Some of the structural barriers to the upward educational mobility of rural young people in Norway and the United States wereexplored in this study. Inquiry was focused on the degree to which perceived parental interest, academic performance in school, and social class origin influence plans for further academic education. The study population was drawn from 4 rural areas in the United States and 3 rural areas in Norway. Data was collected by means of a self-administered questionnaire in the schools in the 7 areas. The variables in the study were educational plan, social class origin, parental support, grade standing, and sex. Major conclusions were that parental support, social class origin, and grade standing have important independent and interrelated effects on educational mobility in both Norway and the United States; that social class origin and grade standing were the more consistent determinants of educational mobility in the Norwegian comprehensive school and the American high school populations; and that parental support exerts very important influences among all American high school boys and among lower class boys in the Norwegian comprehnsive school. (PS)