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BRAZIL BEAT: Eliminated England reveals team early

By WTOP Staff

BELO HORIZONTE (AP) — Rarely before at the World Cup has a coach revealed his team in public the day before a match. With nothing to play for, England coach Roy Hodgson did just that Monday for the Group D finale against Costa Rica.

England will fly home after Tuesday’s game, eliminated by losses to Italy and Uruguay.

Hodgson wants to use the Costa Rica game to ensure all the members of the 23-man squad other than the injured Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain get on the pitch. So only Gary Cahill and Daniel Sturridge will have started all three games in Brazil. Frank Lampard comes in as captain as Steven Gerrard drops to the bench.

The full team is: Ben Foster; Phil Jones, Gary Cahill, Chris Smalling, Luke Shaw; James Milner, Frank Lampard, Jack Wilshere; Ross Barkley, Adam Lallana, Daniel Sturridge.

— By Rob Harris — www.twitter.com/RobHarris

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DUTCH CELEBRATE

AMSTERDAM (AP) — The streets of central Amsterdam were abandoned and nearly silent during the first 69 minutes of the Netherlands’ game against Chile on Monday.

Fans huddled around television sets at home and in cafes. Around 20,000 people, nearly all in orange, watched on giant screens in Amsterdam’s Museum Square.

But a deafening roar echoed around the city when Leroy Fer scored the first goal, and horns and cheering continued through the rest of the 2-0 victory that clinched first place in Group B. After that, partygoers spilled out onto streets and canals, some shouting, others dancing.

An estimated half of the country’s 17 million population watched the match, and that percentage is expected to increase as the team progresses further.

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FOOTBALL & FAITH

SAO PAULO (AP) — Hours before Brazil’s match Monday, several men set up on either side of enormous Avenida Paulista to pass out their booklets.

“Vitoria 2014,” written in 13 languages, reminds everyone their Christian beliefs are not about football victories at all.

The pamphlet quoted Bible verses and referenced the Olympics in ancient Greece.

— By Janie McCauley — www.twitter.com/JanieMcCAP

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CATCHING ATTENTION

FORTALEZA, Brazil (AP) — On Brazil’s waterfront, getting people’s attention at the World Cup is hard work.

Fans visiting Fortaleza have to work their way past cotton candy sellers, nearly life-sized cut-out figures of football stars, inline skaters, outdoor projectors set up by evangelical Christian groups, even children’s parties on rolling trains with dancers dressed as Spider-Man and Peppa Pig.

But a circus performing in the city may have figured out a way to top them all: It’s using a small airplane, fitted with loudspeakers to tout “tonight’s grand spectacle.”

The circus puts on nightly performances, featuring clowns, acrobats, high-wire acts, and antics with performers in two-man zebra costumes.

Locals pay little notice to the blue promotion plane that buzzes the beach every afternoon, blaring out music and its message in Portuguese — in a city that appears to have a fairly lax attitude to air transport.

Police helicopters hover low over Fortaleza’s Arena Castelao on match days, and some of the upscale high-rise buildings on the seafront have helipads to dodge the occasional heavy traffic.

— By Derek Gatopoulos — www.twitter.com/dgatopoulos

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AVOIDING BRAZIL

SAO PAULO (AP) — Fans sporting Chile’s red and the Netherlands’ orange streamed into Itaquerao Stadium on Monday. But it was another color they had on their minds: yellow.

With both teams having already comfortably advanced to the next round, even the most loyal fans were less interested in the opponent of the day but rather who they would face next. The consensus? Avoid host Brazil at any cost.

Even though Brazil has not impressed thus far, its vast experience and home field advantage is something to fear, said Jeroen Klink, a 51-year-old Dutch fan wearing the No. 10 jersey of star midfielder Wesley Sneijder.

“Brazil would be really tough. They are still growing into the tournament,” he said. “There is lots of pressure to avoid Brazil.”

The second-place team will meet the winner of Group A — probably the host nation, depending on its result against Cameroon — with the group winner likely facing an easier time against either Croatia or Mexico. A smoother path to the later stages of the tournament looms as well.

While a draw would be enough for the Dutch, Chile has to win to finish on top. Its fans are feeling even more pressure.

“We don’t want to play Brazil,” said Enrique Lanzerini, 35, from Santiago. “Chile always loses to Brazil. Anyone else Chile can beat, but not Brazil. It’s psychological.”

Amid the sea of red and orange, a spattering of yellow jerseys could also be seen in the stands — hometown fans on hand to enjoy the showdown and scope out their next opponent.

Lais Romao, a 61-year-old Brazilians from Americana, said he figured most of the locals would be pulling for the orange.

“Holland is better than Chile, but in football anything can happen,” he said. “Holland has eliminated us before, so I prefer Chile — they are afraid to play us.”

— By Aron Heller — www.twitter.com/aronhellerap

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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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