Exploring Tennessee rural student memorable messages about higher education

Rural college students face many challenges when attempting to pursue higher education, including increased distance from colleges and universities, lower income levels, and a lack of resources and preparation for higher education. This is a crucial issue in Tennessee, as Tennessee ranks 27th nationally in education, with only 38.90% of the state's population holding a college degree. With the majority of counties in Tennessee being classified as rural, exploring rural college students’ understanding of higher education is important for ensuring access to education for all citizens. This study utilized vocational anticipatory socialization (VAS) and memorable messages to explore rural college students’ interest in higher education. Data were collected through an online survey and analyzed using descriptive statistics and thematic qualitative coding. Responses from 84 rural college students showed that family members were the most influential source to encourage higher education and peers as the most influential source to discourage higher education. The content of messages showed rural students received messages around success seeking, meeting expectations, and personal fulfillment. The findings are discussed considering theoretical implications for VAS and memorable message research, as well as practical implications for the state of Tennessee's educational system.