Amherst College and other selective institutions are turning toward rural recruitment, moving from getting students to apply to helping admitted students enroll and persist. Amherst’s admissions team hosted rural admitted applicants for a two-day visit, part of the STARS College Network—an effort designed to reach students from small towns and rural areas at a stage where enrollment can break down. The initiative, funded with $20 million from University of Chicago trustee and alumnus Byron Trott, was built after he found only 3% of his alma mater’s students came from rural backgrounds despite rural residents comprising nearly a quarter of the U.S. population. The next step is addressing gaps in going-straight-to-college rates among rural graduates. The campaign matters for student success metrics because it targets both access and transition—helping students move from admission offers to actual matriculation. Amherst’s example suggests selective colleges are increasingly using tailored engagement models rather than broad-based outreach to close rural participation gaps. The effort also reflects admissions capacity decisions: if selective schools want demographic diversity and tuition stability, they may need year-round recruitment strategies aligned to rural barriers rather than generic marketing.