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Covering the Bases: Cleveland; Beltways

By Jonathan Warner

WASHINGTON — Is this the end of Cleveland’s 50-year championship drought?

In less than a month, the city has accumulated two of sports’ more dynamic personalities in LeBron James and Johnny Manziel. LeBron gained his championship pedigree in Miami and now hopes to bring it back home. One title in Cleveland will mean more than four, five or six in Miami.

As for Manziel, he gave Cleveland a boost when he was drafted by the Browns. So far, he’s received a lot more attention for his celebrity partying. People will point to that as his downfall if he fails to produce on the field. Maybe now that he and LeBron share a city, King James can speed up Johnny Football’s maturing process.

The Battle of the Beltways may be maturing.

It’s far from a bitter rivalry, but the Nationals and Orioles have developed a strong respect for each other. And why not? For the first time since Major League Baseball made them regional rivals in 2006, both teams were in first place by the end of their matchup this past week. That bodes well for the second half of the season. The Nats pitching staff has the lowest ERA of any team in the National League, but the team is just seventh in runs scored and eighth in fielding percentage. I expect the latter two stats to improve with a full, healthy lineup and the team’s solid glove work after a rocky start.

It’s no surprise that the Orioles rank second in the American League in both home runs and batting average. But they also have the best fielding club, and a much improved bullpen and starting rotation which places them seventh in ERA. The O’s are a well-rounded club that could very well pull away with the AL East title. While the Red Sox and Rays pile up losses, the Yankees continue to pile up injuries, including a huge blow in losing Masahiro Tanaka. The Blue Jays may be the Orioles’ only challenger this season.

One more stat on baseball in Washington and Baltimore: the region is proving it can support two teams. The Nationals rank seventh in National League attendance this season, while the Orioles are sixth in the AL. Winning will only increase the fan base for both.

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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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