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Louisville officially becomes an ACC member

By WTOP Staff

GARY B. GRAVES
AP Sports Writer

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (AP) — Louisville athletic director Tom Jurich just smiled while looking over the housewarming package the Atlantic Coast Conference had waiting for the Cardinals.

It confirmed his belief that his school made the right move.

There was the crystal-and-wood championship trophy the school aims to win, a backdrop featuring the Cardinal and league logos, and a black-and-white welcome plaque. After bouncing around in three other leagues over 19 years, Tuesday marked Louisville’s official entry into the ACC. The Cardinals are replacing Maryland after it joined the Big Ten along with Rutgers.

In a news conference that included ACC Commissioner John Swofford and Louisville President James Ramsey, Jurich said, “We’re not the biggest, we’re not the best, but we’re going to work our butts off to make you very, very proud.”

Jurich stressed Louisville’s long-term commitment to that end, and Swofford expressed confidence that this will be a permanent relationship.

The commissioner already believes the Cardinals’ presence bolsters the ACC’s strong resume’ including men’s basketball powerhouses North Carolina and Duke and defending BCS football champion Florida State.

“It’s more than fair to say from an historical and success standpoint, we are now the strongest collection of basketball programs that have ever been assembled,” Swofford said, “and we will have four of the five active Hall of Fame coaches on the sidelines this year.”

That list includes Cardinals men’s coach Rick Pitino, who was absent from the news conference. But he echoed Swofford’s belief in a statement that said “we’re very, very excited to be joining the ACC.”

Louisville football coach Bobby Petrino was also absent, but said in a release that “we are thrilled this day has finally arrived.”

Though Maryland’s departure for the Big Ten opened the door for Jurich to call Swofford and ask that Louisville be considered as a replacement, the commissioner said the school had been on its radar as a candidate for expansion. However, the sudden vacancy created an urgency in which the conference weighed Louisville’s academic and athletic qualities over 11 days.

Swofford said Louisville’s strengths in both areas made the decision obvious. The ACC’s invitation ended up sparking a remarkable run of success that’s been called “The Year of the Cardinal.”

Louisville’s football team won the Sugar Bowl. Both basketball teams reached the championship games with the men claiming the school’s third title. Baseball capped the year with the first of back-to-back College World Series berths.

Ramsey said the school’s “upward trajectory” will continue as it joins an elite conference, adding, “I can think of no greater home or neighborhood that we would like to be associated with and be part of than the Atlantic Coast Conference.”

From Jurich’s end, Tuesday culminated a long process that began with membership in Conference USA when he arrived in 1997 before he led them to the basketball-strong Big East in 2005. Louisville had sought to join the Big 12, which instead plucked West Virginia from that league.

Even after accepting the ACC invitation, the Cardinals stayed in the Big East through its makeover as the American Athletic Conference following the departure of Catholic member schools that took the name with them to an upstart league. Louisville’s programs have thrived at each stop and aim to be competitive right away in the ACC.

The Cardinals now get to reunite with some old Big East foes in Syracuse, Pittsburgh and Notre Dame, not to mention creating some new rivalries along Tobacco Road. Jurich expects Louisville fans to travel wherever the school plays and hopes that its nomadic existence has ended.

“We’ve been through four conferences in my 17 years, so hopefully this is the last one,” Jurich said. “I couldn’t be more happy for that.”

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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