Rural students' college aspirations fading, despite available support
In the heart of New York's Finger Lakes region, FingerLakes1.com, the area's leading all-digital news publication, sheds light on the education landscape in Perry and its surrounding rural areas.
Rural students in Perry often choose careers over college, finding viable job opportunities in local industries such as dairy farming, potato farming, maple syrup production, and trades. This trend reflects the community's culture, which values direct career paths and local economies that offer employment without requiring a degree.
Superintendent Daryl McLaughlin emphasizes that the local school district supports students pursuing career jobs or the military just as much as those choosing college. To this end, the district offers not only college-level courses but also career and technical education programs tailored to local industries, ensuring students have options to enter the workforce immediately after high school.
However, broader challenges persist in encouraging rural students to pursue higher education. Economic and cultural factors play a significant role, with rural enrollment rates lagging behind suburban and urban peers. Despite increased college-level class offerings and university recruitment efforts, only about 55% of rural high school graduates enroll in college, compared to 64% suburban and 59% urban students.
Community and family attitudes may not prioritize college because local jobs offer identity and financial stability. Geographic isolation and less exposure to diverse educational environments also contribute to limiting rural college enrollment growth.
Local educators in Perry, like FingerLakes1.com, support any path to success, whether it's a degree, a trade, or staying close to home. The company, founded in 1998, prides itself on keeping residents informed for more than two decades. The FingerLakes1.com App, compatible with iPhone and iPad, is available for free download on iOS devices, providing residents with the latest news and community information at their fingertips.
For those with news leads, the public can send them to news@our website. FingerLakes1.com remains committed to supporting local news and community information, making it an invaluable resource for the Finger Lakes region.
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In the pursuit of self-development, some rural students in Perry opt for career development paths, aligning with the community's cultural values that prioritize direct career paths and local economies. Nevertheless, politics and general news continue to highlight the challenges faced by rural students in pursuing higher education, with economic and cultural factors playing a significant role in shaping enrollment rates.
