Introduction
There is so much more to education that statistics cannot show. Some of the most important things to learn in school simply cannot be easily measured, for example the skills of critical thinking and independent learning. Below are some educational statistics that do show some aspects of education at Valley Lutheran.
Michigan Merit Exam
The Michigan Merit Exam (MME) is a combination of tests administered under the direction of the Michigan Department of Education. The tests include the ACT, the ACT Work Keys Test, and several tests developed by the Michigan Department of Education. It should be noted that although we do examine the Michigan Standards and Benchmarks that are tested on the MME, we are not required to teach those standards. Consequently we have made curriculum decisions that we feel are in the long-term best interests of our students that may not reflect current testing theory in Michigan.
Our percentage of students meeting or exceeding standards for the Class of 2012 are:
| English Language Arts |
Reading | Writing | Mathematics | Science | Social Studies | |||||||
| Valley Lutheran | NA | 78% | 83% | 46% | 34% | 59% | ||||||
| State | NA | 56% | 49% | 29% | 26% | 41% |
ACT Scores
The Class of 2012 had an average ACT score of 23.4 this compares very well to the national average of 21 and the Michigan average (with all students testing) of 20.0.
Advanced Placement Tests
We offer Advanced Placement Calculus, Advanced Placement English, Advanced Placement United States History and Advanced Placement Spanish. In recent years students have started taking other Advanced Placement tests based on our regular curriculum.
A score of 3,4, or 5 is considered "passing" on the Advanced Placement tests. Universities have their own standards for granting credit. Since 1998 students have earned the following scores:
| Subject | Number Scoring 3,4,5/ Total Tests |
Pct at VL | Pct of All Testers (2007 data) |
|||||
| English | 174/258 | 67.4% | 56% | |||||
| Calculus | 120/183 | 65.6% | 58% | |||||
| United States History | 15/16 | 93.8 | ||||||
| Spanish | 22/32 | 68.8% | NA | |||||
| Psychology | 9/10 | 90% | 67.2% | Not offered as AP Class | ||||
| Music Theory | 1/1 | 100% | 63.6% | Not offered at VL | ||||
| Government | 4/5 | 80% | 52.4% | Not offered as AP Class | ||||
| Chemistry | 0/1 | 0% | Not offered as AP Class |
Alumni Surveys
Each spring we survey alumni one year after graduation from VL. We address a number of topics one of which is how they feel about their academic preparation. They grade the four core subject areas using the following ratings:
- I was prepared well. I had a good base of knowledge and skills that made me comfortable in this subject area.
- I was adequately prepared. I recognized the material and had been exposed to the necessary skills but in order to be successful in this subject area I had to work hard on the basics.
- I was not prepared. It seems that I had to learn everything from scratch.
The average ratings since we began surveying in 2003 are:
| Subject Area | Avg Rating Since Inception | |
| Math | 1.24 | |
| Life Science | 1.40 | |
| Physical Science | 1.68 | |
| Social Studies | 1.38 | |
| Writing | 1.23 | |
| Literature | 1.30 |
It should be noted that ACT (the college entrance exam) studies show Science to be the most challenging subject area for students transitioning into college.
21st Century Classroom Initiative Data
Beginning with the Class of 2009 alumni were survey regarding their preparation in the core areas of the 21st Century Classroom Initiative - literacy (reading and writing), collaboration, problem solving/critical thinking and technology. The following responses were given to several statements on each area.
1. I fully agree with this statement. I am well prepared in this area.
2. I partially agree with this statement. Although I am able to function in this area, I would like to be better prepared.
3. I disagree with this statement. I am not prepared in this area.
| Core Area | Mean Score | |
| Literacy-Reading | 1.16 | |
| Literacy- Writing |
1.20 | |
| Collaboration | 1.13 | |
| Problem Solving Critical Thinking |
1.15 | |
| Technology | 1.15 |
Scholarship Acceptance Data
Beginning with the Class of 2000, Valley Lutheran graduates have accepted approximately $15,533,101 in scholarships. 740 of 1123 graduates (66%) received at least one scholarship. The average amount accepted during this time is $20,990.
We elect to record scholarships accepted by students. Other schools often track scholarships awarded. This means that if a student is awarded scholarships at multiple universities, they will all be counted. We believe that this practice is misleading, as a student can only attend one college at a time and therefore can only accept scholarships from that one college.
College Choices
The last 5 years Valley Lutheran graduates have chosen to attend the following colleges and universities:
Alma College
Albion College
Aquinas College
Art Institute of London
Baker College
Baylor University
Berea College
Calvin College
Cedarville University
Central Michigan University
College for Creative Studies
Concordia University Ann Arbor
Concordia University Chicago
Concordia University Nebraska
Concordia University Wisconsin
Cornerstone University
Culinary Institute of Michigan
Davenport University
Delta College
DePaul University
Eastern Michigan University
Fashion Institute of Design and Merchandising - Los Angeles
Ferris State University
Grand Canyon University Phoenix
Grand Rapids Community College
Grand Valley State University
Harrington College of Design
Hope College
Illinois Institute of Art
Indiana Wesleyan University
ITT Technical Institute
Kalamazoo College
Kettering University
Lake Superior State University
Lansing Community College
Lynchburg College
Michigan Institute of Aviation and Technology
Michigan State University
Michigan Tech University
Middlebury College
Mount Vernon Nazarene University
Northwood University
Oakland University
Ohio Northern University
Ohio State University
Olivet Nazarene University
Pennsylvania Culinary Institute
Penn State University
Rochester Institute of Technology
Saginaw Valley State University
Saint John's College
Saint Xavier University - Chicago
Salem College
Spring Arbor University
State University of New York - Binghampton
The Art Institute of Michigan
Tiffin University
University of Alabama
University of Michigan
University of Michigan - Flint
University of New England
University of Northwestern Ohio
University of St. Francis - Indiana
University of South Carolina
Valparaiso University
Western Michigan University
