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Crime Report: With Friends Like These Edition

By WTOP Staff

In this week’s Arlington County crime report, items were stolen from a house in the Ballston area after a juvenile house sitter invited friends over.

BURGLARY, 07/22/12, 4100 block of N. 11th Place. On July 22 at 8:54 pm, a male juvenile reported several items missing from the place he was house-sitting. The juvenile had invited friends over and realized once they left that a laptop, camera and money had been taken. Police are investigating.

The rest of this week’s crime report, after the jump.

HOMICIDE, 07/24/12, 4500 block of S. 31st Street. Between 9:30 pm on July 23 and 2:33 pm on July 24, a known subject murdered his significant other before committing suicide. The investigation is ongoing.

ARMED CARJACKING, 07/18/12, 2300 block of S. Joyce Street. Between 4:20 and 4:40 am on July 18, two unknown subjects brandished a firearm and assaulted a newspaper delivery woman. The subjects then drove off in her vehicle. The victim was not harmed. The subjects are described as black males, approximately 5’9” tall with average builds. They were wearing ski masks, sweaters and jeans at the time of the incident.

BURGLARY, 07/19/12, 300 block of N. Oxford Street. Between 8 am and 5:45 pm on July 19, an unknown subject(s) entered a residence through a back door and stole various items to include cash and power tools. There is no suspect description.

BURGLARY, 07/20/12, 3900 block of N. Wakefield Street. Between 10:30 am and 12:50 pm on July 20, an unknown subject(s) forced entry into a residence through the front door and stole numerous items of jewelry. There is no suspect(s) description.

BURGLARY, 07/22/12, 4700 block of S. Columbia Pike. Between 9 and 11:35 pm on July 22, unknown subject(s) gained access to a business by breaking the front door glass out and attempted to gain access to the safe, but were unsuccessful. There is no suspect(s) description.

BURGLARY, 07/22/12, 700 block of N. Monroe Street. Between 10 am and 7:30 pm on July 19, an unknown subject(s) entered a residence and stole a Kindle Fire. There is no suspect(s) description.

BURGLARY, 07/22/12, 5500 block of S. 7th Street. On July 22, unknown subject(s) gained entry to a locked residence and played beer pong. The subjects left the residence in disarray, then took the victims two vehicles. There is no suspect(s) description.

DESTRUCTION OF PROPERTY (SERIES), 07/23/12, 900 block of S. Monroe Street and 3600 block of S. 9th Street. Between 9:30 pm on July 22 and 6:50 am on July 23, an unknown subject(s) slashed the tires of numerous vehicles. There is no suspect(s) description.

STOLEN VEHICLES

07/21/12, VA AEK6746, 2002 Nissan Sentra, Silver, 2100 block of S. Jefferson Davis Highway
07/22/12, VA XBH-1046 (tags only)
07/24/12, 2009 BMW 650i, Black (no tags, dealership lot), 3100 block of Jefferson Davis highway


Don’t Settle for Student Loans to Pay for Online Education

By WTOP Staff
Online college programs are becoming a more popular choice for prospective students, with one study finding that more than 6 million students enrolled in at least one online course in fall 2015. The popularity of these courses can be attributed in part to their flexibility with working adults' schedules, students' ability to progress more quickly through online programs and, oftentimes, cheaper tuition. [See 10 low-cost online bachelor's programs for out-of-state students.]Online degrees can be beneficial to many college students, but some studies have shown online learners complete their programs at lower rates than students at traditional brick-and-mortar campuses. Individuals with student loans but no degree comprise two-thirds of defaulted borrowers. Though these numbers are not encouraging, just like for traditional programs, there are ways to reduce how much you'll need to borrow for an online program to ensure you won't become one of these statistics. Don't just settle on borrowing student loans to cover the whole cost of your program and living expenses. Instead, start thinking about how to cut costs and cover your balance in different ways, such as the following. -- Grants and scholarships: Even though you are taking an online course, you can still apply and receive grants and scholarships. But your first step should be to complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid, commonly referred to as the FAFSA, which will allow you to receive a Pell Grant if your expected family contribution is low enough. The EFC criteria and award amounts are adjusted annually, but the 2017-2018 academic year awards range from $606 to $5,920, which could significantly lower the amount you borrow annually. Your next step is to apply for scholarships. You can start by checking online scholarship search engines, such as the Salt Scholarship Search, College Board's BigFuture and Peterson's. But don't forget to take advantage of local organizations and your school's financial aid office. Both may offer scholarships that you can't find with a national scholarship search. [Review these 10 sites to kick off your scholarship search.]For instance, organizations like the Elks Club, Knights of Columbus or the Rotary Club typically offer scholarships annually to local students. Just because you're going to school online doesn't mean you're ineligible. Visit your local library for scholarship listings, and ask around town. You might be surprised how many local organizations offer scholarships. While these scholarships typically aren't large, every little bit counts. Each dollar you receive in a scholarship is a dollar you don't have to borrow and pay interest on. -- Work-study: Another option for online students may be work-study awards. Not all students enrolled in online programs are eligible, but students at some schools -- including, for example, SUNY Empire State College and Liberty University -- are. Work-study awards are not given upfront like scholarships and grants. In most cases, they are an offer to earn up to the awarded amount if you secure an eligible work-study job. While there is a misconception that all work-study jobs must be on campus, students can work for off-campus, nonprofit or public employers as long as the work is in the public's interest. You may be able to work for a for-profit employer if the job is relevant to your course of study. No matter who the outside employer is, it will need to have an established agreement with your college for you to receive work-study funds. Remember, to be eligible for federal financial aid, you must be enrolled and pursuing a degree or certificate. If you're not working toward a credential, Pell Grants and work-study won't be option, but you may still be able to take advantage of private scholarships -- just be sure to read the eligibility criteria carefully. [Explore what to know about financial aid in online programs.]-- Pay as you go: One of the great benefits to enrolling online is the flexible schedule, which can allow you to complete your college coursework around your responsibilities. But prospective students often overlook using their part- or full-time job earnings as an option for paying for college. Almost 80 percent of college students in 2015 worked at least part time while attending classes, according to the National Center for Education Statistics. By budgeting and thinking strategically about your college costs, you can likely reduce your dependence on student loans by paying a portion out of pocket. Many -- but not all -- online programs are less expensive than traditional programs and often have shorter payment periods. Six, eight or 10 weeks are common course durations. Because of the frequency of payments in an online setting, you may be well-placed to pay as you go and possibly avoid borrowing altogether. Attending college online and avoiding student loans may be challenging, but if you are willing to put in the effort, you can limit the amount you need to borrow. More from U.S. News Q&A: Understanding Student Loan Discharge Eligibility Student Loan Refinancing Isn't Right for All Borrowers
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