A large number of rural Students become overwhelmed with the challenges of being a student, parent and provider in a new environment and drop out of college. The challenges faced by rural students moving from their community to Whitehorse to pursue post-secondary studies are many.  Often the pressures of adjusting to a totally strange new lifestyle and culture do not allow the students to focus and participate fully in their courses. As a result they leave and go back home or they are asked to leave because of poor attendance and failing grades. This is costly to the students, their career, self-esteem and goal of being a vibrant part of ongoing valuable contributions to the future of their community; it is costly to the First Nation or the funding agencies involved in terms of dollars invested.

Generally, rural students are not always prepared in advance for the realities of life in the city.  They may have limited awareness of the reality of life in an urban setting and even though they may feel prepared before they leave their community, moving to the larger center is often a big shock. Issues such as becoming homesick, being shy, exposed to easy access and abuse of substances, unaware of the geographical layout of key facilities such as daycares, schools, laundry facilities and bus stops can be major stresses.  This unfamiliarity can contribute to an inability to focus, inability to progress in school and inability to get grounded. Being separated from their culture and family, rural students are generally reluctant to use counseling services.