Increasing Rural College Attendance

Many rural students think high school is all the education they need to get a local job and start working right away. A lot of that has to do with community history. Rural students often hail from places that historically offered good jobs and career paths to workers in industries that do not require college degrees, like mining, timber, manufacturing and farming. Today, however, secure, high-paying positions in these sectors are harder and harder to come by.

According to a report by the United States Department of Agriculture, college is one of the most potent tools rural Americans have in the push to revitalize their communities and improve job prospects for their youth. When small-town kids leave home, go to college, graduate, then return, they are uniquely positioned to stem population loss, boost the economy and improve the quality of life in the communities that they call home.

Most rural students are white, and a survey from the Pew Research Center found that rural whites are far more likely to feel that their children will grow up with a lower standard of living than they did. They often attribute this to an erosion of their culture, communities and lifestyles, not a lack of access to college.

The parents of small-town kids might think that times are changing for the worse, but college might be the key to reversing that trend and bringing optimism back to Middle America. According to a study from the USDA Economic Research Service, the economic prosperity of rural communities is directly tied to the number of kids they send to college. Educational attainment is clearly linked to healthier rural job markets and higher median wages in remote, underserved communities. Unemployment and low wages are most crippling in rural areas with lower rates of education.

Many small-town Americans don't believe that college is an equalizer. For example, the Pew study showed that rural whites, particularly men, are far less likely to believe that college teaches the skills needed to succeed in the modern world. Also, far fewer rural teens grew up in households with a college-educated parent than kids in the suburbs and cities.

Colleges are now making great strides in locating, incentivizing and recruiting qualified rural students who might have otherwise not considered higher education. These efforts are helping rural students know they are welcome, wanted and needed on college campuse

Rural high schools tend to offer fewer advanced placement courses, extracurriculars, enrollment pipelines and other programs that colleges often value.

Many colleges, non-profits and governmental agencies have launched programs— many of them free—to give underserved rural students access to high-level preparatory classes and programs. Upward Bend Rural at Coastal Bend College, Access to Opportunity from CollegeBoard and REL Rural are just a few.

According to a report released by EdPolicyWorks and the Rural Opportunities Consortium of Idaho, rural students cite difficult economic realities as one of the top four reasons they don't plan to attend college. They also tend to be more skeptical that a college degree will pay off in terms of higher salaries and better quality of life.

Education is one of the most powerful tools in breaking the pattern of cyclical poverty. The Bureau of Labor Statistics shows each level of education attained leads to higher income and lower rates of unemployment. In fact, a bachelor's degree boosts median weekly earnings to $1,173—well above the national median of $907—and lowers the unemployment rate to 2.5 percent, which is miniscule compared to the already-low national average of 3.6 percent.

CREC is a massive program that works to develop global research and outreach alliances across all disciplines to benefit rural communities and increase their participation in higher education. CREC also serves as a central database for information on issues affecting rural students and provides a link from major colleges to remote, rural schools.

The University of Nebraska's RFI program harnesses the school's own research-based expertise and talent, as well as that of its vast network of partners, to work "collaboratively with educational, business, community, non-profit, government and foundation partners to empower rural communities and their leaders."

PLTW works with schools, teachers, students and communities to bring skill-based education to K-12 students designed to enhance their curriculum and prepare them for higher education and the demands of competing in a global economy. 20 percent of the schools PLTW serves are in rural areas.

Educate Texas focuses on four areas of concentration: college and career readiness, higher education, effective teaching and collective impact. The program's mission is to prepare students from Texas and the region for a projected shortfall in science, technology, engineering and math (STEM)-related occupations, as well as for work in the region's vast energy economy. The mission incorporates a range of programs that empower students from kindergarten through high school and beyond.

• Large Schools

  The largest colleges and universities in the U.S. can have more than 60,000 students enrolled at any given time, but the U.S. Department of Education classifies “large schools” as those with over 15,000 students. This means plenty of opportunity to meet new people and enroll in a diverse variety of classes and campus clubs or activities. Large state universities also tend to be a more affordable option for in-state students.

• Mid-Size Schools

  Classified as schools with between 2,000 and 15,000 students, the U.S. Department of Education lists more than 1,300 colleges and universities in this category. Mid-size colleges provide a middle ground between the sea of students you'll find at a large college and the more intimate familiarity of a small school.

• Small Schools

  Colleges with under 2,000 students are considered small schools. Small schools make up the majority of higher education options in the U.S. and generally boast lower student-teacher ratios, a tightly-knit student community and less competition for classes and club participation.

• Local

  Depending where you live, a local school could mean the county community college or a small state school in the next town over. Geography plays a big part in college decision, and rural students who stay local for school say they often save money by living at home and have a leg up on classmates when it comes to local job prospects after graduation.

• Across the State

  Rural who want to experience something new might find the perfect blend of cost-effectiveness and distance from home, without being too far away to visit at a school across the state. UCLA's Higher Educational Research Institute shows a majority of college students attend school 50 miles or less from home. If you live in a large enough state, there may be many opportunities to pay in-state tuition and venture more than 50 miles from your hometown.

• Out-of-State

  There are many reasons to explore schools out-of-state, from simply wanting to be out on your own to eyeing a prestigious academic program or high-level athletic experience outside your home state. Keep in mind, out-of-state students typically pay higher tuition rates unless your state is a member of a reciprocity or good neighbor tuition discount program.

• Geography and Climate

  Students from rural areas may long to attend college in the city, or use college to experience a different climate than they're used to.

• Student-Teacher Ratio

  If your high school experience included small class sizes and the opportunity to get individualized help from your teachers, a college's student-teacher ratio may be an important selling point.

• Living Arrangements

  Some campuses require all freshmen to live on-campus their first year at college. Decide if dorm life is an adventure you want to experience, or if staying local and living at home is a better arrangement for you.

• Campus Life & Activities

  Does the college you're considering have interesting student groups, clubs, Greek Life, and athletics? Consider which activities will be important to enhancing your academic experience.

FRS gives out more than $100,000 every year in the form of scholarships to exceptional rural students, which they can use to offset expenses for their first year of college or trade school. The program also offers several "named " scholarships in varying dollar amounts.

The America's Farmers Grow Rural Education program, funded by the Monsanto corporation, delivers grants to rural schools and students, particularly those focused on STEM education. The same company also funds the America's Farmers Grow Ag Leaders program.

IPPA offers rural students a range of scholarships, grants, awards and internships across a variety of industries, fields of study and interests.

Students from counties with fewer than 50,000 residents can apply for the Hagan Scholarship, which is a need-based scholarship for excellent students from small towns and schools.

• Make a list: what do you think you'd like from a college experience?

  "There are a number of ways to deal with the culture shock," Patel said. "One way is for a student to write down a list of the things they want out of their college experience. While this list is bound to change, it's good to have it before they embark on this new journey. After writing their goals and expectations down, they'll have a roadmap that will help them visualize goals and make decisions accordingly."

• Take advantage of on-campus transition services & activities

  Rural students will find a wealth of resources at their school to help them get acclimated, including welcome weeks full of events for new students. Some schools even have a dedicated Office of Student Transitions to help with the adjustment.

  Another one of the best ways to get used to the change is to join student groups. Patel recommends joining two or three. "These groups will give him the comfort of being around like-minded people," Patel said. "It will also supply them with a network from which they can choose his friends. Socializing is an important part of the human experience, so having friends is a good way to alleviate that feeling of loneliness."

• Start strong in the classroom from the beginning

  "You can have a ton of friends and enjoy the social life in college, but starting your college experience with bad grades will weigh on your transcript and junior and senior years as time moves on," Patel said. "Starting out strong gives you the chance to enjoy the latter years of college. It also provides leeway to explore new things as you become an adult."

• Consider getting a job on campus or in the surrounding community

  "Not only are you making your own money, which is a tremendously empowering feeling, but traveling to and from work gives you a reason to explore the college town or city," Patel said. "Knowing more about the beauty and landscape around you mitigates that feeling of being out of place."

Plenty of students have been before where you are now, and they've picked up some helpful tips and tricks along the way. Here are a few standout pieces of advice from fellow students:

• Seek out and make contact with familiar faces

  No matter how big or small your school happens to be, your schedule, coursework, athletic pursuits or social clubs will force you to cross paths with some of the same people over and over. When you encounter someone again and again, say "hello" and take the time to talk about what you have in common.

  “Everyone is very desperate early on because they're in a new and uncomfortable environment to find a friendly face, make sure you're one of them!”

• Find a place or activity you like & spend some time there

  Open up to the other people who also hang around. They are likely to share your interests. That place could be anything from a game room or a study area to the library or computer lab.

  “My freshman year I had a Gamecube and I almost always left my door open whenever I was in my dorm. [People] would just hang out in my dorm room to watch me play it and [chat] with me.”

• Don't underestimate the power of homesickness

  This is a very real phenomenon that isn't unique only to freshmen. One of the biggest remedies is to keep busy making friends and going to activities, and instead of taking a trip, a simple call home or visit from hometown friends or family can help. Schedule periodic home visits to remember where you came from, why you left and what you're hoping to accomplish.

  “If you go to college within driving distance of home, don't go home for a while. Resist the urge. Weekends are a great time to cement friendships with people. You can't do that if you're at home.”

• Focus on staying healthy or getting healthier

  The Freshman 15 is a real thing, but so are college mental health issues. Freshmen often gain weight because they are no longer on a regimented schedule and diet and may even overeat or generally let themselves go. Take advantage of your school's health, wellness and counseling centers and programs so you can adopt or maintain a healthy lifestyle and fully flourish as a student and a person.

  “When I graduated high school and left for college, I had absolutely no knowledge of mental health issues and symptoms of illness. If I did, I would have been able to see my problems and get help before they became major issues.”