Chess

[Quailman]

It doesn't take troop-only MBCs. I admit that scuba is expensive, but I am a registered MBC for 11 badges, and I don't think any would cost anything. American Heritage, Traffic Safety, Dentistry, Fishing, Fly Fishing. I have gear he can use for the latter two. And I have extra binoculars and field guides for Bird Study. He'd have to borrow a few dollars for Coin Collecting, but he could return that after he finished. Home Repairs is one that takes quite a while - if it ain't broke you can't fix it - but even that is money you'd need to spend anyway on toilet parts, etc.

Summer Camp badges are expensive, followed by museum or other programs. Some of that will be spent anyway (scout account?), but for the most part it shouldn't be that expensive.

[smtroop168]

Certainly there are zero cost badges (sounds like you've got 11 of the 131 covered) but if a scout wants to get ALL the badges, his family will incur costs especially if he is going to multiple weeks of summer camp. Scuba is the prime example but Backpacking can be pricey to get personal gear for. Does he need to have a bike for cycling..no he could borrow one I guess. Running a business for Entrepreneurship and American Business for 3 months. Making your home EPrep kit or survival kit for wilderness survival. Ski lift tickets. Pets and Dog Care ownership costs etc etc.

Scouts earning all the MBs seems to be a recent occurence as we see a number of them across the US. This scout is the quickest one I've seen as most are getting Bugling right before they turn 18.

Opinions? Are scouts pushed or pulled to achieve this?

RW...maybe break this off and get it out of Chess.

[FrankJ]

The way I see it is that it is an admiral accomplishment, something to be proud of, but not really a goal of scouting. A good many of the badges can be earned in concurrence with something they are already doing. I expect most accomplished scouts have done the requirements, but not the paperwork of many badges that they have not officially earned. As for as earning all being an recent occurrence. Merit badge clinics & summer camp focusing on merit production is a fairly recent invention.

Since I cannot seem to resist commenting on Matt's post.

Eprep grab & go kit-- Every household should have one. It is part of being prepared

Backpacking. Read one the pre 70s boyscout handbook . Make you own gear. (except the alcohol stove)

Cycling: Borrow an uni-cycle?

Entrepreneurship and American Business: Help to pay for the rest of them.

[smtroop168]

Frank...the point is that you would not incur these costs of these MBs if you didn't want to get ALL of them and I would borrow your tandem for cycling because if I used a unicycle I would have to factor in hospital costs in getting all the MBs.

[AquilaNegra2]

If you follow the recommended process and ask your SM for the name of a MBC, there's very little expense associated with most MBs. Also, it helps to be home-schooled. Merit Badges are recommended for use in home-school curricula. The boy I met who had 130 was home-schooled. I read a while back about a boy who earned them all by picking one per weekend to do. Every so often he'd do a catch-up weekend to finish up requirements.

I'm not sure I follow how the SM giving you a MBC name keeps the cost down unless they are all Troop only MBC or relatives.

Actually without getting too much further away from Chess, I was thinking he would have to go to summer camp for multiple weeks (approx $300 per week) since 4 maybe 5 MBs are all you should be able to accomplish in a week (although we had a post about a camp where a scout earned 12 in a week). If you went to our summer camp for the 8 weeks ($2400) they offer, you could finish 30-40 of the 50 they offer. It's a stretch for some to be able to afford 1 week of camp. There are lots of hidden costs in MBs if you count the field trips and trips to visit the MBC.

Don't know much about home school curriculum but how many MBs fit in what would be their usual studies? This kid is not homeschooled since it says he's the President of his HS Freshman class.
I'm glad he accomplished his goal. My point is that not many scouts could even attempt to afford it.

My 17 year old is working on 131. He has 38 badges to go, with 33 of them open partials. "Scout school" is part of his school day (it used to be just Fridays, but he has had to step it up.) We take the field trip options as often as possible (they get more from a professional, and we try to use as many MBCs as possible), and try to load up the SUV with other boys who help out with gas. You'd be surprised how many of the badges fit in to school subjects - you just have to be creative. There definitely are costs, though. We're creative there, too. Right now, he's taking bugle lessons and trading manual labor with the teacher. His sister cleaned the house of the Woodworker who spent a few days with him. We've babysat, tutored, chopped wood, baked, brought lunch, and a myriad of other things to barter for the time of professionals. Or traded trail work for partial camping fees, etc. And we've paid. But it's usually at a discount.

People make choices. I think that there is almost always a way to fund something if you really want it. It's something he wants. And his siblings are willing to have the family discretionary funds funneled his way (for now ).

He'll finish Chess this week. That was an easy one. Hopefully they won't add too many more in the next 8 months.