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World Cup hits online streaming record, buzz soars

By WTOP Staff

BARBARA ORTUTAY
AP Technology Writer

SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — Moments after Uruguayan striker Luis Suarez sunk his teeth into an opposing Italian player during Tuesday’s World Cup match-up, brands were using the incident to market burgers on Twitter.

Suarez’s mid-game snack –and Italian forward Mario Balotelli’s Twitter plea for a kiss on the cheek from Queen Elizabeth– drew massive online attention this week as the initial group stage matches played out. More than 300 million tweets have been sent about the World Cup so far, and Google has logged over 1.1 billion searches related to the world’s most popular sporting event.

While the tournament’s June 12 kickoff game between Brazil and Croatia still drew the most tweets of any match, people paid more attention to this week’s games, at least as measured by matches they viewed online.

Here’s a look at how the World Cup fared online this week:

— STREAMING TRAFFIC SOARS

Thursday’s concurrent U.S. vs. Germany and Portugal vs. Ghana games hit a peak of 6.8 terabits per second in online streaming traffic, according to Akamai Technologies Inc., which helps companies distribute online video and works with more than 50 World Cup online streaming rights holders worldwide. That rate of consumption is a new high for a live-streamed sporting event that Akamai has delivered and “very easily one of –if not the– largest live events that’s been delivered on the platform,” said spokesman Chris Nicholson.

Unlike during previous World Cups, this year even U.S. cord-cutters were able watch group stage matches online, as TV providers such as Univision offered free streaming on its website and mobile apps. ESPN is also streamed the matches, but it required pay-TV credentials.

— ONCE BITTEN…STILL HUNGRY?

Before he bit Italy’s Giorgio Chiellini, Suarez received about 100,000 mentions on Twitter, according to the short messaging service. After the bite: Two million. Brands from burger chains to candy bar makers used the chomping as an opportunity to market their arguably more appetizing goods. “Chew Trident, not soccer players,” read one tweet from the gum maker. “If only Suarez had Whataburger before the game he wouldn’t be so hungry,” read another from the Texas-based hamburger chain.

— POPULARITY CONTEST

Portugal’s Cristiano Ronaldo is beating longtime rival Lionel Messi of Argentina — at least when it comes to Google searches of his name, according to the Internet giant. On Twitter, though, Messi kept the top spot as the most tweeted-about player, followed by Brazil’s Neymar Jr. and post-bite Suarez. Ronaldo, meanwhile, came in at No. 4.

— PHOTO SHOOTS

On Instagram, the popular Facebook-owned photo-sharing app, soccer fans used hashtags such as #WorldCupPets, #WorldCupPup and #FifaCat to tag photos of their pets decked out in World Cup gear. Players, including U.S. forward Clint Dempsey, meanwhile, took part in the app’s “TBT,” or “Throwback Thursday” trend, posting photos of their younger selves. Dempsey sent out a yearbook photo. A question above his smiling photo reads “Where do you hope to be five years from now?” Dempsey’s answer reads “Playing professional soccer in Europe.”

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Reach Barbara Ortutay on Twitter at https://twitter.com/BarbaraOrtutay

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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