The imbalances between the higher education participation of rural and urban Australians are significant and persistent. This study examined the attitudes, goals, and plans of Australian senior high school students via a survey of over 7,000 students in grades 10-12 in three states, complemented by interviews with about 350 students in 20 rural schools. Findings indicate that: (1) higher education participation for people in rural and isolated areas is affected less by distance from university campuses than by socioeconomic circumstances and the influences of rural social and cultural contexts; (2) rural students are more likely than urban students to perceive inhibitors to higher education such as the cost of living away from home or losing touch with friends, and to experience fewer encouraging factors such as parental encouragement or the belief that a university education will offer them an interesting and rewarding career; and (3) the cost of higher education is a serious barrier for rural students. Two cornerstone recommendations are for the creation of an integrated suite of education, family, and employment policies and the establishment of a high profile task force to oversee new initiatives in these areas. Seven other recommendations include exposing students to the value of higher education during their junior and middle years, introducing measures to reduce higher education costs for rural students, encouraging universities to seek enrollments from rural students, and improving prospects for graduate employment in rural Australia. Appendices contain details of methodology and percentages of rural, isolated, and lower-SES students at specific Australian universities. (Contains 36 references.) (TD)
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