The lack of parental and community support is one of the reasons educators say rural students have been among the least likely to go to college. Rural areas have a 27 percent college-enrollment rate for 18- to 24-year-olds, according to a 2007 report from the National Center for Education Statistics, its most recent, compared with the national average of 34 percent and that of cities and suburban areas of 37 percent. And with the number of students in rural schools growing--the rural share of the nation's students rose from 22 percent to 24 percent between 2004 and 2009--their success is increasingly important to that of the entire country. Research shows that low-income students and would-be first-generation college-goers are less likely to attend college, and rural scholars say financial resources and class status are important factors in influencing rural parents' cultural outlook toward higher education. Also critical, they say, is the role of adult mentors. Rural students who pursue higher education often have families and teachers supporting their college pursuits. The author discusses ways in helping rural students leap cultural hurdles to college. The author also discusses how family- and community-focused efforts aim to overcome factors that may discourage rural students from applying to and attending college.