THE OBJECTIVES OF THE STUDY WERE TO--(1) COMPARE EDUCATIONAL GOALS OF RURAL YOUTH AND THEIR PARENTS AND (2) DETERMINE THE RELATIONSHIPS OF THE SIMILARITIES AND DIFFERENCES TO SUCH FACTORS AS GEOGRAPHIC AREA, STATE, SEX, LEVEL OF LIVING, RESIDENCE, FAMILY SIZE, AND CLUB MEMBERSHIP. A SURVEY SAMPLE, SELECTED FROM AN EQUIPARTITIONED UNIVERSE CHARACTERIZED BY RURAL RESIDENCE AND SCHOOL SIZE, INCLUDED SIX NINTH-AND 10TH-GRADE CHILDREN FROM EACH OF 48 SUBGROUPS IN KENTUCKY, NORTH CAROLINA, TENNESSEE, AND VIRGINIA. QUESTIONNAIRES AND INTEREST INVENTORIES WERE ADMINISTERED. BOYS PREFERRED OUTDOOR, MECHANICAL, COMPUTATIONAL, SCIENTIFIC, AND PERSUASIVE ACTIVITIES, WHILE GIRLS PREFERRED ARTISTIC, LITERARY, SOCIAL SERVICE, MUSICAL, AND CLERICAL ACTIVITIES. MOTHERS ENCOURAGED CONTINUANCE OF EDUCATION MORE STRONGLY THAN FATHERS. NO DIFFERENCES IN EDUCATIONAL AND VOCATIONAL PLANS WERE FOUND BETWEEN MEMBERS AND NONMEMBERS OF 4-H CLUBS, FUTURE HOMEMAKERS OF AMERICA, AND FUTURE FARMERS OF AMERICA. YOUTH'S EDUCATIONAL EXPECTATIONS INCREASED IN RELATION TO LEVEL OF LIVING BACKGROUND. (JM)