Barriers to Entering Higher Education: Rural Students’ Perspective

Abstract

A disparity in access to higher education exists between rural and urban regions of the world. Equal access to higher education for students from rural areas is a priority for government leaders in Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan where this study took place. The study addressed the problem of enrollment of students from rural areas at branches of the International Mountainous University (IMU, pseudonym) located in rural regions of Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan. The purpose of this qualitative case study was to investigate the experiences and perceptions of 10 IMU students about gaining access to higher education. Informed by the theory of habitus, the research questions focused\ on perceptions of (a) the experience of gaining access and (b) sacrifices related to gaining access to higher education. Four themes emerged: (a) academic barriers, (b) information and communication barriers, (c) support, and (d) material and nonmaterial sacrifices. The study provides a better understanding of access challenges experienced by rural Kyrgyz and Tajik residents, allowing institutions and governments to improve current outreach practices and potentially create long-term strategies for rural development.

The Proportion of Rural Applicants to the UNC-Chapel Hill School of Medicine is Close to Parity with the Proportion of College-Educated Young Adults in Rural NC

“…The proportional representation likely represents the success of outreach programs that UNC SOM has pursued over the past decade. A recent study noted the importance of pipeline programs by rural students as helpful in breaking their habitus (Hughes, 2018 The proportion of admitted applicants from rural NC (9.8%) was similar to the proportion of all applicants from rural NC (9.3%). This proportional representation re ects the deliberate attempts by the admission's o ce to reach out to rural applications.…”

“…The proportional representation likely represents the success of outreach programs that UNC SOM has pursued over the past decade. A recent study noted the importance of pipeline programs by rural students as helpful in breaking their habitus (Hughes, 2018). UNC SOM established an O ce of Rural Initiatives (UNC School of Medicine, n.d.) that supports students during medical school and provides innovative pathway programs into medical school.…”

“…According to Bourdieu's theory of habitus (1977), individual's educational paths and potential access are constrained by his/her habitus (Hughes, 2018). Habitus is de ned as a set of dispositions including family background, rural vs. urban upbringing, and nancial status (Bourdieu, 1977).…”

Higher Education Experiences of Underrepresented Populations: A Literature Review on Indigenous and Racialized International Students

“…(p. 15). To this point, Hughes (2018) adds "the predetermined nature of barriers to higher education for rural residents implies that, without external interventions, these barriers are difficult to overcome" (p. 26), and, without recognition of Indigenous academic underpreparedness, "the [Indigenous] population will never catch up and achieve parity" (Mendelson, 2006, p. 10).…”

Efforts to Recruit Medical Students From Rural Counties: A Model to Evaluate Recruitment Efforts

“…Challenges recruiting rural applicants to medical school may be explained by Bourdieu’s theory of habitus [ 16 ]. Individual’s educational paths and potential access are constrained by habitus [ 17 ], where habitus is defined as a set of dispositions, including family background, rural versus urban upbringing, and financial status [ 16 ]. In one study, children of farmers were less likely to pursue higher education than children of professionals [ 18 ].…”