Online students tend to be better off financially than on-campus students, but a new program at Oregon State University aims to even the playing field.
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"This discrepancy is rooted in the misconception that students who learn online have less financial need than those who learn on campus," says Shannon Riggs, who heads the university's Ecampus online education program.
"The aim of this new program is not to compare which student population needs assistance more."
In 2021, 48% of Ecampus undergraduate students were deemed to have "high financial need" compared to 29% of Oregon State's on-campus students, Riggs says.
The new program will offer assistance to students in fields such as technology, health care, and manufacturing.
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