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Rangers’ Fielder focuses on healing, not playing

By WTOP Staff

STEPHEN HAWKINS
AP Sports Writer

ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) — Prince Fielder is focused on healing after neck surgery and not worried about when he will play again for the Texas Rangers.

“I’m motivated (to play), but I just want to heal first. I’m not trying to push anything,” Fielder said Thursday. “That’s what got me in this situation now. I’m trying to be a little smarter.”

It was the first time Fielder spoke to reporters in the clubhouse since his cervical fusion of two disks in his neck on May 27. The first baseman said he is doing a little rehab, but nothing too serious or baseball-wise yet.

Fielder isn’t expected to play again this season, but should be ready for spring training.

“Right now, not really worried about the baseball part,” he said. “Worried about just actually letting it fuse and letting it heal. Baseball stuff, that’ll be there, obviously. But I just want to heal first before I do anything. Once I get cleared to do something, I don’t know how to do under 100 percent.”

When he played his last game on May 16, Fielder had appeared in 547 consecutive games since 2010, then the longest active streak in the majors. He hit .247 with three home runs and 16 RBIs in 42 games in his first season with Texas after being acquired last November from Detroit for Ian Kinsler.

Asked if his neck problem was the cause of his low offensive production, Fielder shrugged his shoulders.

“It definitely doesn’t help trying to hit with a herniated disk, but I don’t know if it’s the cause,” Fielder said.

Fielder, who is under contract through 2020, said he couldn’t pinpoint a specific time when he started to experience discomfort in his neck. He just knows he was hurting during the spring, and that he tried to play despite constant irritation that he said has subsided since the surgery.

“I’d like to see what a healthy Prince is,” manager Ron Washington said. “What happened to him, he couldn’t prevent it. … We do feel that he’ll get a full recovery. Hopefully he can stay healthy for us and continue to produce as he has in the past.”

Fielder’s conversation with reporters came a day before the ESPN The Magazine Body Issue hit newsstands. The 275-pound slugger had a nude cover shot for the issue that had already been circulated.

He took the expected ribbing from teammates. The shoot was done before Fielder’s surgery.

“Everything’s been good so far I guess,” he said. “Yeah, just happy I did it, it was pretty cool. You don’t have to have a six pack to play sports or to be an athlete, so I figured I’d give it a shot, see how it looks”

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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