Abstract
This research study examines the major obstacles low-income rural youth face in preparing to attend college and how to overcome these obstacles through the participation in an Upward Bound program. The data for this study are from a single-site of the regular (“Classic”) Upward Bound program at a public university in a rural New England state and include surveys and interviews with students, guidance counselors, and parents and/or guardians of Upward Bound students. The results of this study indicated that there are two primary barriers that low-income rural students face in preparing for college: financial and social. Students and parents considered applying to the program not only for academic reasons but also for financial and social reasons. Once enrolled in the program, rural students began to benefit academically, financially, and socially. The retention rate at this public university is significantly higher than the national retention rate reported by Mathematica Policy Research, Inc. Several recommendations for practice for rural Upward Bound programs and high schools serving rural Upward Bound-eligible students are included.
Highlights
Upward Bound is a federally-funded program, which prepares high school students from low-income families whose parents did not complete a four-year college degree to enter and complete post-secondary education
Assuming no change in the rural-metro distribution of projects, target schools, and students over the past decade, an estimated 22,000 rural high school students from 2,200 rural high schools would be participating in Upward Bound nationwide each year
Given the demonstrated success of Upward Bound in Maine in preparing eligible rural high school students for college, the purpose of this study was to gain a better understanding of what the obstacles low-income rural youth face in preparing to attend college and how participation in an Upward Bound program helps students to overcome these obstacles
Summary
Upward Bound is a federally-funded program, which prepares high school students from low-income families whose parents did not complete a four-year college degree to enter and complete post-secondary education. In the federal government's fiscal year 2003, 770 Upward Bound project sites provided 56,324 students with intensive summer programs at four-year or two-year colleges, as well as tutoring and counseling services at their high schools during the academic year (U.S Department of Education, 2003; Council for Opportunity in Education, 2004). As of 1993, 40% of the target high schools that regular Upward Bound students attended were located outside metropolitan areas. Assuming no change in the rural-metro distribution of projects, target schools, and students over the past decade, an estimated 22,000 rural high school students from 2,200 rural high schools would be participating in Upward Bound nationwide each year
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