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Age Requirements / Advancement / Highest Awards

Scout troops were male only from 1910 until 2019, when girls were allowed to become Scouts and to earn the Eagle Scout award (officially called the Eagle rank). For now, boys and girls must be in separate troops, although a boy troop and a girl troop at the same chartering organization are officially called 'linked' troops and can both share the same troop number and be operated by a single troop committee.
Note that the former Varsity Scout program has been discontinued by BSA (as of 1/1/2018). This optional, little-used, predominantly LDS program was discontinued by the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints at the end of 2017.
Scouts BSA adults are coed, with all positions open to those 21 or older, and only Assistant Scoutmaster open to those aged 18 to 20.

Minimum Age	Maximum Age	Highest Award
age 11 OR age 10 & earned Arrow of Light OR age 10 & after March 1 of fifth grade	until age 18	Eagle Scout

Advancement for Scouts

Scouts wear only the highest rank earned.
All ranks must be earned in order.
The first four ranks cover basic Scout skills. The Scout rank was added in January, 2016 (the previous 'Scout Badge' was not a rank).
The higher three ranks include merit badges, service, and leadership.
Although Eagle is the highest rank, an Eagle Scout can earn an Eagle Palm for every 5 additional merit badges (active service also required). Note that the Silver Palm is higher than the Gold Palm!

Scout	Tenderfoot	Second Class	First Class
Star	Life	Eagle Scout	Eagle Palms (Bronze/Gold/Silver)

Other Advancement-related Badges & Awards

Merit Badges (over 130 merit badges; 21 required for Eagle Scout); Eagle required badge/left; regular badge/right Pictures & names of all merit badges (PDF)	Interpreter Badges / Religious Award
BSA Aquatic Awards	Leave No Trace / Scout World Conservation Award

Age Requirements/Advancement/Highest Awards—