This article employs historical analysis of a unique collection of essays to examine the college aspirations of rural high school students. Although researchers attribute the low educational attainment of this population mainly to poverty and poor school quality, many scholars continue to believe that historically rooted cultural norms and kinship…

We know that rural young people have less access to higher education than do metropolitan youth, and that the effect of location is a much stronger influence than SES or achievement (Rothman, Hillman, McKenzie, & Marks, 2009). We also know that, based on achievement data, many rural young people, who might be expected to enrol in university,…

Though the poverty encountered by many rural youth encompasses numerous developmental challenges and substantially increases the chances for educational problems, the school context is central to promoting and constraining their development. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to investigate the relationship of school characteristics and…

The purpose of this study was to explore the postsecondary educational and occupational expectations of work-bound rural youth. Three groups of work-bound youth were identified (work-bound, work-bound with future educational plans, and work-bound but unsure/undecided about postsecondary education), and each group was compared to college-bound…

The current study, using data from 374 African American students (59.4% female) in grades 7-12 attending a rural, southern county public school, addressed associations of self-efficacy, ethnic identity and parental support with "future education orientation." Both gender and current level of achievement distinguished adolescents with…

The purpose of this study was to listen to rural students' voices about their present schoolwork and educational plans for the future and discern, via factor analyzing their survey responses, what they view as the most important factors in their academic performance and post-high school plans. The first objective was to access the 2001-2002,…

The structuring of educational ambition among rural youth in Norway, Germany, and the United States was compared. The research thrust was to specify linkages between scholastic rank and educational plan. Social class origin, sex, residence place, and regional context were introduced as additional considerations. (Author/NQ)

Rural youth in economically troubled regions develop plans for their future in a context in which opportunities for educational and occupational success generally lie elsewhere, prompting the need to migrate. This study investigates the links between rural adolescents' residential preferences and their plans for the future, perceptions of local…

The correlation between educational aspiration and educational achievement was investigated in 6 Southern states via a longitudinal study (1965-1972). Approximately 1,200 rural youth, stratified by race, sex, and socioeconomic status, were contacted when sophomores, when seniors, and when 4 years beyond high school graduation. Findings revealed…

One of the most consistent empirical findings in the increasing research on the sociology of sport revealed that white urban male high school athletes manifest higher-level educational orientations than their non-athlete counterparts. This study expanded this empirical literature by assessing the nature of the athletic participation and…

A review of the available research relevant to the characteristics of disadvantaged rural students shows them to be affected in several areas. The low socioeconomic status of large numbers of noncorporate-farm families and rural ethnic minority groups is a characteristic of prime importance, particularly in view of the relationship between…

The study explored the importance of parent-child rapport as it pertained to the child's career development in the context of rural Ontonagon County, Michigan. Questionnaires were self-administered to 201 high school seniors (100 boys and 101 girls) in the spring of 1974. Information was gathered on a wide range of topics dealing with the…

Differences between educational aspirations, expectations, and abilities of rural male seniors based upon their participation or non-participation in high school vocational agriculture programs were analyzed. Data were gathered from classroom questionnaires administered to 517 seniors, of whom 400 had had one or more years of vocational…

In 1965, a youth aspiration study was initiated in six southern states. Data were first collected in 1966 from 10th grade students in selected high schools. In 1968, 12th grade students attending the same schools completed questionnaires. Then, in 1972, a stratified random sample was taken of 1,226 young adults who were previously examined. This…