Follow-Up: Graduating FFA Seniors Are College- and Career-Ready
In September 2019, National FFA conducted a follow-up study with a new sample of graduating FFA members during the first semester of their senior year in high school, building on a 2018 collaborative study with Purdue University. Seniors self-reported GPAs and completed a critical thinking disposition assessment.
Key Points
- FFA seniors self-reported an average GPA of 3.59 out of 4.0, with 96% earning an A or B average.
- Senior FFA members scored 109 out of 130 on a critical thinking assessment measuring engagement, cognitive maturity, and innovativeness.
- 86% of graduating seniors plan to attend a college program after high school.
- 83% of graduating seniors are interested or might be interested in pursuing an agricultural career pathway.
- Animal systems was the most frequently selected agricultural career focus area in both 2018 and 2019.
In 2018, a collaborative study between Purdue University and the National FFA Organization1 explored the relationship between involvement in FFA and college and career readiness. Then in September 2019, National FFA conducted a follow-up study with a new sample of graduating FFA members during the first semester of their senior year in high school. Results show that FFA seniors continue to be college- and career-ready, as seen below.
Impressive Grade Point Averages Set FFA Seniors Apart
National FFA asked surveyed seniors to report their GPA. On a 4.0 unweighted scale, self-reported GPAs remain high among FFA seniors, with an average GPA of 3.59 out of 4.0. Ninety-six percent of graduating seniors reporting their GPA have an A or B average. In the previous study, the average self-reported GPA was 3.69, with the same percentage of graduating seniors being A or B students.
No reported grade point averages indicated that members earned below a C average.
FFA Seniors’ Critical Thinking Capabilities Match With Employers’ Expectations
A 2015 survey found that employers believe critical thinking is among the top five most important skills they look for when hiring college grads.2 Senior FFA members in 2018 and 2019 completed an assessment3 to measure their engagement, cognitive maturity, and innovativeness—otherwise known as the three elements of critical thinking. Collectively, senior FFA members scored a 109 out of a possible 130.
FFA Seniors Aim High
The majority of respondents said they plan to attend a college program after high school. Eighty-six percent plan to attend a college program after high school, including a four-year college or university, a two-year college, or a training or vocational school. Others plan to enter the workforce or join the military/armed forces.
FFA Seniors Will Fill the Agriculture Careers Pipeline
Eighty-three percent of graduating FFA seniors said they are interested or might be interested in pursuing an agricultural career pathway (40% interested, 43% maybe interested, 17% not interested). The most frequently selected career focus area by those who are interested in or might be interested in pursuing an agricultural career pathway is animal systems. Agricultural education and agribusiness systems were the second and third most frequently selected.
Animal systems was the most frequently selected career focus area by graduating seniors in both 2018 and 2019.
