The Road To Eagle
Below are recommended plans & timelines for rank advancement – these deadlines are designed to help scouts manage their time effectively. Please note that notifications and reviews should be completed in a timely manner in order to be fully prepared. Scouts who have not followed the recommended preparation process may still sign-up for Test Boards in the week immediately preceding the Advancement Training Days, if space is available. Scouts and parents need to be aware that the prospect of a successful outcome is significantly diminished unless the scout follows the Scout Motto by ... Being Prepared. Downloading the Advancement Worksheet is a good place to start.
STAR & LIFE Advancement Timeline
Note: Star and Life test boards are scheduled on a first come, first served basis, subject to on available space. Priority will be determined based on the date your complete resume was submitted.
Upon becoming a 1st Class Scout, start and maintain a Scout Notebook, which documents in an organized manner your cumulative involvement as a leader in the troop.
8 weeks before: Complete all requirements; request a sample of a Star/Life Resume from the SPL.
7 weeks before: Prepare the first draft of your Star/Life Resume and update your Scout Notebook with all of the information on how you have accomplished your leadership position(s), your trip planning, Merit Badges earned, other awards, etc.
6 weeks before: E-mail your resume to the current reviewer, with a copy to the Scoutmaster; make any revisions suggested by the reviewer and resubmit it.
5 weeks before: Download your Advancement Worksheet. Start scheduling appointments for two reviews. One of these reviews should be with a permanent Test Board member (Mr. Killam or Mr. Balch).
4 weeks before: Submit the approved final draft of your resume to the Scoutmaster and SPL; start securing signatures verifying your leadership accomplishment.
3 weeks before: Complete your first review.
2 weeks before: Complete your second review; if the reviewer is unable to give you a recommendation, be sure to concentrate your preparation in the area(s) suggested on your Advancement Worksheet.
1 week before: Notify the SPL and Scoutmaster, if you definitely plan to go for a test board. Include in your email with whom you reviewed and whether you received a recommendation. Modify your resume as needed, and send a final version to the Scoutmaster.
IMPORTANT >> For assistance in knowing what items and information to assemble for your Star Binder & Resume, be sure to DOWNLOAD THIS STAR BINDER TIP SHEET and ask an older scout to review their’s!
EAGLE Advancement Timeline
Everything MUST be signed off by your 18th birthday!
12 months before: Start planning your Eagle Project.
11 months before: Meet with Scoutmaster and Eagle Scouts to understand the district timelines for Eagle Project approval, and other Eagle requirements. They will also provide other advice.
10 months before: Start work on any Eagle-required merit badges you haven’t yet earned.
6 months before: Complete your leadership requirements. Download the Eagle Application from the BSA website and begin working on it.
4 months before: Complete all necessary merit badges.
3 months before: Complete your Eagle Project. Schedule a conference with the Scoutmaster to be conducted after you have completed all requirements, including your Eagle Project write-up. Bring to that conference your Eagle Application, your completed project write-up, your statement of “Life’s Goals and Ambitions” and your resume of non-scouting accomplishments. Deliver reference letters to all of your references at least one month in advance and schedule a final conference with the Scoutmaster and the Troop Committee Chair.
GET EVERYTHING SIGNED OFF NOT LATER THAN THE DAY BEFORE YOU TURN 18!