Colleges got more rural students to apply. The challenge is getting them to attend
The STARS College Network, funded by a $170 million investment from Byron Trott, has boosted rural student applications to elite universities by 15% over a year, but faces challenges in converting admissions into enrollments and graduation. Rural high school graduates, though more likely to graduate than urban peers, are less likely to attend college due to skepticism about its value and financial barriers, according to U.S. Department of Education and Quinnipiac University data.
A two-day event at Amherst College aimed to encourage admitted rural students to enroll, highlighting the shift from recruitment to retention in higher education. The gathering included high school seniors like Jack Hancock from Milford, Pennsylvania, who overcame 1-in-13 odds to gain admission. This effort follows a 2020 initiative by the STARS College Network, launched with a $20 million donation from University of Chicago trustee Byron Trott, to increase rural student applications at elite institutions. STARS now includes 32 member schools, such as Brown, Columbia, Dartmouth, MIT, Stanford, and Yale, after receiving an additional $150 million in funding. These schools commit to recruiting at rural high schools, which admissions officers historically avoided. A 2019 study showed rural students were more likely to attend higher-income urban and suburban schools, despite rural high school graduation rates exceeding urban and suburban peers at 90%. Despite progress, only 52% of rural high school graduates enroll in college, down from 2016 levels, compared to 60% of urban and 63% of suburban students. A Quinnipiac University poll found rural Americans are more skeptical about college’s benefits, often viewing it as detrimental to political views and personal values. Many rural students who pursue higher education opt for community colleges instead. The challenge now is ensuring rural students not only apply and enroll but also graduate. Marjorie Betley, deputy director of admissions at the University of Chicago and STARS’ executive director, emphasized the need to address both access and completion. Rural students face financial barriers and cultural skepticism, making long-term retention a critical focus for the network’s expansion.
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