# Can you complete Boy Scouts (USA) as an adult? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [October 12, 2010, 12:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-complete-boy-scouts-usa-as-an-adult/556879 "2010-10-12T12:47:26Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 15\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![robert\_columbia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e79b87/32.png) [@robert\_columbia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/robert_columbia)\ **Post date:** [October 12, 2010, 12:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-complete-boy-scouts-usa-as-an-adult/556879/1 "2010-10-12T12:47:26Z")
I left scouting as a teenager and never returned. Is it possible to “go back” and make Eagle Scout, either based on things I accomplished later as a teen, or things I’ve done as an adult, or by earning the merit badges for the first time? ---
**Author:** ![kidchameleon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/898d66/32.png) [@kidchameleon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kidchameleon)\ **Post date:** [October 12, 2010, 1:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-complete-boy-scouts-usa-as-an-adult/556879/2 "2010-10-12T13:04:12Z")
No, you need to complete all the requirements to be an Eagle Scout before your 18th birthday. You can be a scoutmaster, though. ---
**Author:** ![cornflakes](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/9d8465/32.png) [@cornflakes](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cornflakes)\ **Post date:** [October 12, 2010, 1:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-complete-boy-scouts-usa-as-an-adult/556879/3 "2010-10-12T13:26:00Z")
> [@Scouting.org](#): > > AGE REQUIREMENT ELIGIBILITY. Merit badges, badges of rank, and Eagle Palms may be earned by a registered Boy Scout, Varsity Scout, or Venturer. He may earn these awards until his 18th birthday. Any Venturer who achieved the First Class rank as a Boy Scout in a troop or Varsity Scout in a team may continue working for the Star, Life, and Eagle Scout ranks and Eagle Palms while registered as a Venturer up to his 18th birthday. Scouts and Venturers who have completed all requirements prior to their 18th birthday may be reviewed within three months after that date with no explanation. Boards of review conducted between three and six months after the candidate’s 18th birthday must be preapproved by the local council. A statement by an adult explaining the reason for the delay must be attached to the Eagle Scout Rank Application when it is submitted to the Eagle Scout Service. The Eagle Scout Service at the national office must be contacted for procedures to follow if a board of review is to be conducted more than six months after a candidate’s 18th birthday. If I recall correctly, membership in Order of the Arrow is the only recognition that is shared by both youth and adults, and people are nominated for the order because of their service, not for achievement. ---
**Author:** ![Si\_Amigo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/si_amigo/32/2877_2.png) [@Si\_Amigo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Si_Amigo)\ **Post date:** [October 12, 2010, 1:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-complete-boy-scouts-usa-as-an-adult/556879/4 "2010-10-12T13:36:53Z")
> [@robert\_andrews](#): > > I left scouting as a teenager and never returned. Is it possible to “go back” and make Eagle Scout, either based on things I accomplished later as a teen, or things I’ve done as an adult, or by earning the merit badges for the first time? It’s called “Boy” Scout for a reason; when you become an adult you can be a real life [Scout](http://www.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://www.usarmy.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/08/cavalry-scout-expert-in-army-reconnaissance.jpg&imgrefurl=http://www.usarmy.com/65/cavalry-scout-expert-in-army-reconnaissance/&usg=__-NRS6dXz68zcf03qf4JcT8MGGxY=&h=376&w=378&sz=46&hl=en&start=7&zoom=1&tbnid=vutZzbwfzbiXgM:&tbnh=121&tbnw=122&prev=/images%3Fq%3Dus%2Barmy%2Bscout%26um%3D1%26hl%3Den%26safe%3Dactive%26sa%3DG%26tbs%3Disch:1&um=1&itbs=1) if you have what it takes. Granted the bar is set higher, but thats part of being an adult. ---
**Author:** ![Orionizer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/orionizer/32/4442_2.png) [@Orionizer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Orionizer)\ **Post date:** [October 12, 2010, 1:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-complete-boy-scouts-usa-as-an-adult/556879/5 "2010-10-12T13:38:13Z")
Kidchameleon is right - you have to complete by your 18th birthday. I, too, regret not making Eagle - I was a Life Scout with only 1 merit badge and an Eagle project to complete, but got my license and decided I had better things to do. I still regret it to this day. :smack: ---
**Author:** ![kidchameleon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/898d66/32.png) [@kidchameleon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kidchameleon)\ **Post date:** [October 12, 2010, 2:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-complete-boy-scouts-usa-as-an-adult/556879/6 "2010-10-12T14:27:46Z")
I actually didn’t finish a bunch of the bureaucratic stuff until after I turned 18, but the requirements had to be done before I was 18. I couldn’t believe all the hoops that had to be jumped through. Even worse was a friend of mine who earned the female equivalent of Eagle Scout in the Girl Scouts. It hadn’t happened on the west coast in so long, nobody knew what all the procedures were. ---
**Author:** ![TheBori](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ee7513/32.png) [@TheBori](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TheBori)\ **Post date:** [October 12, 2010, 2:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-complete-boy-scouts-usa-as-an-adult/556879/7 "2010-10-12T14:33:04Z")
Proud father of 4 boys chiming in here… The 18 year old deadline is firm. The Eagle Book, a collection of documents describing his project, before and after pics, a narrative on the benefit, the beneficiary, etc as well as the Eagle Application, must be received and signed for, prior to the end of the boy’s 18th birthday. My eldest son finished his submission 2 days before his 18th birthday. Boy #2 finished several weeks before his birthday (they CAN learn, sort of). Boys #3 and #4 are working on it…they have some time. Boy #1 was dragging his feet, but has since seen the benefit of completing hie Eagle. Only 2 in 100 scouts get their Eagle…it is a big deal. ---
**Author:** ![JerseyFrank](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/bcef8e/32.png) [@JerseyFrank](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JerseyFrank)\ **Post date:** [October 12, 2010, 2:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-complete-boy-scouts-usa-as-an-adult/556879/8 "2010-10-12T14:42:36Z")
I still put Eagle Scout on my resumé. I’m 33. With the exception of raising a family that hopefully doesn’t grow up to be a bunch of assholes, it’s the single largest source of pride in my life. I’m looking forward to being involved again once my home life allows me some free evenings. ---
**Author:** ![anson2995](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/c77e96/32.png) [@anson2995](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/anson2995)\ **Post date:** [October 12, 2010, 4:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-complete-boy-scouts-usa-as-an-adult/556879/9 "2010-10-12T16:33:57Z")
> [@Orionizer](#): > > Kidchameleon is right - you have to complete by your 18th birthday. I, too, regret not making Eagle - I was a Life Scout with only 1 merit badge and an Eagle project to complete, but got my license and decided I had better things to do. I still regret it to this day. :smack: Same things happens to 95% of scouts. That’s what makes the accomplishment so noteworthy. ---
**Author:** ![Orionizer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/orionizer/32/4442_2.png) [@Orionizer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Orionizer)\ **Post date:** [October 12, 2010, 4:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-complete-boy-scouts-usa-as-an-adult/556879/10 "2010-10-12T16:43:17Z")
> [@anson2995](#): > > Same things happens to 95% of scouts. That’s what makes the accomplishment so noteworthy. I did join up as an Asst. SM a few years ago, but ran out of time and had to drop out - also, the troop I was a member of was floundering anyway - they ended up combining 2 or 3 troops, so after that, it was way out of my way, too. ---
**Author:** ![Spectre\_of\_Pithecanthropus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spectre_of_pithecanthropus/32/12343_2.png) [@Spectre\_of\_Pithecanthropus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spectre_of_Pithecanthropus)\ **Post date:** [October 13, 2010, 6:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-complete-boy-scouts-usa-as-an-adult/556879/11 "2010-10-13T06:01:06Z")
I’m surprised by the thing about having to do it before you turn 18. Two or three guys on my floor, in my freshman year of college, went home for Eagle Scout induction ceremonies. They could have been 17, like I was, but I didn’t think that was so common. ---
**Author:** ![kidchameleon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/898d66/32.png) [@kidchameleon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kidchameleon)\ **Post date:** [October 13, 2010, 8:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-complete-boy-scouts-usa-as-an-adult/556879/12 "2010-10-13T08:43:40Z")
Well, I turned 18 in April my senior year of HS. By the time all the paperwork got done and they could then schedule the ceremony it was late summer, I could see how guys born later in the year might not get theirs until after the school year had started. ---
**Author:** ![Orionizer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/orionizer/32/4442_2.png) [@Orionizer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Orionizer)\ **Post date:** [October 13, 2010, 11:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-complete-boy-scouts-usa-as-an-adult/556879/13 "2010-10-13T11:33:33Z")
Yes, as long as the requirements are met before 18, the ceremony can happen later. The ceremony only happened once per year, IIRC. ---
**Author:** ![rbroome](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/838e76/32.png) [@rbroome](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rbroome)\ **Post date:** [October 13, 2010, 12:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-complete-boy-scouts-usa-as-an-adult/556879/14 "2010-10-13T12:08:34Z")
> [@robert\_andrews](#): > > I left scouting as a teenager and never returned. Is it possible to “go back” and make Eagle Scout, either based on things I accomplished later as a teen, or things I’ve done as an adult, or by earning the merit badges for the first time? No. and that is the point. Completing Boy Scout merit badges are generally pretty easy. Advancing through Boy Scouts would require, for an adult, a relatively modest commitment. But what makes Boy Scouts so important, and Eagle Scouts so impressive, is that young men accomplish a series of relatively modest goals that takes years of sustained effort-while they are teenagers. With all the distractions and peer pressure that exists for teenagers. I have two sons, both wonderful young men. One is an Eagle scout. One wouldn’t even join Boy Scouts. Both are happy and I am happy for both of them. But by any objective measure, our Eagle Scout is far far more successful than our youngest. Both will do well in life. One will achieve far more than the other. Boy Scouts and most impressively an Eagle Scout is an excellent, IMHO, method of judging a young man’s character. Congrats to the OP for wanting to do this though! Looking back many years, achieving Eagle would have been one of the high points of my life. Didn’t get it done though. Darn. ---
**Author:** ![bouv](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/bc8723/32.png) [@bouv](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bouv)\ **Post date:** [October 13, 2010, 2:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-complete-boy-scouts-usa-as-an-adult/556879/15 "2010-10-13T14:06:29Z")
> [@Spectre\_of\_Pithecanthropus](#): > > I’m surprised by the thing about having to do it before you turn 18. Two or three guys on my floor, in my freshman year of college, went home for Eagle Scout induction ceremonies. They could have been 17, like I was, but I didn’t think that was so common. As said, the ceremony can happen anytime. Hell, my ceremony didn’t happen until a year and a half after I passed my Eagle Board of Review. I was 19 and a sophomore in college! I finished all of my merit badges, Eagle project, etc… the summer before going to college (I wasn’t going to turn 18 until November.) I “officially” made Eagle sometime in…November? Maybe December…the board of review can actually happen after you turn 18 so long as everything else is done before then. But since I was away at college it was tricky planning when to have the ceremony. Spring break was too soon, they said, and my sister got married that summer so they were really busy planning that as well. So originally it was going to be winter break of my sophomore year, but that fell through as well (I can’t remember why.) So it was scheduled for spring break of my sophomore year.