<p>From my understanding, Boy Scouts and varsity sports are evauated under the “leadership potential” category for your whole candidate score. According to The West Point Candidate Handbook by William Smallwood admissions will be looking to see if you are a leader or a follower, if you finish things you start (not a quitter), if you believe in service to others, if you can manage your time (extracurricular activities and good grades), and are not a “loner”. Being an Eagle Scout or having a Gold Award demonstrates all of these qualitites. The quote Smallwood: “Over and over the author heard Academy officials saying, ‘Eagle Scouts and Gold Awards do well here.’ The reason of course is that the Eagle Scout or Gold Award has to work for years to obtain the rating. The admissions office knows from experience that such individuals tend to transfer that same determinaion when faced with four rigorous years at the academy.”
To support Shogun: Smallwood goes on to say that varsity athletics is by far the most desirable school activity, with contact sports such as football, soccer and wrestling being most desirable. Apparantly this goes back to MacArthur (superintendant after WWI) who believed that the training on the athletic field produces fortitude, self control, resolution, courage, mental agility and physical development which is fundamental to an efficient soldier.</p>