Knowledge Generation

Rural Students' Fact Sheets

Basic Needs Insecurity

Students have higher rates of recent homelessness and are less confident in their ability to come up with funds to cover emergency expenses. Approximately 20% of students attending four-year public or private rural colleges and universities experience low or very low food security. Read more in our fact sheet. 

Demographics

College students attending four-year public or private colleges and universities who are rural home communities are more likely to be older, be married with dependents, be unmarried with dependents, or have earned a GED compared to students from city, suburb, or town home communities. Read more in our fact sheet. 

Family & Finances

College students attending four-year public or private colleges and universities who are rural home communities are more likely to be first-generation students, less likely to receive any support from their parents or guardians to pay for college, and more likely to receive less amounts of financial support from their parents or guardians to pay for college compared to students from city, suburb, or town home communities. Read more in our fact sheet. 

Publications

Soria, K. M., & Vakanski, S. E. (in press). Rural college students’ experiences during the pandemic: Implications for academic advisors. NACADA Journal.

Presentations

Rural College Students’ Experiences During the COVID-19 Pandemic: Presented at AERA 2024