A new pilot program at the University of Wisconsin-Madison is aiming to reverse the trend of declining rural student interest, according to the Wisconsin State Journal. The program, Wisconsin Rural Scholars, in mid-June brought students from seven small and rural high schools around the state to spend a week at the university and introduce them to the college environment.
The program was free for students to attend and funded by a grant from the U.S. Department of Agriculture. It aimed to mirror the college experience, with students attending lectures and labs across curricular areas, sleeping in dorms and learning about navigating financial aid. Students also developed “roadmaps” on how they planned to prepare for college by the week’s end.
The program is working to “demystify” the college experience and make it less intimidating for prospective students, said Tanya Cutsforth, the program’s director and a longtime college prep teacher.
