This is a list of common questions and answers about the Life to Eagle transition, and is oriented to parents of Life Scouts.

1. What will the troop do to make my son an Eagle Scout?  - The troop will not make your son an Eagle.  It is up to your son to earn his Eagle rank.  The troop will provide encouragement, help, resources, guidance, suggestions and general assistance.  We have a LOT of adults who will do all they can to help your son, but you son has primary responsibility for earning the rank.  This will require initiative, planning, and organizational skills - things you may not have ever seen your son demonstrate!  Every task along the trail to Eagle has a purpose in developing your son for his adult life.   Earning the Eagle rank is no different.
2. What can I do to help my son achieve his Eagle rank? - You should do the same things the troop does - provide encouragement, help, resources, guidance, suggestions and general assistance.   Gentle reminders and encouragement are a big help.  Let your son know this is important to you, and that it should be important to him. 
3. How can I motivate my son towards Eagle? - Many parents have made completion of the Eagle rank a prerequisite to their son getting their driver's license, getting a car, or other things that are important to teenagers.  How you choose to handle this is up to you and your Scout.  However, experience shows that these methods do work!
4. Can I find an Eagle project for my son? - It is certainly ok to offer suggestions to your son about possible projects, or to point him towards people who need work done that might qualify as an Eagle project.  However, your son, not you, should decide what his project will be, and he should be the one to interface and coordinate with the organization that will benefit from the project.
5. When should I encourage my son to complete his Eagle? - It is possible to complete all of the requirements by age 14, however, they must be completed by the time the Scout turns 18.  Make this decision based on the maturity of your son, and his involvement in Scouting and other activities.  Younger Scouts don't necessarily have the maturity to complete the process.  If they do, there is a risk they will 'drop out' of Scouting after achieving the Eagle rank.   Older scouts tend to discover cars and girls (fumes and perfume) and may have a hard time finding time to complete the process.  Generally speaking, Scouts should begin to get serious by age 16.  Once they turn 17, they really need to get with it!
6. How long does it take to complete the Life to Eagle transition? - Assuming the Scout has completed all his merit badges, the most difficult parts are finding a service project, writing it up, getting it approved, completing the project, and finalizing the project write-up and Eagle application.  Allow six months to a year to complete this process.  While these steps can be completed in three months, this is not desirable.  Remember, the troop leaders and district leaders that are involved in this process are volunteers.  Asking them to rush through an application is not living up to the ideals of Scouting!
7. How much is this going to cost me? - An important part of developing the Eagle project is determining the source of funding.  Generally speaking, the Scout can easily find funding through PTSA or other civic associations, or by asking for donations,  or by having a fundraiser.  It is neither expected or desired that you fund the Eagle service project! 
8. What's the purpose of the Board of Review? - The Board of Review is in many respects similar to a job interview.  While the Scout may be asked some skills questions, the review will focus on the meaning of Scouting and how the Scout lives up to the ideals of Scouting.  For more information, see "What will the Eagle Board of Review be like?".  The Board of Review is an excellent opportunity to practice the skills that will really be important in his first job interview.
9. What about this Court of Honor thing? - This is probably the point at which most parents become the most involved in the Eagle process.  Achieving the Eagle rank is a big deal!  Most parents, and the troop, want to make a big show of this to recognize the Scout for his achievement.  While the troop will provide support for the Court of Honor, the planning, coordination and funding is the responsibility of the parents and Scout.  The best way to learn about how to plan a Court of Honor is by attending one!  Offering to help with another Scout's Court of Honor will also help you learn how to do this.  Start planning the Court of Honor three months in advance, if possible.  Go ahead and start planning once it is clear the Scout will actually complete his Eagle.
10. What comes after Eagle? - Continue to encourage your son to work towards earning additional Palms for merit badges beyond those required for Eagle, if he is so inclined.  Also encourage him to "give back" to the troop by continuing to come on camping trips and providing leadership and instruction to the younger Scouts.  Consider sending him on high adventure activities such as to Philmont.  There are many high adventure opportunities available, and these don't all have to be done in conjunction with the troop.  These are "once in a lifetime" opportunities and will help your son build self-confidence and leadership skills.  If your son is interested in backpacking, consider signing him up for a Rayado trek.  This is a three week backpacking trip in the Rockies at Philmont Scout Ranch.  Visit http://www.scouting.org/philmont for more information.   Closer to home, participation in  Venture Crew 525 is also an option.  See any of the adult troop leaders for other suggestions.