, I’ve yet to meet an Eagle Scout adult that doesn’t perk up meeting other Eagle Scouts. So there’s an existing Old Boys (maybe “& Girls” soon) Network too. Again, might not get you the job but might get you in the door.

You can argue that the 15 APs and competitions show academic mastery and varied academic interests. That’s better than cooking for a bbq.

Travel sports show some level of achievement as there’s some qualification or a bar to pass. Reading a pamphlet on citizenship and parroting it back to your scout master neighbor does not count as service and involvement in the community.

Frankly most of the Eagle Scout badges are just stupid. A lot of effort, but still stupid. Most high school kids loath still being involved in scouts, boys and girls alike. It mostly attracts socially awkward kids, making the networking benefits extremely doubtful, unless you value the company of maladjusted adults that like to hang out with boys in the woods.

Explain if you can why being an Eagle Scout is an achievement without relying on it being difficult to get.

This is so mean. Have your snowflake sleep in an igloo and hike 10 miles and let me know how it goes.

So doing some moderate physical activity and sleeping in a tent in a cozy sleeping bag while sipping hot tea and making s’mores counts as an extracurricular activity for colleges! If it were that difficult you wouldn’t have so many overweight middle aged men as scout masters. Cmon, some of them use mobility scooters while shopping at Walmart.

Wow, you all are crazy. Scouting is a great activity for the right kid.

On the common app, DS listed Eagle Scout as number 9 out of 10 activities. He had other achievements and Eagle rounded out his application, but it wasn't his main focus. He was just accepted REA to a HYPS. For his younger sibling who absolutely loves the outdoors and scouting, it will be listed higher and I imagine he'll write about it in one of the supplemental essays.

Listen, nobody believes your fake stories about how the ticket to HYP or VT is the Eagle Scout badge. Or whatever made up admission stats you come up with. Great if the kid enjoys the outdoors. Also great if the next kid loves hanging at the beach and volunteers to clean up trash. He can list it as an activity and write about it in an essay. Getting a bunch of badges doesn’t make the Eagle Scout activity “better”. If anything it hides the meaningful things the kid did to get that title.

It won’t move the needle for selective colleges, which was the original question.

Whoa. You need help. No one is saying Eagle moves the needle. In fact, I wrote that it was listed #9 out of 10 activity slots - toward the bottom.

I don't understand these people with such angry posts. Please go find something that brings you joy.

Getting mental health treatment for irrationally angry, childish and nasty DCUM posters would be a great Eagle Scout project!

I am not a mom or advocate of Eagle Scout. But your attitude is beyond reasonable. Showing your opinion is enough. No need to attack personally.

[Anonymous]

I'd say it is a solid 6, and a 7.5 if he also does Boys State which used to be a 7 but is now a 5-6? You can get the same effect if you do student government in school. Or National Honors which is also a solid 5.

[Anonymous]

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Anonymous wrote:I follow a former college admissions counselor on Instagram and he just today gave his out of ten rankings for different activities- none scored a ten, but Eagle Scout was one of the few 9s he gave.

Can you share where to see this?

I follow so many of these accounts- sorry, I can’t find it or I’d link it. But Eagle Scout is super hard, shows years of dedication and work. I would agree that it’s gotta be a boost!

Its not that impressive. The projects I've seen have been things like, build a bench or put shelving into a storage shed. A lot of scouting hours and badges can be faked.

Spoken like someone who is truly clueless.

Eagle is very difficult to achieve, and it's likely AOs know that. Only 2 - 6% of those who enter Scouting achieve that rank, depending on the year. Less than 1% of the entire youth population of the country earns it. Of the 21 total merit badges needed, 13 are specifically Eagle-required, many with significant time and effort involved. Eagle projects must demonstrate meaningful leadership skills to be approved.

Regardless of impact on college admissions, it's an achievement one carries through one's life. It's not uncommon for obituaries to note the attainment of the rank.

Who cares about how difficult it is to get, that’s not how you evaluate an extracurricular activity. What does it show colleges, that you’re great at grinding useless tasks for years? Please.

Isn’t difficult grinds the type of ECs that get DCUM parents excited? Nationally placed math/science competitions, etc? And what are travel sports besides useless grinding over an entire childhood? Hell, what’s taking 15 APs, most being outside your child’s future career, than useless grinding? Parents on this board *advocate* unceasing, years-long, grind.

Is Eagle Scout going to be your silver bullet into the T10? Probably not. But for some schools, it’s a solid EC & a worthwhile accomplishment if your kid is into outdoors stuff. Additionally, I’ve yet to meet an Eagle Scout adult that doesn’t perk up meeting other Eagle Scouts. So there’s an existing Old Boys (maybe “& Girls” soon) Network too. Again, might not get you the job but might get you in the door.

You can argue that the 15 APs and competitions show academic mastery and varied academic interests. That’s better than cooking for a bbq.

Travel sports show some level of achievement as there’s some qualification or a bar to pass. Reading a pamphlet on citizenship and parroting it back to your scout master neighbor does not count as service and involvement in the community.

Frankly most of the Eagle Scout badges are just stupid. A lot of effort, but still stupid. Most high school kids loath still being involved in scouts, boys and girls alike. It mostly attracts socially awkward kids, making the networking benefits extremely doubtful, unless you value the company of maladjusted adults that like to hang out with boys in the woods.

Explain if you can why being an Eagle Scout is an achievement without relying on it being difficult to get.

This is so mean. Have your snowflake sleep in an igloo and hike 10 miles and let me know how it goes.

So doing some moderate physical activity and sleeping in a tent in a cozy sleeping bag while sipping hot tea and making s’mores counts as an extracurricular activity for colleges! If it were that difficult you wouldn’t have so many overweight middle aged men as scout masters. Cmon, some of them use mobility scooters while shopping at Walmart.

Wow, you all are crazy. Scouting is a great activity for the right kid.

On the common app, DS listed Eagle Scout as number 9 out of 10 activities. He had other achievements and Eagle rounded out his application, but it wasn't his main focus. He was just accepted REA to a HYPS. For his younger sibling who absolutely loves the outdoors and scouting, it will be listed higher and I imagine he'll write about it in one of the supplemental essays.

Listen, nobody believes your fake stories about how the ticket to HYP or VT is the Eagle Scout badge. Or whatever made up admission stats you come up with. Great if the kid enjoys the outdoors. Also great if the next kid loves hanging at the beach and volunteers to clean up trash. He can list it as an activity and write about it in an essay. Getting a bunch of badges doesn’t make the Eagle Scout activity “better”. If anything it hides the meaningful things the kid did to get that title.

It won’t move the needle for selective colleges, which was the original question.

Whoa. You need help. No one is saying Eagle moves the needle. In fact, I wrote that it was listed #9 out of 10 activity slots - toward the bottom.

I don't understand these people with such angry posts. Please go find something that brings you joy.

Getting mental health treatment for irrationally angry, childish and nasty DCUM posters would be a great Eagle Scout project!

I am not a mom or advocate of Eagle Scout. But your attitude is beyond reasonable. Showing your opinion is enough. No need to attack personally.

Aren't we defensive? It wasn't targeted at anyone specific. You clearly aren't here much as there are countless threads that go off the rails due to crazy people posting.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I'd say it is a solid 6, and a 7.5 if he also does Boys State which used to be a 7 but is now a 5-6? You can get the same effect if you do student government in school. Or National Honors which is also a solid 5.

Not 6-7?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

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Anonymous wrote:It’s not woke enough for young AO’s that prefer to see social justice activities. The exception is female Eagle Scouts.

Love that young women can earn Eagle now! I know two impressive young women who did so: one at Penn, one at Brown now. Regardless of gender I do think it's a strong EC, including leadership, service, and a long commitment. Still, you can never know with holistic admissions what's valued in a given year.

Every girl mom on here should have her daughter join Scouts. It really looks impressive to dominate an organization traditionally for males.

What a bizarre take. It’s not like they fight to the death. They just complete benchmarks and get the patches/advance in rank. It’s not like they are ranked.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I'd say it is a solid 6, and a 7.5 if he also does Boys State which used to be a 7 but is now a 5-6? You can get the same effect if you do student government in school. Or National Honors which is also a solid 5.

Nobody cares about National Honors anymore. It's close to meaningless. The standard is just not that high. Agree student government leadership and Eagle Scouts are on viewed similarly though, with a bigger bump for ES girls.

[Anonymous]

Eagle Scouts often tend to be a bit spectrum-y. Not saying that in a mean way, just what I have noticed. Not all of them, but quite a few. Kids who are a little too obsessed with order, process and accumulating things. So they really need to use the rest of their application to show offsetting characteristics.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I'd say it is a solid 6, and a 7.5 if he also does Boys State which used to be a 7 but is now a 5-6? You can get the same effect if you do student government in school. Or National Honors which is also a solid 5.

Nobody cares about National Honors anymore. It's close to meaningless. The standard is just not that high. Agree student government leadership and Eagle Scouts are on viewed similarly though, with a bigger bump for ES girls.

I’m sorry, but I don’t understand the bolded at all. I think of being the best in the nation as a big achievement. Can you tell me more?