Compared with other universities and colleges across the country, fewer students at Ohio University come from the top 1 percent of the income scale.
According to a New York Times report, less than 1 percent of OU students come from families who are in the top 1 percent of the income scale. However, about 33 percent of students fall in the bottom 60 percent.
For comparison, Washington University in St. Louis has the most students from the top 1 percent of the income scale, with about 22 percent of its students being in that category. OU, however, ranks 622nd when it comes to students in the top 1 percent.
"Students from all backgrounds and walks of life are drawn to Ohio University for its distinctive, transformative learning environment, and, regardless of their socioeconomic background, students at OHIO are changed by their experiences here," said Director of Student Financial Aid and Scholarships Valerie Miller. "We believe that our generous financial aid and scholarship packages support students as they strive to become their best selves."
Compared with other Mid-American Conference schools, which include OU, Miami University, Bowling Green State University, the University of Toledo, Kent State University and the University of Akron, OU has the second-most students from the top 1 percent. Miami University has the most with 7 percent, and the University of Toledo has the least. About 45.7 percent of students at the University of Toledo come from the bottom 60 percent.
The data for the colleges and universities were based on anonymous tax filings and tuition records, according to the New York Times. Previously, “the most widely available data on the economic makeup of college students came from government statistics on Pell grants,” the story said.
Pell grants, a subsidy the U.S. federal government provides for students who need it to pay for college, are typically given to students in the bottom 40 percent of income distribution. About 15.6 percent of OU students fall into that category.
When it comes to supporting low-income students, however, some may wonder what financial aid looks like at each. OU provides more than $400 million in financial aid each year, university spokesman Dan Pittman, said. That aid encompasses institutional, federal, state and private funding.
The university also established the OHIO Signature Awards Program, a set of scholarships and grants designed to optimally balance financial support and recognize the achievements and contributions of incoming freshman students.
“The OHIO Signature Awards program provided institutional merit and need-based funding to 81 percent of the incoming freshman class on the Athens Campus in 2016-17,” Pittman said.
However, the 2018 Princeton Review ranked OU on its "Financial Aid Not So Great" list. The university was listed in 11th place for 2018. In 2017, it placed sixth. No other MAC schools appeared on that list.
