Preparing for Adulthood: A Recent Examination of the Alignment of Rural Youth’s Future Educational and Vocational Aspirations

Meece, Judith L.; Hutchins, Bryan C.; Byun, Soo-yong; Farmer, Thomas W.; Irvin, Matthew J.; Weiss, Margaret P.

doi:10.5539/jedp.v3n2p175

Cited by 36 publications

(37 citation statements)

References 40 publications

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“…In addition, the moderating influence of educational aspirations may reflect how rural women perceive relatively few occupational options in their home communities (Johnson et al, 2005), prompting them to make decisions about pursuing educational and professional goals in relation to marriage and parenthood goals. The perception of few career options, along with increases in the postsecondary aspirations of rural women in recent years (Meece et al, 2013), align with our findings and suggest that educational aspirations play an important role in adulthood transitions such as the expectations for and timing of marriage and parenthood. These findings may also reflect broader changes in the social attitudes and norms surrounding gender and employment among rural community members.…”

Section: Educational Aspirationssupporting

confidence: 75%

“…Today, temporary service industry jobs, often with unstandardized hours, comprise a large majority of employment options available to young adults in rural areas (Gibbs, Kusmin, & Cromartie, 2005;McLaughlin & Coleman-Jensen, 2008). These occupational opportunities may have contributed to the significant rise in rural youth, especially women, who aspire to attend postsecondary institutions outside of their home community (Meece et al, 2013;Snyder & Dillow, 2010).…”

Section: Recent Socioeconomic Transformations In Rural Communitiesmentioning

confidence: 99%

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An Examination of the Expected Timing of Transitions into Adulthood among Rural Men and Women

Agger¹,

Byun²,

Meece³

2016

JEDP

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The timing of transitions into adulthood has critical implications for early adulthood development, yet few research studies on this topic exist, particularly involving rural youth. We utilized a nationwide sample of geographically diverse rural youth from 34 rural locations in the United States to investigate adolescents' expected transitions into adulthood. The vast majority of rural men and women planned to get married and become parents, however, women expected earlier transition times into adulthood. Results also indicated a number of individual, family, and community variables related to the expectation of marriage and parenthood and the expected timing of marriage and parenthood. Notably, we found that whereas women were generally more likely than men to plan to get married and become a parent, this observed gender gap decreased as educational aspirations increased.

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Section: Educational Aspirationssupporting

confidence: 75%

Section: Recent Socioeconomic Transformations In Rural Communitiesmentioning

confidence: 99%

An Examination of the Expected Timing of Transitions into Adulthood among Rural Men and Women

Agger¹,

Byun²,

Meece³

2016

JEDP

Self Cite

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“…Today, U.S. youth, including rural youth, aspire to postsecondary education at higher rates than ever, with 9 of 10 rural students surveyed in 2007-08 indicating they seek to go to college (Byun, Meece, & Irvin, 2010;Meece et al, 2013). A National Research Center on Rural Education Support (n.d.) study of 8,000 rural adolescents found that 84% aspired to a postsecondary degree: 13% to a two-year degree, 36% to a four-year degree, and 35% to an advanced degree.…”

Section: A More Promising Futurementioning

confidence: 97%

“…Students who have completed college-preparatory or other rigorous coursework are more likely to enroll and persist in postsecondary education (Meece et al, 2013). Many rural districts have small enrollments, making it fiscally difficult to provide the breadth of rigorous coursework to prepare students for ambitious college opportunities (Handwerk, Tognatta, Coley, & Gitmer, 2008).…”

Section: Limited Course Offeringsmentioning

confidence: 98%

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Rural Students in Washington State: STEM as a Strategy for Building Rigor, Postsecondary Aspirations, and Relevant Career Opportunities

Peterson

Bornemann

Lydon

et al. 2015

Peabody Journal of Education

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In rural settings, leaving for college can mean a young person's first step in leaving home forever (Sherman & Sage, 2011). That presents a serious challenge for college recruiters as they ask parents from Indian reservations or close-knit Hispanic or rural farming communities to allow their children to consider postsecondary opportunities. In this article, the authors discuss impediments to collegegoing that rural students face and shine a light on several efforts in central Washington State that help students connect to job opportunities in fast-growing, lucrative STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) careers in the region. Beyond inviting STEM professionals to job fairs, these efforts can expand opportunities for collaboration between STEM professionals and rural schools and teachers. Such opportunities might include enriching the K-12 curriculum with locally relevant problems of science, using local STEM professionals to collaborate on learning projects, and possibly engaging students to contribute to national databases and studies. These programs represent one way to highlight the real-world application of postsecondary education, encouraging students to pursue STEM college programs and careers. Maria is Hispanic and lives in a small town in eastern Washington State with her family. Her parents, along with many of her aunts and uncles, have chronic health issues such as diabetes and heart disease. Maria worries because many of her family members have no health insurance.Brian is the third generation in his farming family to be raised on an orchard along the Columbia River. His father, he knows, would like him to stay on and manage the orchard with him. Brian's math teacher urges him to consider an engineering degree at the University of Washington because he has excellent math scores and problem-solving skills.John is a member of the Colville Tribe, who lives with his family on the reservation. John wants to remain close to his tribe and family and feels called to help preserve his people's way of life, to respect the land that nurtured them and protect its resources. He is a strong student but does not see himself completing college.As these composite portraits illustrate, when rural students aspire to-and seekpostsecondary education, they frequently face a difficult choice. For many, postsecondary education is the first step away from the small rural community in which they were raised: a move Correspondence should be sent to Barbara Peterson,

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Rural postsecondary encouragement through a land grant university county extension office

Musoba,

Lopez

2023

New Drctns Hghr Edu

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Rural students graduate from high school at higher rates but go to college at lower rate than their urban and suburban peers. To take on the educational attainment challenge for rural students, we need to know more about postsecondary encouragement programs. This study examined a pilot postsecondary encouragement program in 11 rural high schools with two questions: How do high school counselors support students’ plans for life after high school through a land‐grant outreach program? How is a university outreach program utilized in these schools? This qualitative case study used 17 individual interviews with school counselors and county extension agents. According to school counselors, the postsecondary encouragement program increased financial aid applications and student interest in college going. County extension agents were a trusted bridge between the program and the local high schools. Tracking student milestones helped school counselors serve all students, and program experts provided workshops for students and parents. Campus visits helped students visualize themselves as college students, yet financial concerns dominated the students’ college choices.Practical Takeaways Postsecondary encouragement through information from experts combined with local support can be a cost‐effective intervention to increase rural students’ college going. Counselors tracking all students for college and career readiness milestones ensure all students are given the message that they are college material, a predictor of enrollment. Counselors and students lack clear information about costs and financial aid availability, but these are important to rural families’ decisions. Local county extension agents can serve as the bridge between the rural student population and the 4‐year universities. Extension agents and school counselors gave credibility to outside experts.

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Preparing for Adulthood: A Recent Examination of the Alignment of Rural Youth’s Future Educational and Vocational Aspirations

Cited by 36 publications

References 40 publications

An Examination of the Expected Timing of Transitions into Adulthood among Rural Men and Women

An Examination of the Expected Timing of Transitions into Adulthood among Rural Men and Women

Rural Students in Washington State: STEM as a Strategy for Building Rigor, Postsecondary Aspirations, and Relevant Career Opportunities

Rural postsecondary encouragement through a land grant university county extension office

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