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2014 World Cup preview and predictions

By Noah Frank

WASHINGTON — The 2014 FIFA World Cup has finally arrived. For football (or soccer, domestically) fans around the planet, the world’s biggest sporting event will officially kick off Thursday at 4 p.m., with host nation Brazil taking on Croatia in what may be their only test in the opening group, one they are heavily favored to win.

In fact, while the Brazilians rank third in the World FIFA Rankings behind both 2010 World Cup Champion Spain and European power Germany, they are the favorites in many peoples’ eyes to capture a record sixth title, and their first since 2002.

Meanwhile, much has been made about the United States’ poor draw, with the popular “Group of Death” term being tossed around. The 13th-ranked Americans (according to the FIFA World Rankings) will have to navigate through a field that includes the aforementioned Germans, fourth-ranked Portugal and a Ghana squad that has beaten the U.S. in each of the past two World Cups.

But only one group can really be called the Group of Death. That designation more appropriately (and fittingly) belongs to Group D, comprised of three top-10 squads, including England (10), Italy (9) and Uruguay (7), along with Costa Rica (28). Another group that ought to provide great drama early on will be Group B, which includes a trio of top-15 teams in Chile (14), Spain and The Netherlands (15), as well as Australia (62).

The U.S. Team begins its slate of games Monday, June 16 at 6 p.m. ET vs. Ghana. The Americans will play Portugal on Sunday, June 22 also at 6 p.m., and then finish group play vs. Germany Thursday, June 26 at 12 p.m.

Should they place in the top two in the group, the Men’s National Team will advance to the round of 16 for the second straight World Cup. The U.S. men made the semifinals back in 1930, but since have only once advanced as far as quarterfinals, in South Korea back in 2002.

Predictions

We’ve tasked our crack sports staff, along with a few other staffers here at WTOP, with trying to predict this year’s World Cup results. Members of the staff have submitted their picks, and will be assigned points based on the following system:

Predicted Winner: One point for every round advanced, plus an additional five points for correctly picking the champion.

U.S. Men’s National Team: Three points for correctly identifying how far the United States will advance.

Dark Horse: Two points for every round advanced. Must be outside of the top five in the current FIFA World Rankings.

Check out the photo gallery for each staff member’s picks. Stay tuned for much more coverage as the Cup kicks off, and be sure to check back to see which of our prognosticators takes down the title.

Follow @WTOP and @WTOPSports on Twitter and WTOP on Facebook. .

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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