Students who graduate from rural Indiana high schools are more likely to attend a two-year or nonselective postsecondary school than their nonrural peers, and to choose a college that is “undermatched” with their presumed eligibility level, according to a new report.
The Regional Educational Laboratory Midwest at American Institutes for Research, in partnership with REL Midwest’s Rural Research Alliance, examined trends among Indiana’s 2010 high school graduates—about 32 percent of whom were rural students.
While rural Indiana students were just as likely as their nonrural peers to attend college, they were more likely to choose a two-year—rather than a four-year—college. About 28 percent of rural graduates enrolled in a college that was less selective than they were qualified for, compared to about 24 percent of nonrural students.
To mitigate this pattern, the authors of the report suggested providing more information to students who are eligible for selective colleges. They also called for more research to better understand which academic programs are attractive to rural graduates.
