Individual ranks must be earned sequentially (you must earn the Scout Rank before earning Tenderfoot, Tenderfoot before Second Class, etc.) However requirements may be worked on concurrently unless otherwise stated by the requirements.
Scout, Tenderfoot, Second and First Class rank requirements can be worked on at the same time except for the Scoutmaster Conference and Board or Review requirements. The Scoutmaster Conference and Board of Review requirements must be completed after earning the previous rank. It is possible to have completed the non Scoutmaster Conference and Board of Review requirements for the Second and First Class ranks but be unable to earn the ranks if a Tenderfoot requirement has not yet been completed.
Rank requirements for Star, Life and Eagle Scout must be completed after earning the previous rank. The exception to this rule are the merit badge requirements. Scouts may begin working on merit badges as soon as they join Scouts BSA and merit badges are applied to the rank requirements regardless of when they were earned.
