Our Elite Youth
				College Admissions Counselors look for ways to distinguish already qualified applicants.  In affluent communities like this one, with excellent schools and a competitive environment, many students avail themselves of any advantage they can get including private tutoring, SAT preparation courses, and hiring professional college admissions advisors. Just as the academic bar seems to be raised each year, so too is participation in extra-curricular activities.  Sometimes, excelling at activities can even make up for some gaps in an academic record.  And because grades can vary with the degree of difficulty from school-to-school, admissions committees may sometimes look for achievements which are more standardized nationwide. Not every child is talented in the fine arts, or athletically inclined… and not every student is capable of earning straight As. Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (RPI) in Troy, New York is the nation's oldest technological university. It offers degrees in engineering, the sciences, information technology, architecture, management, and the humanities and social sciences.  Admission at RPI is highly selective, and in 2001 a member of the Admission Committee commented that in that year, RPI admitted 26 of 26 Eagle Scouts who applied.  Of course, each of those applicants was academically well suited for the rigors of a Rensselaer engineering education, but the achievement of Eagle Scout seemed to elevate those applications – distinguishing those students from others similarly qualified. A local professional college admissions counselor was asked about Scouting, and in particular the “admissions value” of listing Eagle Scout on a college application.  She opined that colleges are not interested in applicants proficient in camping skills like starting a campfire or performing advanced first aid.  But those who reach the rank of Eagle Scout have shown a long-term commitment… to setting sights on a goal, and not quitting until it’s been reached.  That’s an unusual quality in a teen, and one that is not really expected until young adulthood.  It shows dedication to a task and it translates well to the successful completion of a four year course of study. One is not simply promoted to the rank of Eagle by virtue of age.  It is earned by completing increasingly more difficult requirements in first response, leadership training, ecology and earth science, citizenship and public affairs, and by performing significant community service.  Scouting instills self-reliance and self-confidence and fosters a “take charge attitude” that only the experience of leadership can provide.  It’s why Michael Bloomberg (himself an Eagle Scout) before assuming the office of Mayor of the City of New York, is said to have personally reviewed employment applications from Eagle Scouts. Having one’s resume reviewed by the CEO may not guarantee the position, but it gives a leg-up in a very competitive world.  continued...