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Harvin feeling fast, healthy for Seahawks

By WTOP Staff

TIM BOOTH
AP Sports Writer

RENTON, Wash. (AP) — After the surgery and the rehabilitation, the setbacks and finally the triumph in the Super Bowl, a simple voluntary offseason workout has more meaning for Percy Harvin.

His appreciation is a byproduct of spending most of his first season with the Seattle Seahawks as a spectator.

“I’m just happy to be out here, I’m happy to be healthy right now,” Harvin said last month during the Seahawks’ organized team activities. “We’re all tuned into what we have to get done this next coming year so we’re all just out here working. It feels tremendously good to get back on the field and be as one.”

Having Harvin fully healthy and ready to go from the start will be key for the Seahawks when they get to the start of training camp in late July. There are still three more days of workouts next week during minicamp to get through, but so far this offseason has been nothing but a success for Harvin in finally getting fully integrated into Seattle’s offense.

Last season, Harvin pushed through the offseason workouts. It was a must in order to learn his new team, his new offense, his new quarterback after the trade that brought him to Seattle from Minnesota. But Harvin was never right, the pain in his hip never leaving.

“I knew I had pain, I didn’t know exactly what it was so I just kind of pushed through the whole last year in the offseason,” Harvin said.

The problem and what followed is now well known. Harvin had the labrum in his hip repaired and he played in only one regular-season game in 2013. He returned for the NFC divisional playoff game against New Orleans, only to get knocked out in the second quarter with a concussion. He missed the NFC championship game.

Of course, Harvin made his presence known on the biggest stage, with two big offensive plays in the first half of the Super Bowl and his 87-yard kickoff return for a touchdown to start the second half.

The Super Bowl proved to be Harvin’s springboard. Within a couple of weeks of the season ending, Harvin was texting teammates to make sure they were getting started on their offseason workouts. He took part with many of Seattle’s wide receivers, tight ends and running backs during a pseudo-camp in Southern California organized by quarterback Russell Wilson.

And Harvin’s been getting plenty of reps during the OTAs — all without pain.

“This is probably the best I’ve ever felt since before college,” Harvin said.

Having Harvin as a full participant gives Seattle a chance to try to sort out its receiving situation early. While there is depth in the group there are also questions. Will Sidney Rice be healthy enough to return and be a contributor? Can Doug Baldwin move to the outside to replace Golden Tate and be as effective as he was playing mostly in the slot in previous seasons?

And how can Seattle use Harvin’s skills to the fullest extent as long as he’s healthy from the start of the season?

“Percy is spending a lot more time out there so that is bringing a new element of speed,” Seattle cornerback Ricahrd Sherman said. “Our offense is coming up with some cool concepts. It’s a fun little chess game out there.”

NOTES: RB Marshawn Lynch was absent from the final OTA on Thursday, as he’s been during the Seahawks’ offseason program. Coach Pete Carroll was not made available to address reports that Lynch may skip next week’s mandatory minicamp. Lynch would be subject to fines of about $70,000 if he skips next week’s final three team sessions before the start of training camp in July. “We’d love to have him … As long as he does his thing on Sunday, I got no problems with him at all,” center Max Unger said.

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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