The lack of consensus among researchers in defining the focal construct of rurality has led to contradictory conclusions of whether or not a rural-urban performance gap exists in higher education. Compounding this problem are the changing definitions of rural and urban, even among governmental agencies. Thus, this study used two different definitional models of rurality to illustrate how different definitions can result in contradictory interpretations of any observed performance and attainment gap between students from different backgrounds. (Contains 10 tables.) [The AIR "Professional File" is intended as a presentation of papers which synthesize and interpret issues, operations, and research of interest in the field of institutional research.]