In 2004, the Center for Rural Pennsylvania contracted with Pennsylvania State University to begin a longitudinal study of rural Pennsylvania school students to understand their future aspirations, the factors influencing these aspirations, whether their plans change as they age, and if they attain their goals and plans. The main research questions of the study were: (1) What are the educational and occupational aspirations and attainment of rural Pennsylvania students? (2) What forces influence educational and occupational aspirations and attainment? (3) How do aspirations change over time and what influences those changes? (4) How does educational and career attainment shape decisions about where youth decide to live and their quality of life? The study was designed to survey a sample of Pennsylvania's rural youth every two years, beginning in 2004, when the students were in the 7th and 11th grades, and continuing through 2010. This report briefly describes the procedures used and the information collected for the first wave of the study.