eagle scout essay requirements

How To Write An Eagle Scout Statement of Ambition & Life Purpose

Before you can begin Eagle Scout rank requirement 7 and hold your final board of review, you’ll be tasked with writing a comprehensive essay that discusses your long-term goals and values. This piece of writing, which must be submitted with your Eagle rank application, is called a Statement of Ambitions and Life Purpose!

What is an Eagle Scout Statement of Ambitions And Life Purpose? An Eagle Scout Statement of Ambitions and Life Purpose is a short essay, written by an Eagle Scout candidate, that describes their goals, values, and mindsets. Often, these statements are about 500 words in length and are broken into 4 parts: Intro, short-term goals, long-term goals, and life purpose.

PS. This article is based on the experiences and research of Eagle Scout, Kevin A and Cole  🙂

While most Eagle Scouts (myself at the time, included!) usually aren’t aware that they even need to write this essay until the last minute, it’s actually an incredibly important thing to do. Why? Well, the Chair of your final Eagle Scout Board of Review will be reading your Statement of Ambitions and Life Purpose and asking you questions, accordingly!

Additionally, writing a Statement of Ambitions and Life Purpose gives you the chance to start thinking about your life’s vision. What do you hope to give to the world? Where do you see yourself in 3 years? These are all very important questions, and this essay might be one of the first times in your life where you’re directly asked to critically think about what you want your future to hold!

Plus, your Statement of Ambitions and Life Purpose is a great foundation upon which you can write an amazing Eagle Scout college application . (Click the link for my ultimate guide to getting Eagle Scout college acceptances) Kill two birds with one stone by using this statement to outline your thoughts for college and beyond! Trust me, my own Eagle Statement of Ambitions really set my sights in the right direction. I promise it’ll help you too if you put a lot of thought into it, dig deep, and keep an open mind.

With all that being said, you’re probably wondering how to write a great essay of your own. Not to fear! In this article, I’ll be using my own Statement of Ambitions and Life Purpose essay as an example to get your writing juices flowing! Then, I’ll give you some questions to reflect on, so you can make your essay even better than mine was. 😉

My Example Statement of Ambitions and Life Purpose Essay

First, take a second to read through my example essay. This is a bit shorter than the typical essay of 500 words (2 double-spaced pages), but it should give you a good idea of what’s required. Then, in the following sections, we’ll be reviewing each component, from the introduction to your life vision, so that you can create an incredible statement of your own!

Without further ado, here’s Kevin and my example Statement of Ambitions and Life Purpose:

1. Introduction: “Reflecting back, as I’m now applying for Eagle, the highest rank in Scouting, I realize just how far I’ve come. Not only have I learned how to light a fire with a single match, tie a bowline around myself with one hand, and sell ungodly amounts of Trail’s End popcorn — no, Scouting had given me much more. Scouting has given me the core values and principles that I now carry with me through my life.”  2. Short Term Goals: “In my high school life, I am planning on taking two Advanced Placement courses: AP Environmental Science and AP English Language and Composition. These courses, though challenging, will hopefully help me expand my knowledge into areas that I may be interested in pursuing while at college.”  “My next big hurdle comes in the form of college applications. Between club responsibilities, AP classes, Scouting, and friends, I’ll be hard-pressed to find the time. However, like earning Eagle, nothing worthwhile comes easy. To achieve my short term goals I’ll set a schedule, make a plan, and check things off one requirement at a time.” 3. Long-Term Goals “Upon graduating from high school, I want to attend a four-year college within the University of California system. I have not decided what studies to pursue in college, but I am leaning towards majoring in the chemistry field.”  “In college, I hope to develop the skills and connections to land a chemical engineering job where I can directly help others. I want a comfortable salary, and the expertise to have my ideas be heard within the workforce. I won’t be satisfied simply remaining a follower in my field and intend to lead others to help bring about breakthroughs that improve human wellbeing.” 4. Life Purpose “My ultimate vision for life is to become an individual who lifts others up. Growing up an only child, I always felt best whenever I was able to contribute to the people around me. Whether it’s making scientific breakthroughs, leading a team, or even teaching scouts, my life’s purpose will always be to do good for others.” “Although my specific goals will probably change as I grow older and experience the world from a different perspective, I know that the values I learned from Scouting will forever remain in my mind and heart. Regardless of what I end up doing, while I’m doing it I’ll be physically strong, mentally awake, and morally straight.” 

If you’ve read through our essay, by now you should have a few ideas bouncing around your head about what to write in your own Statement of Ambitions and Life Purpose. Write them down ASAP! Those ideas will serve as your essay’s foundations. 🙂

Now if you’re like most teens, you might instead be thinking, “I’m worried that I won’t be able to stick to my goals and ambitions that I wrote down because I’m not sure what I truly want to do with my life!” Yup, I’ve been there too. However, if this is something you’re worried about, don’t fret! 

• Firstly, your Eagle Board of Review team won’t be making you promise to fulfill every single goal you set in your essay, as they realize that most Eagle Scout applicants (and most teens in general) don’t have everything figured out in terms of their life goals.
• Secondly, in the following sections, I’ve prepared some questions for you that might give you a better idea of your actual ambitions and life purpose!

Here’s a tip: When reading the questions we pose, take your time. Try to think critically and come up with any answer. Then, ask yourself, “is my answer true, for me?” If it isn’t, question why you thought of it. Ask if it’s true in any way.

Doing this exercise will help you succeed in one of the most important areas of your life: knowing yourself . Now, it’s time to read through a detailed breakdown of our essay and answer the questions we’ve posed so that you can create an amazing statement of your own! Let’s go!

Introducing Your Statement of Ambitions and Life Purpose

Your introductory paragraph should go over some of the most impactful experiences you’ve had in Scouting thus far, as well as what you’ve learned from those experiences. Some experiences you can highlight are times when you acted as a leader, times where you learned an important value, or even things that you learned in Scouting that you’ve applied to a situation outside of Scouting. 

The important part here is to consider what you’ve learned from your Scouting career (Hopefully, a lot). The Eagle Rank is the highest rank in Scouting, and with it comes a wealth of experiences and wisdom that you’ve had to learn along the way. Here is how I chose to tie in what I learned from Scouting: 

“Reflecting back, as I’m now applying for Eagle, the highest rank in Scouting, I realize just how far I’ve come. Not only have I learned how to light a fire with a single match, tie a bowline around myself with one hand, and sell ungodly amounts of Trail’s End popcorn — no, Scouting had given me much more. Scouting has given me the core values and principles that I now carry with me through my life.” 

Your introduction shouldn’t be long-winded, as you’ll have many other parts of your essay to get into more detail. Keeping it brief and to the point will likely be the most effective approach to completing your introduction. When writing your intro, here are a few questions you could ask yourself:

Introductory Questions to Consider

• What part of the Scout Oath and Law means the most to you? How have you lived by it in your Scouting and non-Scouting life? 
• What is a specific Scouting experience you’ve had where you’ve learned something of great value? What did you learn? How did you end up learning it? 
• How have you most changed from when you were a new Scout?  Think back to who you were, as a person, when just entering Scouting.
• When you hear the word “Scouting,” what comes to mind? Why?

Short-Term Goals for High School 

The focus of your next section should be the goals you’d like to complete before finishing high school. These short-term goals can be academic (like getting all A’s), extracurricular (Like making varsity), or even personally-related (such as a hobby, interest, or side-business).

This section can also be used to describe how to plan to achieve these goals. Success comes from making solid plans and then executing on them, so make sure you think about how to achieve your goals. This way they won’t just be dreams! Here’s how I wrote about my high school goals:

“In my high school life, I am planning on taking two Advanced Placement courses: AP Environmental Science and AP English Language and Composition. These courses, though challenging, will hopefully help me expand my knowledge into areas that I may be interested in pursuing while at college.”  “My next big hurdle comes in the form of college applications. Between club responsibilities, AP classes, Scouting, and friends, I’ll be hard-pressed to find the time. However, like earning Eagle, nothing worthwhile comes easy. To achieve my short term goals I’ll set a schedule, make a plan, and check things off one requirement at a time.”

While I highly encourage you to talk about your extracurricular or personal goals as well, I’d highly recommend that you mention your high school academics in some way when writing this section.

Even if you don’t have plans to continue your education after high school, the main point of this part of your life is likely to become educated and graduate with your high school diploma. As such, a portion of this section should be dedicated to discussing your academics (it could even be one sentence stating that you plan on finishing high school!). 

Short-term Questions to Consider 

• Are there any classes you want to take before you graduate, such as any AP or IB classes? Why do you want to take these classes? How do you think they could help in your future?
• Do you have any goals you want to complete in your extracurricular activities? How can you take on more leadership in your teams, clubs, and community service groups?
• Are there any personal interests you’ve developed while in high school that might steer you towards a certain career?  Consider things you’re good at, love doing, and might make you money.

Long-Term Goals For After Graduation

This section focuses on your long-term plans after graduating from high school. There are many avenues you could pursue after your graduation! Will you be going to a trade school? The military? Continuing your education by attending a four-year university or a community college? Heading straight to the workforce? The possibilities are endless! 🙂

I’d recommend considering how you want your life after high school to look (especially since it’ll be happening eventually). Think not just about continued education, but also the values and jobs you’ll be taking on. Here’s how I discussed my own plans in this section of my Statement of Ambitions and Life Purpose:

“Upon graduating from high school, I want to attend a four-year college within the University of California system. I have not decided what studies to pursue in college, but I am leaning towards majoring in the chemistry field.”  “In college, I hope to develop the skills and connections to land a chemical engineering job where I can directly help others. I want a comfortable salary, and the expertise to have my ideas be heard within the workforce. I won’t be satisfied simply remaining a follower in my field and intend to lead others to help bring about breakthroughs that improve human wellbeing.”

This section gives you a lot of freedom to express yourself; you can go into as much detail as you’d like when explaining your post-graduate plans. For example, if you’re sure that you want to enter a trade school, feel free to talk about the steps you’re going to take in order to get trained, certified, and hired for the trade of choice! 

Since you’ll be earning your Eagle Rank soon, it’s vital that you learn how to Properly List Eagle Scout On Your Resume . Not only does this improve your odds of landing a job and getting into a good school, it’ll also help you to more effectively describe your Scouting experiences (and learn from them, too)!

Here’s a Tip: Be realistic, but also dream big! Since in this section you can talk about your desired career, feel free to set a big, hairy, audacious goal (I call this a BHAG). Setting a huge, motivating goal for your future can spur you into action and help you to accomplish anything!

With your BHAG in mind, here are a few questions to consider that can point you in the right direction when writing this section:

Long-term Questions to Consider 

• If you’re planning on entering the workforce, what type of job are you looking for? What steps might you take to increase your chances of being hired for the position you’re interested in? 
• If you’re planning on joining the military, what branch of the military are you interested in joining? Why do you want to join this section of the military? 
• If you’re planning on going to trade school, what type of trade interests you? Do you know any schools that excel in teaching this trade? Do you want to start your own business with this trade or join an existing company? 
• If you’re planning on continuing your education, will you be going to a community college or a four-year university? What do you want to get out of your continued education, and how will you make it happen?
• If none of these options apply to you, what will you be doing? Do you have plans to do one of the previous options eventually or are you planning on sticking to your original plans for a long time? 
• In a perfect world, where do you see yourself in 5 years? What do you want to (and not want to ) be doing?

Your Life’s Purpose and Values

The final section of your Statement of Ambitions and Life Purpose should be used to describe your ultimate life’s vision. What do you really want out of life? Good topics to consider for this section could include plans about a future family, community involvement, and bucket-list experiences.

One thing you should try to mention in this section is how you plan to use the lessons you’ve learned from Scouting when you’re older. You don’t have to promise to return to Scouting in the future (although if you do see yourself volunteering, be sure to mention it), but you should try to discuss how you’ll use what you’ve learned to better the world.

Here is how I chose to describe my life’s purpose and values: 

“My ultimate vision for life is to become an individual who lifts others up. Growing up an only child, I always felt best whenever I was able to contribute to the people around me. Whether it’s making scientific breakthroughs, leading a team, or even teaching Scouts, my life’s vision will always be to do good for others.” “Although my specific goals will probably change as I grow older and experience the world from a different perspective, I know that the values I learned from Scouting will forever remain in my mind and heart. Regardless of what I end up doing, while I’m doing it I’ll be physically strong, mentally awake, and morally straight.” 

If you’re having trouble figuring out how to write this last section, keep in mind that your goals are only half of the question. Consider what values you feel are most important to you as well. What brings purpose and meaning to your life? There’s no right or wrong answer here, so feel free to expand on these points as much as you’d like! 

You can honestly take any direction you’d like when writing about your life’s purpose, but I’d recommend asking yourself the following questions to first gain some clarity:

Life Purpose Questions to Consider 

• Think about when you’ll be 30-40 years old. What do you picture your life will be like at that age? What will you have accomplished? What part of doing that will make you happy?
• How will you stay involved with your family when you’re older? Do you have plans on eventually having a family of your own? 
• What would you most like to do in your free time? Do you plan to travel, volunteer, or maybe even do something else?
• How will you stay involved in your community when you’re older? How close do you want to be with others in your community? Do you want to be a mentor? 
• If you could assign yourself a life ‘theme,’ what would it be? Some ideas include creativity, integrity, resourcefulness, or anything else you can come up with. How will you embody this theme in your life purpose?

Conclusion 

Although the ideas you’ll cover in your Statement of Ambitions and Life Purpose will likely change as you get older, I really encourage you to be as detailed as possible when writing your essay. Believe me, when you’re older you’ll look back on this essay and appreciate the glimpse it gives you into your life right now!

Your Statement of Ambitions and Life Purpose is essentially a time capsule of your teenage self, so it’s vital to do it right. By using the structure we covered in this article, and asking yourself important questions about how you want your life to look, I’m sure you’ll create an awesome essay! 🙂

Chances are this won’t be the last essay you write. In fact, your Statement of Ambitions and Life Purpose may just be the start of an awesome college application essay! To make your college goals a reality, check out my complete guide to Writing An Eagle Scout College Essay That Gets You Accepted .

Congrats on making it to the end of this article, as well as for your upcoming Eagle Rank! Hope to see you back at ScoutSmarts again soon and, until next time, be the best individual you can be!

I'm constantly writing new content because I believe in Scouts like you! Thanks so much for reading, and for making our world a better place. Until next time, I'm wishing you all the best on your journey to Eagle and beyond!

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How To Write The Eagle Statement of Ambitions

Home » How To Write The Eagle Statement of Ambitions

A few weeks ago I wrote a blog post Don’t Forget – Most Commonly Skipped Eagle Requirement , which talked a bit about how to write the Eagle Statement of Ambitions.  I want to expound on that requirement a little bit today.

I have served as an District Eagle Coach and have sat on hundreds of boards of review and read the Statements of Ambition for those Eagle candidates over the years.  I can honestly say that all of them are very different.  This is one of the funnest things for board members to read and it gives them insight to what kind of scout and person the candidate is.  It is very obvious that some candidates have spent the minimum amount of time writing and thinking about what they put in that statement.  Some are very thoughtful.

I remember one in particular had a statement that said he wanted to be the President of the United States.  I thought, wow!  What a bold statement from a 17 year-old.  When he came in for the review, we asked him about it. He was very serious and we found out that he had plans to make that happen.

You should think of your board of review like a job interview.  You are trying to show the board that you are the right candidate for the job, which is attaining the rank of Eagle.

Your Statement of Ambitions should be a minimum of two pages. The first page should be a double-spaced typed letter of what you want to do with the rest of your life.  This should be really easy for scouts to write.  I think of the movie “A Christmas Story,” when Ralphie is in school and his teacher tells them they need to write a theme.  They all moan!  Then when she tells them the topic, “What I Want For Christmas,” they all get very excited and want to do the assignment.  Scouts should feel the same way about this “theme.”

I have seen scouts write as little as 2 sentences or as much as 3 pages.  It should be 1-2 pages.  Also, you should use the spell checker on your computer and have your mom, dad, or scout leader proofread it to polish it up to look good before it is turned in with your paperwork.

This first page is where most scouts stop. That is only half of the requirement.  It also says to include a list of any leadership positions you have held over your scouting time in anything.  This includes school, band, church, work, anywhere!

Also, you need to include any awards you received while serving in these leadership roles.  If you earned your Duty to God at church, list it.  If you won high honors in your band at school, list it.  Basically this is a “brag sheet” of all your accomplishments while you were a leader.  Most scouts either forget to add this or don’t feel comfortable bragging about themselves.

In the real world when people are interviewing for jobs, they present a resume to potential employers to show off their skills and list all the great things that they know and have done.  This distinguishes them from all the other job candidates and proves they have the necessary skills to be there and do the job.  An Eagle Board of Review is no different.  You are a candidate for the Eagle Rank at the time of your board.  Present yourself it the best possible light.

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Scout troop. Patrol leader, assistant senior patrol leader, senior patrol leader, troop guide, Order of the Arrow troop representative, den chief, scribe, librarian, historian, quartermaster, junior assistant Scoutmaster, chaplain aide, instructor, webmaster, or outdoor ethics guide 11 Venturing crew President, vice president, secretary, treasurer, den chief, historian, guide, quartermaster, chaplain aide, or outdoor ethics guide Sea Scout ship. boatswain, boatswain's mate, purser, yeoman, storekeeper, or crew leader, media specialist, specialist, den chief, or chaplain aide. Lone Scout. Leadership responsibility in your school, religious organization, club, or elsewhere in your community.  

• While a Life Scout, plan, develop, and give leadership to others in a service project helpful to any religious institution, any school, or your community. (The project must benefit an organization other than the Boy Scouts of America.) A project proposal must be approved by the organization benefiting from the effort, your Scoutmaster and unit committee, and the council or district before you start. You must use the Eagle Scout Service Project Workbook , BSA publication No. 512-927, in meeting this requirement. (To learn more about the Eagle Scout service project, see the Guide to Advancement , topics 9.0.2.0 through 9.0.2.15.)
• While a Life Scout, participate in a Scoutmaster conference.

In preparation for your board of review, prepare and attach to your Eagle Scout Rank Application a statement of your ambitions and life purpose and a listing of positions held in your religious institution, school, camp, community, or other organizations, during which you demonstrated leadership skills. Include honors and awards received during this service.

• Successfully complete your board of review for the Eagle Scout rank. 12 (This requirement may be met after age 18 in accordance with Guide to Advancement , topic 8.0.3.1.) 13

For Venturers working on Scouts BSA Requirements, replace "troop" with "crew" and "Scoutmaster" with "Crew Advisor." For Sea Scouts working on Scouts BSA Requirements, replace "troop" with "ship" and "Scoutmaster" with "Skipper."

11 Assistant patrol leader and bugler are not approved positions of responsibility for the Eagle Scout rank. Likewise, a Scoutmaster-approved leadership project shall not be used in lieu of serving in a position of responsibility.

12 APPEALS & EXTENSIONS

If a Scout believes all requirements for the Eagle Scout rank have been completed but a board of review is denied, the Scout may request a board of review under disputed circumstances in accordance with Guide to Advancement topic 8.0.3.2. If the board of review does not approve the Scout's advancement, the decision may be appealed in accordance with Guide to Advancement topic 8.0.4.0. A Scout who foresees that, due to no fault or choice of their own. it will not be possible to complete the Eagle Scout rank requirements before age 18 may apply for a limited time extension in accordance with Guide to Advancement topic 9.0.4.0. These are rarely granted and reserved only for work on Eagle.

13 AGE REQUIREMENT ELIGIBILITY.

Merit badges and badges of rank may be earned by a registered Scout or a qualified Venturer or Sea Scout. Scouts may earn these awards until their 18th birthday. Any Venturer or Sea Scout who has achieved the First Class rank as a Scout in a troop or as a Lone Scout may continue working up to their 18th birthday toward the Star, Life, and Eagle Scout ranks.

An Eagle Scout board of review may occur, without special approval, within 24 months after the 18th birthday. Consult the Guide to Advancement, topic 8.0.3.1, if a board of review is to be conducted more than 24 months after a candidate's 18th birthday.

If you have a permanent physical or mental disability, or a disability expected to last more than two years or beyond age 18, you may become an Eagle Scout by qualifying for as many required merit badges as you can and qualifying for alternative merit badges for the rest. If you seek to become an Eagle Scout under this procedure, you must submit a special application to your local council service center. Your application must be approved by your council advancement committee before you can work on alternative merit badges.

A Scout. Venturer, or Sea Scout with a disability may also qualify to work toward rank advancement after reaching 18 years of age if the guidelines outlined in section 10 of the Guide to Advancement are met.

The Alternative requirements are also listed in more detail under Eagle Scout Rank - Alternative Requirements in the current  Scouts BSA Requirements book.

Blanks in this worksheets table appear when we do not have a worksheet for the badge that includes these requirements.

Source: SCOUTS BSA REQUIREMENTS 2024  (Pub # 33216 - SKU# 660535)

Page updated on: January 17, 2024

Planning Guide -- A great compilation of information from Joe Sinniger (included with his permission).  

Once you have all six requirements done, look here for your next steps.

NESA - Our Alumni Association -- Find out more about membership in NESA.  Memberships to NESA make great gifts to new Eagle Scouts.

Hey, have some input? -- We've collected quite a bit of information here at Eaglescout.org, but we're always looking for more.  If you have information about the history of the Eagle rank, ceremony suggestions, or other tips, please send them our way and we'll post them for everyone to share.

Eagle Project Service Project Planning Guide -- Link to an excellent work by Randy Smith. The material is also on this site under the heading of " the path/requirement 5 ", placed with the author's permission. 

Ideas for motivating Eagle candidates -- Aren't the reasons for completing the Eagle award obvious?  Not until you are almost 18 years old, it seems.  How can parents and friends motivate Scouts to get the job done?  (Please e-mail the webmaster with your suggestions and success stories.)

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Worth reading: Eagle Scout’s essay on “The Importance of Scouting in America”

In a passionate, well-thought-out essay that also serves as an excellent endorsement of Scouting, Julia Shepherd, a member of the BSA’s inaugural class of female Eagle Scouts , starts by listing a handful of famous Eagles. Then, she writes:

These people have all made their mark on the world, a path led to them through Scouting. Leaders have to make decisions, be problem solvers, face adversity, and follow their moral obligations – all principles of Scouting. … Teaching young girls and boys the values of responsibility, loyalty, leadership, and camaraderie at this age equips them for life in the reality we live in. In the ever-changing society that we are a part of, these characteristics are fundamental for children to possess and carry with them into adulthood.

The essay was part of a Central Florida Council scholarship contest. Apparently, the judges were as impressed as I was: They awarded her first place.

The importance of the uniform

Julia, from Troop 4773 in Longwood, Fla., expresses her thoughts on — among other things — the importance of the principles that kids learn in Scouting. She also uses the Scouts BSA uniform as a metaphor for everything that Scouting is about.

All of the different components of the uniform combine to form a harmonious unit, much like Scouts in America. Although there is much more to a Scout than the uniform they wear, it encapsulates everything that Scouting stands for. From the leadership to the unity to the citizenship, the uniform and the values embodied within it resemble the true importance of Scouting in America.

The uniform belt, Julia says, represents the support Scouts show to each other.

Whether it is at a troop meeting or on a camping trip, Scouts are almost always working together. Building the trust and skills to work in a team empowers everyone to continue pushing towards the goal.

The neckerchief slide holds the neckerchief in place, as Scouts must hold onto their values. The position patch signifies leadership. And the council patch represents the community to which all Scouts belong.

The importance of character

Julia interjects some personal anecdotes throughout, including the time she and some other older Scouts helped some new Scouts set up their equipment the first time they went camping. She also emphasizes the benefits of the BSA’s merit badge program.

The Personal Fitness merit badge discovered my love for tennis, the Citizenship in the Community merit badge formed my aspirations to run for city council, and the Fingerprinting merit badge intrigued my career interest in forensic science. Exploring these new subjects at a young age helps pinpoint future aspirations and goals.

Julia, who is now studying neuroscience at the University of Central Florida, concludes her essay by writing about perhaps the most important patch of them all: the U.S. flag emblem worn on the right shoulder.

America needs the youth’s generation to be endowed with the values of hard work and morals to better the future of our world and our society. … Scouts are our future, and they are equipped with a skillset that gives me confidence and faith in the future of our country.

Click here to read Julia’s essay in its entirety.

Support the Eagle Scout Scholarship Fund

Contribute to the National Eagle Scout Association (NESA) Scholarship Fund. Donations to this fund go directly to providing scholarships to deserving Eagle Scouts, allowing them to pursue their dreams and make a positive impact on the world.

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• November 15, 2023

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