will quitting BSA affect my application

I trained for 8 months as an adult to go to Philmont, because our boys chose trek 32. There are only 32 treks at Philmont, and they go from easy to as hard as anyone can devise. We would come into camps and Staff would all come to meet us because NO ONE ever does Trek 32. We were rock stars. It was sort of like Marine Mountain Warfare without the rifle. I loved it. 122 miles in all. I felt like we saw the whole place.
 
No negative impact, if you don't list it, and why would you?
You stopped as a freshman. The academies are full of people that were in scouts only a couple years.
But as others have said, Eagle scout is a big advantage to any application.
They love Eagle scouts. It shows clearly you can set a difficult goal for yourself and achieve it.
Much like attending a service academy.
 
So, to the OP, the consensus is that quitting per se won't hurt you. However, those of us with experience recommend you "replace" scouting with another activity that is more to your liking and look for ways to lead in that activity.

As an aside, "Eagle" is not as big an advantage as it was a decade ago. It does help b/c it shows perseverance and leadership. That said, there are other ways to demonstrate those qualities - find one.
 
My DS LOVED Scouting. He loved being in leadership positions and excelled. He loved camping. He loved hiking, He love all the physical requirements. He loved the work for his Eagle Project. What he didn't love was working on the merit badges that were more administrative in nature, like the Personal Management or Family Life ones.. He was looked up to by all of the junior scouts. I kept pushing him for Eagle as it would "look good" for his academy applications. In the end, he ended his Junior year of H.S. as a Life Scout. I was miffed that he had not "finished" it before completing his applications to USMA and USNA. We went to a USMA academy local recruiting event at the beginning of his Senior year in H.S. and sat down with his Regional Rep Officer and had a talk with her about his file and asked her about not having achieved Eagle Scout, yet. She told him that he had already Maxed the leadership point in his file and it didn't matter that he was not yet an Eagle Scout. He was team captain of multiple varsity sports, had gone to Boys State, had been selected to attend NYLT and was asked to be on staff at Philmont, etc. In the end, he did complete his Eagle his Senior year of H.S., but it was already after he had his appointments to both USNA and USMA.
 
.... I was miffed that he had not "finished" it before completing his applications to USMA and USNA. ... In the end, he did complete his Eagle his Senior year of H.S., but it was already after he had his appointments to both USNA and USMA.
In a lot of ways, that is better. He didnt do it for a resume filler. It probably meant more in the end for him as a result.
 
One of my true regrets is not going back to Philmont as an Adult. I went right I after I earned Eagle Scout, at 14 or 15, I was youngest in my trek. It was an amazing experience, but I will admit now (a long time later), that I spent alot of time cold and afraid. I often wonder what it would be like to go back as an adult, with modern gear (down, nice tents, gore tex, etc).

I had daughters, so never got back into Scouting after the Navy, until a few years ago. I am active at the Council Board level, and it has been very rewarding, giving something back to the organization that, probably more than any other factor, helped me get into USNA. I was a kid that moved a few times in HS, and the one constant that I had, was Boy Scouts.

Yes, I am a big fan and supporter of Scouting and what it does, and am living an guiding my Council through some rough waters, including both the Bankruptcy and COVID. These are tough times, but its a great program and will come through stronger !
My “plebe no more” is an Eagle Scout who is scheduled to go to Philmont for block 3. He is really looking forward to it and hopes it still happens! Keep hearing so many great things about it.
 
DS was a finalist for Senatorial Nomination for the class of 2022. He received a call from his BGO who was on the nom committee and was told he was neck and neck with another candidate for a pricipal. He posed one question - was my son an Eagle Scout. The answer was no - not in scouting. He did not receive the principal nomination. You can draw your own assumptions.

DD - Eagle Scout and dad to DS USNA 2023
 
DS was a finalist for Senatorial Nomination for the class of 2022. He received a call from his BGO who was on the nom committee and was told he was neck and neck with another candidate for a pricipal. He posed one question - was my son an Eagle Scout. The answer was no - not in scouting. He did not receive the principal nomination. You can draw your own assumptions.

DD - Eagle Scout and dad to DS USNA 2023
That's too bad. If it was that close, the Senator could have just gone with a competitive nomination. He/she was not required to go with a principal nomination.
 
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