The nonmetro dropout rate fell sharply between 1975 and 1993, closing the nonmetro-metro gap in high school completion, but only narrowing the nonmetro-suburban gap. Despite these gains, more than 10 percent of rural young people still do not finish high school and face bleak employment prospects. Low parental education and family income are the biggest barriers to reducing the rural dropout rate. High school students also appear to have unrealistic educational and occupational aspirations that may indicate a serious disconnection between school and work.