College enrollment and persistence in rural Pennsylvania schools

How do college enrollment and persistence rates among students from rural high schools in Pennsylvania compare with rates among students from nonrual schools?  Historically, students from rural schools have had lower rates of college enrollment and persistence than students from nonrural schools; but more recently, college enrollment rates are rising faster among rural students than among nonrural students across the nation. A new study has found: • Rural Pennsylvania high schools have higher college enrollment and first- to second-year persistence rates than city schools but lower rates than suburban and town schools. • Rural schools closer to urban areas have higher enrollment and persistence rates than more remote rural schools. • Rural schools serving a larger population of economically disadvantaged students have lower college enrollment and persistence rates than rural schools serving a smaller population of economically disadvantaged students. The findings are expected to help stakeholders consider additional research on the rural schools with the highest college enrollment rates, such as analyses of school strategies to prepare students for college.