THIS REPORT OF SOME OF THE FACTORS INFLUENCING THE EDUCATIONAL AND OCCUPATIONAL PLANS OF RURAL HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS WAS DERIVED FROM A STUDY OF APPROXIMATELY 3,000 JUNIOR AND SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS IN ILLINOIS. THE STUDY TRIED TO DETERMINE THE APTITUDES AND SKILLS POSSESSED BY RURAL YOUTH, TO FIND THE PERSONAL AND SOCIOPSYCHOLOGICAL CHARACTERISTICS OF THESE YOUTH, AND TO DETERMINE THE KINDS OF EDUCATION AND TRAINING THAT WOULD BEST FIT THEM FOR THE CAREERS AND OCCUPATIONS AVAILABLE TO THEM. THE AUTHOR CONCLUDED THAT THE EDUCATIONAL AND VOCATIONAL NEEDS OF NONCOLLEGE PRONE RURAL YOUTH ARE NOT ADEQUATELY MET. THESE STUDENTS, WHO COMPRISE THE MAJORITY OF THE GRADUATING STUDENTS OF MOST RURAL HIGH SCHOOLS, DO NOT GET AS MUCH HELP IN FUTURE OCCUPATIONAL PLANNING AS THE COLLEGE PRONE, AND ARE POORLY PREPARED FOR THE LIVES THEY FACE AFTER THEY GRADUATE FROM HIGH SCHOOL. THIS ARTICLE IS A REPRINT FROM "ILLINOIS AGRICULTURAL ECONOMICS," JANUARY 1967. (DD)