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Country singer Brantley Gilbert ‘doing the double’

By WTOP Staff

DAVE SKRETTA
AP Sports Writer

Turns out Kurt Busch isn’t the only one doing the double Memorial Day weekend.

Country music star Brantley Gilbert is planning to attend the Indianapolis 500 on May 25 as part of the sponsorship of 19-year-old Sage Karam, and then hop a flight to Charlotte in time to perform a pre-race concert for the Sprint Cup race that night.

“I think my label’s goal and my management’s goal the whole week is they’re legitimately trying to kill me,” Gilbert told The Associated Press on Monday. “But if I sat down for 5 minutes without anything to do, I’d lose my mind. That’s kind of how we roll.”

Big Machine Label Group has a longstanding relationship with Chip Ganassi Racing Teams. So as part of the release of Gilbert’s latest album, “Just As I Am,” the label is planning a marathon day at the races that will make Gilbert hard to miss.

Along with landing his likeness on Karam’s IndyCar and the No. 1 Chevrolet driven by Jamie McMurray for the Sprint Cup race, the country crooner will also be featured in some fashion on IndyCars driven by defending champion Tony Kanaan, Charlie Kimball, Scott Dixon and Ryan Briscoe, and an entry in the Nationwide race at Charlotte Motor Speedway.

“This is just the perfect way to finish up our week,” Big Machine President Scott Borchetta told AP. “It’s just a great way to tie everything together.”

Gilbert’s third studio album hits stores May 19, and he’ll be promoting it with a six-day motorcycle ride that starts two days later in Athens, Georgia. The ride continues with stops in South Carolina and North Carolina before finishing at Arlington National Cemetery on Memorial Day.

Of course, with a slight detour to Indianapolis.

Gilbert is partnering on the ride with The Folds of Honor Foundation, which provides support for the families of soldiers killed or disabled in service.

“I’m a huge supporter of our military, and Memorial Day’s been an important day for me for quite a while,” he said. “What better place to finish than Arlington?”

Gilbert also has been a big NASCAR fan for years, and has attended several Brickyard 400s. But he’s never been to an IndyCar race, and the winner of the Academy of Country Music’s New Male Artist award marveled at the speed Monday after watching Karam turn a few laps.

“I knew my name was going to be on the car but I didn’t know my face was going to be on it,” Gilbert said with a laugh. “Pretty good to know the car is going to be going 230 mph.”

Gilbert was also impressed by Karam, the reigning Indy Lights champion, who is skipping his senior prom in Pennsylvania to attempt to qualify at Indy.

“I’m telling you what, man, that guy can drive the hell out of that car,” Gilbert said. “It was awesome to watch. To be so young, I didn’t know what to expect.”

If nothing else, Karam should feel good about the sponsorship: Big Machine was also involved with winning cars driven by Dan Wheldon in 2011 and Dario Franchitti in 2012.

“It’s not often you get to work with someone like Brantley Gilbert, who is not only a race fan but also has plenty of fans in racing,” Chip Ganassi Racing President Steve Lauletta said. “Memorial Day weekend will be a fun time for all of us.”

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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