Rural Recruits: How Admissions Offices at Minnesota's Private Colleges Are Expanding Their Reach

Growing up in Worthington, Oliver Wolyniec first heard about Carleton College (MN) from some close family friends who had gone there themselves. The prospect piqued his interest because it met his criteria of offering a high-quality education and of not being too far away from home, he said.  Like Wolyniec, other rural students often qualify for financial aid and supports earmarked for low-income and/or first-generation students. But the push at many private colleges and universities in Minnesota to attract and retain students based on their rural status, specifically, is a lesser-known facet of ensuring equitable access.