Raised in rural central Illinois, my adjustment from rurality to a university campus packed with national and international diversity was eye-opening. As I acclimated to my alma mater, I noticed some of my early collegiate experiences differed from my suburban and urban classmates. The cosmopolitan environment subliminally told me my ruralness was inadequate compared to my non-rural peers, thus sparking my interest in how individuals from rural America transition and succeed in higher education.
The 2010 Census classified 97 percent of the United States’ landmass as “rural,” though home to only 19.3 percent of the population or roughly 60 million Americans. According to the National Center for Education Statistics, rural public schools educate 18 percent of our nation’s youth. Of that percentage, a mere 29 percent between the ages of 18 to 24 are presently enrolled in any form of higher education, compared to nearly 48 percent from non-rural areas. Furthermore, the National Student Clearinghouse identified that rural students are more susceptible to unenrollment pressures between their freshmen and sophomore year compared to urban and suburban counterparts.
Despite rural America’s geographic, ethnic, and racial diversity, rural students attending higher education institutions exhibit some commonalities. A few similarities rural students exhibit are heightened anxiety, lower retention rates, greater economic obstacles, social alienation, and identity conflicts compared to more urban classmates. While we have recently seen a flood of literature highlighting the distinct struggles rural students may encounter, I wish to further our discussions by outlining solutions toward mending concerns to ensure rural student succeed in higher education.
On-campus resources
College students notably underutilize on-campus resources, such as career services, and rural students are not breaking this trend because of limited previous exposure. As a result, financial burdens are a leading concern for rural individuals when applying to and while enrolled in higher education programs. Joell Erchul, a sophomore at Michigan Technological University and a northern Wisconsin native, felt tension when applying to college without “any college fund and my parents are both unemployed” she said. Textbooks, lab expenses, club fees, and other traditional college expenditures become increasingly unaffordable for rural students, says Andrew Koricich, an Assistant Professor of Higher Education at Appalachian State University. Koricih recommends colleges subsidize academic materials for rural students facing economic woes. However, solely presenting financial assistance through on-campus resources may not be sufficient as rural students express unfamiliarity navigating higher education fiscal policies. Thus, Koricih advises institutions should aim to build financial savviness among rural students by establishing financial advising sessions targeting rural populations.
However, gaining rural students’ participation can be an endeavor. Jennifer Sherman, an Associate Professor of Sociology at Washington State University, reports in her book Those Who Work, Those Who Don’t: Poverty Morality, and Family in Rural America that rural individuals can be reluctant toward requesting assistance and are often suspicious of institutional support. As a trust building tool, Associate Professor of Business at Colorado Mesa University, Patrick Schutz, proposes specially supporting rural students with extended orientations or peer mentor programs while stressing their serviceability.
Previous academic training also causes uneasiness for alumni of rural public schools who statistically enter higher education with less academic readiness compared to their nonrural peers. Rural public schools often reside in regions with lower tax bases than compared to urban and suburban areas. Consequently, rural public schools are underserved and operate with limited resources. This inequality compared to non-rural schools equals to fewer AP courses, difficulty attracting top educators, and a widening achievement gap. In order to catch up, skilled counselors and peer mentors can guide struggling students while hopefully making a dent in rural retention rates.
