Even though more rural high schoolers graduate than their urban peers, fewer go on to college. Why?

Rural high school students might not have access to the same 
technology as their urban peers. (iStock photo via The Conversation CC)

In 2020, nearly 90% of rural high school students earned their diplomas, compared with 82% in urban areas. And yet, urban students remain more likely to attend college. Several factors, including a lack of college recruitment in rural areas, explain the disparity, writes Sheneka Williams, an education professor at Michigan State University, for The Conversation.

Being the first one to attend college is a tough choice -- especially if no one's encouraging students to consider it. "If these universities don’t know you exist, and if your parents haven’t gone to college and don’t know how the admission system works, you might not have help as you move closer to attending college," Williams explains. "Some rural schools also do not have college counselors."

Teacher shortages in STEM subjects are particularly tough for rural schools to overcome. Williams explains, "This lack of science course offerings can create a whole block of students who are not going to college."

Another educational drawback to living in more remote pockets of the U.S. is that it is more time-consuming and expensive for college recruiters to get students who might be considering college. Williams adds, "I think the narrative around rural students and college needs to shift – these students may want to go to college, but nobody is looking for them."

The STARS College Network is one group that has been successful in engaging rural students with colleges, but more outreach is needed.