Two studies aim to expand understanding of rural colleges and the challenges they face

The first step in helping rural colleges and universities is figuring out how which schools count as rural, but rurality is complicated; definitions can conflict. Two new reports aim to provide clarity. Essentially, the first report focused on identifying and mapping rural schools, while the second report focused on schools that may not be located in a rural area but serve a significant number of rural students commuting.

"Both studies received funding from Ascendium Education Group. Though it might seem like the mapping projects would overlap, researchers say they are complementary, like salt and pepper," Josh Moody reports for Inside Higher Ed. 

The first report, released in December by the University of Wisconsin, "Mapping Rural Colleges and Their Communities," discovered some rural institutions were not reflected as such in the commonly-used Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System. Education professor Nicholas Hillman and his team cross-referenced schools on that list with those on the Database of Accredited Postsecondary Institutions and Programs, which contains more detailed information, and "turned up programs in far-flung corners of the U.S. as well as educational partnerships serving students in unexpected locations, such as hotels and conference centers," Moody reports.

"The second study, released Monday, comes from the Alliance for Research on Regional Colleges and is also a mapping project," Moody reports. "However, the ARRC effort focuses on identifying and mapping institutions that are rural-serving rather than colleges that are located in rural areas, factoring in colleges that may be in well-populated towns or suburban areas but have a strong regional pull."