Educators Work To Encourage College To Rural Students

Education Week (10/5, Courrégé) reports that according to NCES data, rural students are "among the least likely to go to college," noting that educators blame a "lack of parental and community support." Meanwhile, rising numbers of students in rural schools means "their success is increasingly important to that of the entire country. Research shows that low-income students and would-be first-generation college-goers are less likely to attend college, and rural scholars say financial resources and class status are important factors in influencing rural parents' cultural outlook toward higher education. Also critical, they say, is the role of adult mentors."