Board of Review Questions

First ask the Scout to recite the:

Pledge of Allegiance

Scout Oath

Scout Law

Scout Oath

On my honor I will do my best

To do my duty to God and my country

and to obey the Scout Law;

To help other people at all times;

To keep myself physically strong,

mentally awake, and morally straight.

Scout Law

A Scout is . . .

Trustworthy

Loyal

Helpful

Friendly

Courteous

Kind

Obedient

Cheerful

Thrifty

Brave

Clean

Reverent

Tenderfoot Rank

This is the Scout's first experience with a Board of Review. The process may require some explanation on the part of the Board of Review Chairperson.

The first few questions in the Board of Review should be simple. The Board of Review should try to gain a sense of how the Scout is fitting in to the Troop, and the Scout's level of enjoyment of the Troop and Patrol activities.

Encourage advancement to 2nd Class. Point out that the Scout may have already completed many of the requirements for 2nd Class.

Sample Questions:

Have you been coming regularly to troop meetings?

What do you like about them? Not like about them?

What did you do at your last patrol meeting?

Tell us about some of the things you learned as a Tenderfoot Scout.

How would the first aid skills you must know for Tenderfoot help on a campout?

Folding the American flag is a requirement for Tenderfoot. Where did you learn how to do this?

Have you gone on a troop hike? How did you like it?

If you were on a hike and got lost, what would you do?

What is the "Buddy System" that we use in Scouting? When do we use it?

Why do you think there are physical fitness requirements (push-ups, pull-ups, etc.), and a retest after 30 days, for the Tenderfoot rank?

Doing a "good turn" is part of being a Scout. What "good turn" have you done today?

Please give us an example of how you obey the Scout Law at home (school, church)?

What do you like best about our Troop?

Is there anything you’d like to change about our troop?

Do you like being a Scout?

Are you having fun?

When do you expect to complete the requirements for 2nd Class?

2^nd Class Rank

What did your patrol do at its last meeting?

What did you do in this patrol meeting?

Tell us about a service project in which you participated.

Where did you go on your last Troop campout? Did you have a good time? Why?

Why is it important to be able to identify animals found in your community?

Tell us about the flag ceremony in which you participated.

What have you learned about handling woods tools (axes, saws, etc.)?

How are a map of the area and a compass useful on a campout?

Have you ever done more than one "good turn" in a day? Ask for details.

Have you earned any merit badges?

If "Yes": Which ones? Why did you choose them? Who was your counselor?
If "No": Encourage getting started, and suggest one or two of the easier ones.

Did you attend summer camp with our Troop last summer?

If "Yes": What was your best (worst) experience at summer camp?
If "No": Why not?

How do you help out at home, church, school?

What class in school is most challenging for you? Why?

One of the requirements for Tenderfoot is to participate in a program regarding drug, alcohol and tobacco abuse. Tell us about the program in which you participated.

How is it possible to live the Scout Oath and Law in your daily life?

What does it mean to say, "A Scout is Trustworthy"?

What do you like best about our Troop?

Is there anything you’d like to change about our troop?

Do you like being a Scout?

Are you having fun?

When do you expect to complete the requirements for 1st Class?

1^st Class Rank

On average, how many troop meetings do you attend each month?

What is the Scout Slogan? What does it mean for a 1st Class Scout?

Tell us about your last campout with the troop. Where did you go? How did you help with meal preparation? Did you have a good time? (If "No", why not?)

If you were in charge of planning and preparing a dinner for your next campout, what would you select?

As a 1st Class Scout, what do you think the Star, Life, and Eagle Scouts will expect from you on an outing?

Does your family do any camping? What have you learned in Scouts, that you have been able to share with your family to improve their camping experiences?

Why do you think that swimming is emphasized in Scouting?

Why is it important for you to know how to transport a person who has a broken leg?

Why is it important for you to be able to recognize local plant life?

What did you learn about using a compass while completing the orienteering requirement?

What does it mean to say, "A Scout is Courteous"?

Why are merit badges a part of Scouting?

How frequently do you attend religious services? Does your whole family attend?

What is your most favorite part of Scouting? Least favorite?

How does a Scout fulfill his "Duty to Country"?

How do you define "Scout Spirit"?

What is the Order of the Arrow? What is the primary function of OA?

What do you like best about our Troop?

Is there anything you’d like to change about our troop?

Do you like being a Scout?

Are you having fun?

When do you think you might be ready for Star Scout?

Star Scout

How many Troop outings have you attended in the last three months?

Tell us about the last service project in which you participated.

What does it mean for a Star Scout to "Be Prepared" on a daily basis?

How have the Scout skills that you have learned helped you in a non-Scouting activity?

How many merit badges have you earned? What was the most difficult (fun, challenging, expensive, etc.)?

Which is more important: Becoming a Star Scout, or learning the skills prescribed for a Star Scout?

Why do you think a Scoutmaster's Conference is required for advancement in rank?

What is the most important part of a troop Court of Honor? Why?

What leadership positions have you recently held?

What specifically did you do in that leadership position? Have you helped a younger Scout to advance? Who and how? (Or why not?)

What extracurricular activities do you participate in at school?

What responsibilities do you have at home?

What is our "Duty to God"?

What does it mean to say, "A Scout is Loyal"?

How are the Scout Oath and Law part of your daily life?

If the Scout is a member of the Order of the Arrow:

What does membership in the OA signify? Have you provided cheerful service back to Scouting through the OA?

Have you received any special awards or accomplishments in school, athletics, or church?

What do you like best about our Troop?

Is there anything you’d like to change about our troop?

Do you like being a Scout?

Are you having fun?

When do you plan on achieving the Life rank?

Life Scout

How many patrol meetings has your patrol held in the last three months?

How many of them have you attended? What have you done to make them productive?

Have any of the merit badges you have earned lead to hobbies or possible careers?

Of the merit badges you have earned, which one do you think will be of greatest value to you as an adult? Why?

Why do you think that the three "Citizenship" merit badges are required for the Eagle Rank?

What is your current (most recent) leadership position within the Troop? How long have you held that position? What particular challenges does it present? What specifically did you do in this position?

Why do you think that Star and Life Scouts are required to contribute so much time to service projects? What service projects are most rewarding to you? Why?

Why do you think that a Board of Review is required for rank advancement?

How has Scouting prepared you for the future?

What does it mean to say, "A Scout is Reverent"?

What does "Scout Spirit" mean to a Life Scout?

Why do you think that Scouting for Food is referred to as a "National Good Turn?"

The Scout Oath refers to "Duty to Self"; what duty do we have to ourselves?

If the Scout is a member of OA:

What role does OA play in Scouting?
What have you done in the OA to provide cheerful service back to Scouting?

What do you like best about our Troop?

Is there anything you’d like to change about our troop?

Do you like being a Scout?

Are you having fun?

Have you begun to think about an Eagle Service Project?

What are you thinking about doing? When?

Eagle Scout

Hightower Trail District Eagle Scout Board of Review Information

Sample Questions

SCOUT OATH AND LAW

The three aims of the Boy Scout program are to foster citizenship, character, and fitness. How has the program helped you in each of these areas?
What has Scouting taught you about citizenship that your non-Scouting friends don’t understand?
What does "duty to country" mean to you?
Why do you think that belief in God (a supreme being) is part of the Scouting requirements?
What is the most important point of the Scout Law? Why? The least important? Why?
What is the hardest point of the Scout Law to live by? Why?
What point of the Scout Law is the most important to you? Why? Probe especially: trustworthy, obedient, cheerful, helpful.
How do you "help other people at all times"?
What does the phrase “on my honor” mean to you?
Is “doing your best” a part of your everyday life? Why or why not?
What does it mean to “be prepared?” How are you prepared/unprepared in your everyday life?
What does it mean to “do a good turn daily?” Tell me about three good turns you did over the past week.
What has Scouting taught you about service to others?
What is your greatest strength? Your greatest weaknesses?
Can you give me an example of someone who is a hero to you? (A real person, not a character in a book or movie.)

RANKS AND MERIT BADGES

Why is it important to learn how to tie knots, and lash together poles and logs? To learn first aid?
What rank requirement was the hardest for you to complete? Why?
What merit badge did you enjoy working on the most Why? The least? Why?
Why do you think BSA has a number of required merit badges for the Eagle Scout rank?
Name one Eagle-required merit badge that you think should not be required. What is it, and why?
Name one elective merit badge that you think should be required for Eagle. What is it, and why?

OUTDOOR /CAMPING EXPERIENCES

Why does Scouting stress camping and the outdoors so much?
How would you describe your experiences with cooking?
What camping experience have you had, that you wish every Scout could have?
What was your overall feeling about your summer camp experiences?
Did you attend any High Adventure camps (Philmont, Northern Tier, Sea Base) or the National Jamboree? Where and what did you enjoy about them? Describe the experience – especially his leadership.

HIS TROOP

What patrol are you in?
What is your patrol yell?
What do you usually do in your patrol meetings?
Which patrol in your troop is the strongest? Weakest? Why?
How do you know when a Scout is "active" in his unit?
What’s one piece of advice you’d give to a new patrol leader? Senior patrol leader? Adult leader? Your Scoutmaster?
You were (or were not) senior patrol leader. Why?
Scouting is supposed to be a boy-run program. How well does your troop do in this regard?
What are some of the things you like most about your troop? Things you dislike and would like to see changed?
How did you personally make your patrol and troop a better place?

EAGLE PROJECT

Please walk the Board through your project from beginning to end.
- The planning phase
- The organization of personnel
- Directing the project to completion
Who did you get involved in helping you with your project - scouts, adults from his troop, members of the benefiting organization?
Did you have any problems directing adults in their work - how did you feel about that?
How much of a role did your parents and family play in your Eagle project? (Note: Council guidelines recommend keeping family assistance to a minimum.)
How did you work with your troop Eagle advisor? How attentive were you to his comments and suggestions? What did you learn from this experience?
Describe the changes you had to make to your Eagle project. What did you learn from them?
How did you demonstrate leadership during your Eagle project?
What did you learn from writing the Eagle project synopsis?
What did you learn by going through the Eagle Scout project process?
What part of your Eagle service project was the hardest or most challenging? Why?
If you were to manage another project similar to your Eagle service project, what would you do differently to make the project better or easier?
Thirty years from now when someone else asks you what you did for his Eagle project, what will stand out in your mind - how will you answer that question?

LEADERSHIP

What leadership positions have you held?
What were your responsibilities in each position?
What specifically did you do in each of these leadership positions?
How would you rate your performance? How could you improve? What did you learn?
What leadership position do you hold now?
What has been your favorite leadership position as a Scout? Why? Was it particularly hard and challenging or easy? Why?
How did you demonstrate leadership at summer camp?

If the Scout went on a High Adventure outing, what was your crew leadership position? What specifically did you do? How do you think you did? What did you learn? How could you improve the next time?

During your Scouting career, what did you learn about managing or leading people? What are the qualities of a good leader?
If the Scout is a member of the Order of the Arrow: what have you done in the OA to provide cheerful service back to Scouting?

THOUGHTS / RECOMMENDATIONS

What was your most enjoyable experience in Scouting? Least enjoyable?
If you could change one thing to improve Scouting, what would you change?
What do you think is the single biggest issue facing Scouting in the future? How would you propose to handle it?
What changes you would you like to make in your troop?
What one piece of advice would you give the adult leaders in your troop?
Who has been the most influential person in your Scouting career?
What is one lesson from Scouting that you will carry with you forever?

FUTURE PLANS

If you earn his Eagle rank tonight, how do you intend to repay Scouting, your troop and your leaders?
What are your plans for the future - college, Armed Forces, trade school, etc.?
When you turn 18, you assume some new responsibilities. What are they? (sign up for the draft, register to vote, able to drink legally, responsible for his actions in the eyes of the law, etc.)
What do you plan to do in scouting in the immediate and long-range future?
What legacy will you leave your troop? What will others in the troop say about you once you leave?

OTHER

Who was the founder of the Boy Scout movement? [Answer: Robert Baden-Powell]

WRAP-UP

You have been in Scouting for many years; sum up all of those experiences in one word. Why that word?
What is the single biggest reason why you want to be an Eagle Scout?
If you did not pass your board of review, how would you handle the disappointment?
What do you believe our society expects from an Eagle Scout?
The charge to the Eagle requires that you give back to Scouting more than Scouting has given to you. How do you propose to do that?
It’s often said that there’s no end to the Eagle trail and that becoming an Eagle Scout is a beginning and not an ending. What do those statements mean to you?
It is sometimes said that an Eagle Scout is a “marked man.” What do you think this means?
Do you think you deserve to be an Eagle Scout? Why?

Eagle Scout Palms

As an Eagle, have the Scout Oath and Law gained new meaning for you? How?
Why is it important to develop leadership? How have you done this in the past three months?
Since earning your Eagle, what merit badges have you earned?
Since earning your Eagle (or last Palm), in which service projects have you participated?
How have you been active in your troop and patrol?
How have you actively helped the senior patrol leader, patrol leaders, or junior assistant Scoutmasters do a better job?
What would you say to a Life Scout who is only minimally active within his unit, and who does not seem motivated to continue along the Scouting trail?
If a Life Scout were having difficulty selecting an Eagle service project, what would you suggest to him?
What is the primary role of the Scoutmaster?
How have you begun to "... give back to Scouting more than Scouting has given to you?"