Class of 2009 Exceeds State/National Averages

Bethany’s average SAT scores once again highly exceeded national and state averages. The mean scores for Bethany’s class of 2009 are 576 in critical reading, 581 in math, and 545 in writing for a combined total of 1702, nearly 200 points higher than the national average (1509) and more than 200 points higher than the state average (1483). Bethany’s total was also nearly 90 points higher than the average for Indiana religious schools (1613). Scores for other individual schools were not available this year, but in past years Bethany's average score has also highly exceeded area schools as well.

“What really makes Bethany’s scores impressive,” says guidance counselor Jim Buller, “is the high percentage of our students who take the SAT: 94% compared to under 50% nationally.” Whereas, according to the CollegeBoard (test administrator) website, schools’ “scores tend to decline with a rise in percentage of test-takers.” Noting that these averages reflect a wide spectrum of learning abilities: from the academically gifted to the academically challenged, Buller says, “Our teachers’ do a great job in preparing all students for success.”