2026-09-22T14:12:06Z https://www.ideals.illinois.edu/oai-pmh

oai:www.ideals.illinois.edu:2142/129440 2025-10-20 col_2142_5131 col_2142_8800 com_2142_5130 com_2142_5132

application/pdf en text Submission original under an indefinite embargo labeled 'Open Access'. The submission was exported from vireo on 2025-10-19 without embargo terms The student, Corinne Smith, accepted the attached license on 2025-04-23 at 20:30. The student, Corinne Smith, submitted this Dissertation for approval on 2025-04-23 at 20:44. This Dissertation was approved for publication on 2025-04-24 at 13:17. DSpace SAF Submission Ingestion Package generated from Vireo submission #21935 on 2025-10-19 at 18:18:57 The unpaved road: examining the rural student experience and overcoming college access barriers Smith, Corinne A 2025-04-24 Lee, Sharon S Lee, Sharon Baber, Lorenzo Pak, Yoon Rockey, Marci Rural students Rurality College access barriers Overcoming barriers Highly selective institutions Highly selective university Ivy League Intersectional identities first-generation college students low-income students Socioeconomic status College generational status FGLI students Social Capital Theory Social capital Place-based lens Place attachment Sense of belonging Rural community College Admissions Application review, Holistic admissions Contextual admissions College transition Academic transition Social transition College choice College search Matriculation Knowledge gaps Experiential gap, Content gap, Contextual gap College-going tendencies College access High-achieving students Personal initiative eng Rural students graduate high school at rates on par with their urban and suburban counterparts, yet they are the least likely group to enroll in college (Gibbs, 2000; Lavalley, 2018; NCES, 2011; NCES, 2015; Smith et al., 1995). Moreover, rural students face distinctive challenges in accessing and completing a college education (Goldman, 2019; Guiffrida, 2008; Maltzan, 2006; Paterson, 2020). In many cases, these outcomes can be attributed to the overlap between rurality and students’ college generational or socioeconomic status (Byun et al., 2012; Donovan, 2018; Marré, 2014; Tieken, 2020). This dissertation explored the effects of rurality, along with first-generation and low- income status, on college-going tendencies. The study sought to understand the barriers facing rural college applicants as well as the ways high-achieving students have overcome them. A descriptive qualitative approach was utilized to investigate the experiences of first-generation and low-income rural students attending one highly selective university. This study revealed the implications of social capital on the college search, application, and matriculation processes. Further, it identified key knowledge gaps, which impacted participants’ transition to college. The findings suggest immense personal initiative and self-determination helped high-achieving rural students overcome college access barriers. Implications for theory and research include adding a unique perspective on Social Capital Theory’s concepts of sense of belonging and place attachment (Schaefer-McDaniel, 2004) as well as demonstrating how “community” is based on common knowledge and values rather than physical location (Plagens, 2011). Within policy and practice, applying a contextual review process when evaluating rural student applications and providing formal campus support systems are identified as critical to supporting the admission and transition of rural students. 2025-05 Thesis https://hdl.handle.net/2142/129440 Copyright 2025 Corinne Smith Educ Policy, Orgzn & Leadrshp Educ Policy, Orgzn & Leadrshp University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign Ed.D. Dissertation