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Neymar unscathed by Brazil’s huge World Cup defeat

By WTOP Staff

TALES AZZONI
AP Sports Writer

BRASILIA, Brazil (AP) — Neymar will leave with his image untarnished by Brazil’s disastrous World Cup loss to Germany, widely seen as the player in charge of helping the national team recover from the historic home defeat.

Neymar’s first World Cup ended in disappointment when he was carried off the field on a stretcher with a fractured vertebra.

He was recovering at home when Brazil self-destructed in the 7-1 loss to Germany in the semifinals, helping shield him from attacks by critics ready to question his potential for greatness.

While Brazil’s national team will remain discredited for some time, Neymar’s World Cup will be remembered mostly for his good performances until the back injury prematurely ended his tournament.

Fans loudly booed Brazil’s entire team after the final whistle in the match against Germany last Tuesday. The criticism of players continued unabated and was likely to continue on Saturday when the hosts play the Netherlands for third place in Brasilia.

Neymar seems to be the only one being spared.

“Neymar is our only hero,” said Lucas Oliveira, a 15-year-old Brazilian fan in Brasilia. “The only reason Brazil lost the way it did was because Neymar wasn’t playing.”

The 22-year-old Neymar was carrying the nation’s hopes for a title at home until he took a knee in the back during the quarterfinal win over Colombia.

Neymar is expected to remain sidelined for another few weeks to fully heal from the lower back injury that resulted from a collision with Juan Camilo Zuniga.

Images of Neymar crying in pain were broadcast around the world, but from the beginning doctors said the injury was not serious enough to jeopardize his career.

He returned to Brazil’s training camp outside Rio de Janeiro on Thursday, when practice was stopped briefly so he could greet his teammates. Neymar is expected to be in Brasilia to support the team in the third-place match on Saturday.

His club, Barcelona, expects Neymar back in early August to continue a recovery process that it said is progressing “very well.” He should be fit for the team’s first friendly after the World Cup, likely against Colombia on Sept. 5.

Brazilian fans can’t wait to see him back on the field, knowing that playing well and winning again may be the easiest way to try to forget the 7-1 loss on Friday. Neymar will be 26 when the 2018 World Cup is staged in Russia.

“He can still give us a lot of happiness until then,” Brazilian fan Lavinia Silva said.

Neymar scored four goals in his five games in the World Cup and was considered one of the stand-out players. Half of Brazil’s goals until then were scored by him.

Neymar has missed only seven of Brazil’s 61 matches played after he made his international debut following the 2010 World Cup. In the 54 matches he played, Brazil won 36, drew 12 and lost six. He had been in every match under Luiz Felipe Scolari since the coach took over in late 2012.

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Follow Tales Azzoni at http://www.twitter.com/tazzoni

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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