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CB Hall recovering from Achilles tendon injury

By WTOP Staff

JOE KAY
AP Sports Writer

CINCINNATI (AP) — Bengals cornerback Leon Hall is happy with his recovery from a torn Achilles tendon and expects to be ready for the start of training camp in July.

Hall joined Bengals teammates for a voluntary workout on Monday. He’s running on schedule and expects to be ready for the season. Cincinnati holds its first training camp practice on July 23.

“What can I do? I can do it all, actually,” Hall said. “I feel comfortable pretty much doing anything, whether it’s straight ahead, lateral type stuff, jumping, landing. I think I’m pretty good to go with almost everything.”

The 29-year-old cornerback is going through a familiar comeback. He has torn both of his Achilles tendons in the last three years.

The Bengals’ top cornerback tore his left one during a game on Dec. 13, 2011, but made it back for the start of training camp the next year. He started 14 games in 2012 and played up to form despite the injury.

Last year, he tore his right Achilles tendon on Oct. 20 at Detroit. He’s following a similar schedule for the latest rehabilitation, which is going a little more smoothly than the first one.

“It’s easier in that sense, just as far as I’ve been through it,” Hall said. “I know if something is going wrong on a certain day that it’s not the end of the world. It’s not going to affect me negatively in the long run.

“Sometimes it’ll be more sore than on other days, a little more tender or whatnot. I used to get a little discouraged (during the first rehab), but now it is what it is. Just keep working, go past it. The soreness will go away and I’ll keep working.”

The Bengals’ defense finished third in the league last season but likely will be a focus in the draft this week.

Defensive end Michael Johnson left as a free agent, signing with Tampa Bay. Johnson was a disruptive pass rusher who got the team’s franchise label in 2013. Defensive tackle Geno Atkins is recovering from a torn knee ligament and it’s unclear when he’ll be ready to return.

“We’re really going to miss Michael Johnson,” defensive tackle Domata Peko said. “He brought a lot to the table as far as leadership and excellent play. But that’s what the name of the game is, next man up. We’ve got a lot of good defensive ends here.”

The Bengals also have questions at cornerback.

Terence Newman and Adam “Pacman” Jones turn 36 and 31 this year, respectively. Dre Kirkpatrick has struggled with injuries and inconsistency since the Bengals took him in the first round in 2012. Kirkpatrick appeared in 14 games last season, starting three.

Hall won’t be watching to see if the Bengals take any cornerbacks in the draft this week. The first round will be held on Thursday night.

“If they bring in five corners, they’re going to bring in five corners and honestly we’re going to try to coach them up just like we’re going to coach the guys that are already here,” Hall said. “So it’s not going to make any difference to me.”

Hall doesn’t pay much attention to the draft, which was stretched out over three days and moved from April to May this year.

“I used to when I first got here, and not just to see if they got cornerbacks,” he said. “I just liked to watch. Now, I don’t know, it’s just so long. It’s kind of like a spectacle. I’m kind of over it to be honest. I don’t really watch it anymore.”

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Follow Joe Kay on Twitter: http://twitter.com/apjoekay

Copyright 2014 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

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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