EDUCATIONAL AND OCCUPATIONAL ALTERNATIVES OPEN TO FARM BOYS AND GIRLS, THE FACTORS INFLUENCING THEIR JOB CHOICE, THE EFFECTS OF THEIR CHOICES ON THEIR JOB PERFORMANCE, AND WAYS OF IMPROVING THEIR CHOICES ARE DISCUSSED. INFORMATION IS BASED ON PERTINENT LITERATURE IN THE FIELD. THE ORGANIZATION OF THE OCCUPATIONAL STRUCTURE IS SUCH THAT THE MORE COMPLEX JOBS REQUIRE MORE PREPARATION, ALLOW GREATER CONTRIBUTIONS TO SOCIETY, AND ARE MORE REWARDING FINANCIALLY. THE SCHOOLS TEND TO TRAIN PEOPLE TO HOLD POSITIONS IN THIS STRUCTURE. THE LOWER POSITIONS ARE DISAPPEARING, AND MORE JOBS ARE OPENING UP ON HIGHER LEVELS. MOST FARM YOUTH HAVE TO WORK WITHIN THIS SYSTEM, AND THOSE WHO ARE POORLY EDUCATED, BUT DO NOT FARM, USUALLY ENTER THE LOWEST LEVEL JOBS. FARMING DOES NOT AUTOMATICALLY PROVIDE AN ESCAPE FROM THE SITUATION BECAUSE THE EDUCATIONAL REQUIREMENTS FOR SUCCESS ARE THE SAME AS NONFARMING REQUIREMENTS. THE PLAN TO BE A FARMER IS THE MAIN DETERMINANT OF THE LOW NONFARM ACHIEVEMENT LEVEL OF FARM-REARED BOYS. THOSE PLANNING TO BE FARMERS HAVE LOWER EDUCATIONAL AND OCCUPATIONAL GOALS THAN DO OTHERS. MANY LOW ACHIEVERS ARE PERSONS WHO HAVE PLANNED TO FARM BUT HAVE FAILED TO PREPARE FOR NONFARM WORK. NOT ENOUGH FARMS ARE AVAILABLE FOR BOYS WHO PLAN TO FARM. PROMISING WAYS TO EQUALIZE THE OCCUPATIONAL ACHIEVEMENT LEVELS OF FARM AND NONFARM YOUTH INVOLVE WORKING WITH THE FARM BOY'S PLAN REGARDING FARMING. SCHOOL COUNSELING MAKES BOYS LESS SURE OF BEING FARMERS AND MAKES THEM MORE ATTENTIVE TO NONFARM WORK REQUIREMENTS. PROCEDURES TO MAKE FARM YOUTH MORE EFFECTIVE IN NONFARM WORK WILL ALSO MAKE THEM BETTER FARMERS IF THEY FINALLY CHOOSE THAT VOCATION.