Limited research exists on rural student career development from a counseling perspective. Much of the existing research focuses on the high school years and their implications for college. However, career development theory and identity models speak to the formation of self-efficacy and academic aspirations within the elementary years. Rural students face unique barriers to their academic achievement including lack of role models, geographic isolation from educational resources, a high proportion of persistent poverty, and increased attachment to local place. This quantitative dissertation explores the relationship between place attachment, academic self-efficacy, and academic aspirations in rural elementary students. This dissertation begins with an overview of the research on rural student academic aspirations along with the subsequent impact of the variables of academic self-efficacy, gender, race, grade level, parent education level, and place attachment. While studies on rural high school students have noted the relationship between place attachment and academic aspirations, the same has not been studied at the elementary level. The present study sought to find if place attachment moderated the impact of academic self-efficacy on the academic aspirations of rural elementary students after controlling for gender, race, grade level and parental education level. The sample consisted of 92 students in the 4th through 6th grades across two elementary schools in the northeastern United States. This exploratory study was limited and changed from its original design due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Data collection began shortly before the COVID-19 pandemic; however, data collection had to be halted due to schools closing. Data analysis and methods were adjusted to account for this with details noted in the study. Independent t-test analyses were used for the first research question, a correlational analysis for the second, hierarchical multiple linear regression was conducted for the third and fourth research questions. The scales utilized were the Place Attachment Scale (Raymond, Brown, and Weber, 2010), the Self-Efficacy Formative Questionnaire Personal Ability Subscale (Gaumer, Erickson, Soukup, Noonan, & McGurn, 2016), the Children's Academic Aspirations Scale (Bandura, Barbaranelli, Caprara, & Pastorelli, 2001), and a demographic survey developed by the researcher. Hierarchical multiple regression analyses indicated that academic self-efficacy was significantly related to academic aspirations after controlling for sociodemographic variables. Independent t-tests indicated differences in place attachment based on level of rurality. Contrary to the researcher's hypothesis, place attachment failed to have a significant relationship with academic aspirations after academic self-efficacy was entered into the model. However, place attachment moderated the relationship between academic self-efficacy and academic aspirations. Aspects of place attachment, that is, place identity, place dependence, nature bonding, and family bonding, moderated the relationship between academic self-efficacy and academic aspirations in a similar manner. The discussion section further explores these results and their implications for school counselors, counselor educators, and counseling researchers. [The dissertation citations contained here are published with the permission of ProQuest LLC. Further reproduction is prohibited without permission. Copies of dissertations may be obtained by Telephone (800) 1-800-521-0600. Web page: http://www.proquest.com/en-US/products/dissertations/individuals.shtml.]