New study links poor internet connections with lower grades and SAT scores for students in rural Michigan

A slow internet connection or limited access from home can put rural students behind academically, according to a newly published study from Michigan State University.

Researchers found that students in rural Michigan with no home internet access and those who depend on a cell phone for their only access had grade-point averages about half a point lower, on average, than those with fast access. Such students were also less likely to say they were planning to attend college. Students with greater home internet access tended to have better overall technology skills, and that was correlated with a higher SAT score.

The gaps existed even after the researchers controlled for income, race, ethnicity, and parental education. Though the sample size was limited to nearly 3,300 teens in 15 school districts, the results are likely applicable elsewhere in the U.S.