As part of a series aimed at developing better programs for rural youths, this study tested (summer, 1972) hypotheses about community, educational, and individual factors affecting the future adjustment of rural southeastern youths, who as 8th graders in 1963-64, represented 16 rural counties, (North and South Carolina, Georgia, Alabama, and Mississippi) remained in the county until age 16, and were eligible for a Neighborhood Youth Corps (NYC) project, and not currently institutionalized, in the armed forces, or deceased. Long-term county residents gathered extensive information about each county, its school system, and staff members during the 1967-68 school year. Questionnaires mailed to 1,764 students, surveyed their early history, experiences since 1967, employment history, social adjustment, advanced education, and migration patterns; those still in school were asked about their school, general course of study, grade point average, and scope of extracurricular activities. Data were analyzed to determine whether the systematic relationships hypothesized actually existed. Some findings were: (1) the dropout problem was critical and its prevention should be the highest priority objective of any program for rural youths; and (2) 27 percent of the black males, 24 percent of the black females, 8 percent of the white females, and none of the white males were enrolled in an NYC project. Some comparisons are made with the North Central states' study. (NQ)