Eagle Scout

Which Eagle-Required Merit Badges Take the Longest to Complete?

(From Scout Smarts Website)

Within the list of Eagle-required merit badges, some take longer to complete than others. In most cases, the badges that are the longest and most difficult are those that require you to track things over an extended period of time. Below are the Eagle-required merit badges with the most intense time commitments:

• Personal Management: Track and record your actual income, expenses, and savings for 13 consecutive weeks

• Personal Fitness: Outline and complete a comprehensive 12-week physical fitness program while logging your activity each day.

• Citizenship in the Community: Volunteer at least 8 hours of your time by working for a charitable organization.

• Family Life: Prepare a list of your regular chores and do them for 90 days. Keep a record of how often you do each of them.

• Communication: Interview someone and attend a community meeting.

• Camping: Camp a total of at least 20 nights at designated Scouting activities or events.

Merit badges like Camping, Personal Fitness, and Personal Management, and Family Life are not too difficult to complete, task-wise, but have requirements that take a long time to finish. For example, carrying out a 12-week fitness regimen or sticking to a budget for 13 weeks can be challenging.

On the other hand, merit badges like Communication and Citizenship in the Community are tricky to complete because they require you to volunteer, go to community meetings, and interview actual people. I’d advise starting all these badges well before your 17th birthday so that you have enough time to finish them.