Amherst College ramped up its effort to improve rural student enrollment by hosting admitted-applicant visits designed to encourage the next step into college life. The initiative, built through STARS College Network (Small Town and Rural Students), follows a prior push to expand applications and addresses perceived gaps in recruitment reach at selective institutions. The recruiting campaign is supported by $20 million from Byron Trott, a University of Chicago alumnus and trustee, who said rural enrollment is underrepresented at his alma mater compared with rural population demographics. Reporting also cites federal and research findings that show rural high school graduation rates are high but college enrollment rates are lower than urban and suburban counterparts. The on-campus activities—including small-group engagement like fire-building and structured conversations—are aimed at translating acceptance into enrollment decisions for first-year cohorts. For colleges, the development underscores a shift toward success-oriented recruitment, where institutions use dedicated programming and travel-to-campus experiences rather than solely relying on traditional outreach and application funnels.