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BRAZIL BEAT: Van Gaal not thinking much about club

By WTOP Staff

SALVADOR, Brazil (AP) — Netherlands coach Louis van Gaal says that while he’s at the World Cup he is not thinking about his job next season. Well, not very much.

“The World Cup is a competition for nations; there are no clubs here. I am fully focused on the Dutch team and that’s it,” the 62-year-old Dutchman said as he prepared for Friday’s match with Spain.

Van Gaal demands intense focus from his players as they ready for a tough Group B that also includes Australia and Chile. But he says they sometimes have to let their hair down.

“I gave the players Monday afternoon and Tuesday morning off because they have to think about something else,” he said. “You can’t only be focused on the World Cup.”

That’s where his new club commitments come in.

“Maybe you could describe Manchester United as a welcome distraction,” he said.

Come next season, when he has to rebuild the club from its worst season in the English Premier League, Manchester United will have to be his sole focus.

— By Mike Corder — www.twitter.com/mikecorder

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LOST IN TRANSLATION

SAO PAULO (AP) — In Sao Paulo, a city that sees far fewer international tourists than the beaches of Rio de Janeiro, subway passengers marveled at the new bilingual public address announcements.

One man joked of the pronunciation of the words “next station” by a voice with a Brazilian accent. It’s a sign the city is adapting to the influx of visitors from abroad for the monthlong tournament.

Two young women laughed at the words, “Next station, bye bye.”

— Adriana Gomez Licon — www.twitter.com/agomezlicon

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NO NAPS

RIBEIRAO PRETO (AP) — The problem with afternoon kickoffs is that players have no time to take a relaxing pre-match snooze.

France plays its first two group matches — against Honduras and Switzerland — at 4 p.m. local time, and the final group game against Ecuador an hour later.

France team physio Eric Bedouet says the training sessions are being held at 4 p.m. to get the players’ bodies used to it.

“Training at 4 p.m. is very important for the matches. You have to prepare the body to withstand this hour, with practically no afternoon nap,” Bedouet said Thursday. “That’s also worth noting, because that’s not what happened before.”

The players are also battling the effects of jet lag.

“You have to recover from the journey well. That’s very important. After all, we had a 15-hour flight and that affects the body a lot. There’s a negative effect on the body,” Bedouet said. “You have to react quickly and reactivate the machine quickly. It takes longer or shorter depending on the player. Some players don’t need much recovery sleep, which is not the case for others.”

France risks a rude awakening against Honduras on Sunday, a side reputed for its bruising, physical style.

— By Jerome Pugmire — http://twitter.com/jeromepugmire

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SPAIN’s PRIORITIES

SALVADOR, Brazil (AP) — Spain’s priorities Thursday before its World Cup opener against the Netherlands were quite clear.

Train quickly because Brazil is playing shortly.

Spain, the reigning World Cup champ, practiced at Salvador’s Arena Fonte Nova hoping to get out in time to watch the kickoff of Brazil’s opening match against Croatia in Sao Paulo.

“We’d like to watch all the games at the World Cup,” Spain captain Iker Casillas said Thursday.

Spain faces the Netherlands on Friday in a rematch of the 2010 final, which it won 1-0. The Spaniards are also keeping an eye on the hosts, since Brazil thrashed them 3-0 in the Confederations Cup final last summer.

— By Paul Logothetis — www.twitter.com/PaulLogoAP

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NATAL READY?

NATAL, Brazil (AP) — The Arena das Dunas in Natal, which hosts the second game Friday between Mexico and Cameroon, had been a worry spot for FIFA when thousands of seats hadn’t been installed by late May.

But all the seats looked ready for fans Thursday when Mexico and Cameroon trotted out for their afternoon training sessions that were briefly open to reporters. The stadium is expected to hold 42,000.

The inside may be ready, but fans will find a work in progress on the outside, which was still marked by construction projects, fences and warning signs to keep pedestrians away from certain areas.

On one side of the stadium, a pedestrian walkway over a busy street wasn’t close to being done: It goes up one side but doesn’t come down.

— Jim Vertuno — www.twitter.com/JimVertuno

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RILED AT REFS

SAO PAULO (AP) — One game into the World Cup, and the referees are already receiving unwanted attention.

Brazil took the lead for good in the second half Thursday after striker Fred went down inside the area under light contact in the 71st minute. Neymar scored on the penalty to put the host country up 2-1.

Croatia later had a potential tying goal nullified in the 83rd minute after the referee called a foul by Ivica Olic on Brazil goalkeeper Julio Cesar.

Oscar’s goal in injury time for the final 3-1 score took a bit of pressure off the refs.

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SETTING OFF FIREWORKS

SAO PAULO (AP) — Fireworks went off across Sao Paulo when Neymar scored the tying goal for Brazil in the 29th minute.

He made a heart with his hands as he celebrated the perfectly placed low left-footed shot that bounced off the right post and in, after Marcelo’s own goal gave Croatia a shocking 1-0 lead in the World Cup opener.

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TEARS AND SONG

SAO PAULO (AP) — Tens of thousands of yellow-clad fans kept singing the national anthem after the music stopped, and tears streamed down goalkeeper Julio Cesar’s face.

Brazil’s World Cup has officially started.

Doves were released as a sign of peace, formally beginning the tournament before the hosts faced Croatia in the opener at Itaquerao Stadium.

— Janie McCauley — www.twitter.com/JanieMcCAP

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BOOS AMID CHEERS

SAO PAULO (AP) — In a otherwise joyous scene at Itaquerao Stadium, Brazilians briefly made their displeasure known.

Late in the opening ceremony before the first match of the World Cup on Thursday, fans loudly chanted and booed against Brazilian President Dilma Rousseff and soccer’s governing body, FIFA. Many in the nation have complained that spending on the World Cup and the 2016 Rio Olympics has diverted cash from the poor and infrastructure improvements.

The atmosphere was otherwise festive before Brazil faced Croatia. Jennifer Lopez, rapper Pitbull and pop star Claudia Leitte bounced around a giant stage resembling a peeled melon singing the World Cup theme “We Are One” as Brazilian band Olodum banged drums below on this nation’s Valentine’s Day.

— Janie McCauley — www.twitter.com/JanieMcCAP

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Associated Press reporters will be filing dispatches about happenings in and around Brazil during the 2014 World Cup. Follow AP journalists covering the World Cup on Twitter: https://twitter.com/AP_Sports/world-cup-2014

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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