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Wayne Rooney to start WCup warm-up match

By WTOP Staff

ROB HARRIS
AP Sports Writer

MIAMI GARDENS, Florida (AP) — Struggling up front for England, Wayne Rooney is set to be shunted to the left wing as coach Roy Hodgson experiments ahead of the World Cup in the team’s penultimate warm-up game.

If Rooney is as unimpressive against Ecuador in Miami Gardens on Wednesday, as he was in Friday’s 3-0 victory over Peru at Wembley Stadium, there will be growing reservations about Rooney’s right to start in Brazil. The Manchester United striker has now gone four matches without scoring for England, although he was returning from a month out with a groin injury against Peru.

Now is Rooney’s chance to show his versatility, even if it is out on the left flank where he complained previously he can’t express himself as much, with Rickie Lambert in line to lead the attack.

“He can do that (role), absolutely,” Hodgson said Tuesday at the Sun Life Stadium where England plays Ecuador. “I think Wayne’s a very useful player in the sense you don’t have to pin him down and say this is the only position he can play.

“He can play center forward, behind the center forward and wide. If he’s done all of those things at the very top level for Manchester United, there is no reason why I can’t use him in those positions as well.”

Hodgson is growing increasingly exacerbated about the level of scrutiny Rooney is under. It’s little surprise though when Rooney, who can be so explosive for Manchester United where he earns more than $400,000 a week, too often disappoints on international duty. Particularly at World Cups where Rooney failed to score at the 2006 and 2010 tournaments.

“You decide the epithets,” Hodgson said in a tetchy exchange with reporters. “You make him exceptional or, after the last game I understand, quite a few people made him less than exceptional. They criticized his performance. That’s your decision … I’m not saying if he’s exceptional or not. I have picked him because he is a very good player.”

Needing to prove his sharpness, Rooney is set to be the only player retained from the Peru game when England was far from convincing against a team that didn’t qualify for the World Cup.

“We think that he’s recovering his match fitness,” Hodgson said. “We think that starting a game will be to his advantage to play a part tomorrow, and we’ll see how long he plays and that will be based on how we think his fitness is progressing.”

In front of a likely crowd of 20,000 at the home of the NFL’s Miami Dolphins, Frank Lampard will take over the captain’s armband from Steven Gerrard as the Liverpool midfielder is rested from the starting lineup.

Jack Wilshere, who recently returned after breaking his right foot, is set to start alongside Lampard in midfield. Ross Barkley and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain are also in line to play.

The team features back-up goalkeeper Ben Foster with Chris Smalling and Phil Jones likely to be in central defense, Luke Shaw earning his second cap at left back and midfielder James Milner being tested at right back as cover for Glen Johnson.

“He’s got the qualities to play there,” Hodgson said of Manchester City’s Milner. “There may be moments in the World Cup where we’d like to use him there. This will give him some experience.”

___

Rob Harris can be followed at www.twitter.com/RobHarris

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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