The national mean for students taking the exam is 95.72. The IWU students averaged scores of 124.67 on the exam that allowed a possible score of 160. Average scores were 108.45 for students at member institutions of the Council for Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational Programs (CACREP).
The scores of IWU counseling students also exceeded the national mean and the scores of other CACREP institutions on all subscales of the national exam. For example, IWU's average score for "professional practice issues" was 22.00, compared to a national mean of 16.72. IWU's average score for "programmatic and clinical interventions" was 19.17, compared to a national mean of 14.67.
By virtue of being accredited by CACREP, IWU students are qualified to sit for the National Counselor Exam during their final semester of study.
Dr.Mark Gerig, chair of the IWU Division of Graduate Counseling, said the national exam is used for two purposes: national counselor certification and state counselor licensure.
"The exam assesses knowledge, skills and abilities viewed as important for providing effective counseling services," Gerig said. "The exam is intended to be general in nature. It is intended to assess cognitive knowledge which should be known by all counselors regardless of their individual professional specialties."
Gerig said satisfactory performance on the National Counselor Exam is one of the criteria used by the National Board for Certified Counselors to identify professionals who may be eligible to become a National Certified Counselor. Many states also use the National Counsel Exam for state credentialing.
IWU offers bachelor's and master's degrees, along with certificates, in various areas of counseling.
Indiana Wesleyan University is an evangelical Christian comprehensive university of The Wesleyan Church, which has its world headquarters in Indianapolis, Indiana. The University was founded in 1920, and is committed to liberal arts and professional education.
Almost 3,300 students are enrolled in programs on the University's residential campus in Marion. Another 12,500 adult learners attend classes at education centers in Indiana, Kentucky and Ohio, and online.