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‘Just relief’ for Marcelo, Brazil after own goal

By WTOP Staff

GERALD IMRAY
AP Sports Writer

SAO PAULO (AP) — It wasn’t meant to start this way for Brazil.

Defender Marcelo turned and stared off into the distance, his eyes wide open in disbelief after his own goal early in the opening game of Brazil’s great World Cup party.

“It was kind of sad,” he said.

It was almost devastating for the home team.

The vast majority of the 62,000 fans packed into Itaquerao Stadium on Thursday were just as stunned by the 11th-minute error and Croatia’s surprise lead. This was not how they saw it going on opening night.

The Real Madrid player stood still for a moment, bewildered, after skewing his attempted clearance past goalkeeper Julio Cesar and into his own net in the first World Cup game in Brazil in 64 years. Cesar glared at him, then pushed his hands downward in a calming motion toward his teammate.

“It was very tense,” Marcelo said. “The game was very intense.

“I stayed calm because if I let myself get down I would have hurt the team. It’s not the first time that this has happened, so you have to stay relaxed to help the team.”

Luckily for Marcelo, and the country that longs to win the World Cup on home soil, forward Neymar rescued the game with two goals and Oscar sealed a 3-1 win. That final, victory-clinching goal prompted Marcelo to run and leap into the arms of Cesar, his despair turned to joy. He fell to his knees, arms pumping out in front of him, and kissed his shirt.

“It was a spontaneous hug,” he said. “I know how hard it was to get to this point. And it was just relief.”

Marcelo, more than any other player, appeared to experience the same roller-coaster of emotion that the sea of yellow-shirted fans at the Itaquerao and throughout the host nation must have been going through.

Brazil’s win may not have been completely convincing, but the five-time champion, which lost in the final when it hosted its only other World Cup in 1950, showed some grit to come back after Marcelo’s mistake.

“It was very early in the match, but it felt good that we could recover quickly and we could turn around the score,” Marcelo said. “It showed how ready we are for the World Cup.”

___

Follow Gerald Imray at www.twitter.com/GeraldImray

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 This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.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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