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Croatian fans count on spirit as small in numbers

By WTOP Staff

JANIE McCAULEY
AP Sports Writer

SAO PAULO (AP) — Robert Muselimovic and his two buddies encountered brightly dressed Brazilians and offered friendly greetings of “Viva Brazil!”

The Croatian contingent of fans was far outnumbered at Itaquerao Stadium for the World Cup opener Thursday against five-time champion Brazil, yet Muselimovic and others were counting on their spirit and ever-upbeat personalities to carry the 18th-ranked Croatians against one of the favorites playing at home on a day declared a national holiday because of the sheer magnitude of this match.

After taking the early lead, Croatia lost 3-1, with small pockets of fans among the 62,103 people in the the stadium. A large contingent packed one upper level behind a goal.

“There are a little number of us but we are very loud people,” Muselimovic said. “We have a great team. We are very proud people and we love our country, our players, and we are going to support them with all our hearts.”

Some 5,500 Croatian fans were expected to occupy seats in the stadium, while some predicted another 5,000 or so Croatians were in the city decked out in those recognizable red and white checked uniforms ready to “do our best to help our guys achieve a historic victory,” said Muselimovic, an attorney who lives in Bosnia-Herzegovina.

Across the sprawling city, one Brazilian put his arm around a Croatian on Thursday morning and offered “good luck,” then stuck out his camera phone to click a selfie of the two in their contrasting outfits.

That sportsmanship seemed to be the norm hours before kickoff on a picture-perfect day under blue skies near the end of Brazil’s autumn.

“Why not?” said Muselimovic. “Nothing in the world is so unifying like football.”

In the area surrounding the stadium, people took in the scene from balconies and busy streets.

Josip Galesic, who speaks little English, observed the lively atmosphere and warm day — it was 77 degrees Fahrenheit with a light breeze, and similar to a Croatian summer — and repeated “super” with a big smile and a double thumbs up. He and his son, Davor, figured they had already posed for some 50 photos more than four hours before kickoff.

The 26-year-old from Zagreb enjoyed the pregame camaraderie with Brazilian fans who engulfed him in a sea of yellow, noting, “I don’t know what it will be after the game when we beat them.”

They couldn’t quite believe their fortunes to secure tickets to the opener, let alone against the home country.

“If you could choose to get the opening match against the five-time winner, in the world of football this is a dream,” Davor Galesic said. “The only better match would be if we met them in the final.”

Josip Pejic, from the small town of Buje in western Croatia, believed in his team’s aggressive, tactical style.

“Brazil is the best team in the world. We are the Brazilians of Europe. If anyone can beat Brazil, it is us,” he said. “We don’t have anything to lose.”

___

AP Writer Aron Heller contributed to this report.

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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