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Dempsey back from World Cup, rejoins Sounders

By WTOP Staff

TIM BOOTH
AP Sports Writer

TUKWILA, Wash. (AP) — Clint Dempsey spent time with family, did a little fishing, let his broken nose heal and mostly ignored the World Cup.

After becoming the first American to score in three World Cups, Dempsey needed a break upon his return to the United States from Brazil. So until his appearance on the “Late Show with David Letterman” the other night, Dempsey was mostly away from the spotlight.

“I got away from the game. It’s tough to watch the other teams still being in the competition and you are jealous because you still want to be part of things,” Dempsey said Friday as he rejoined the Seattle Sounders. “I was texting with different friends and family what the scores were and stuff like that so I was still involved, just not watching the games on TV. It was good for me to get a little bit of downtime.”

Dempsey hopes the U.S. loss to Belgium in the round of 16 isn’t his last World Cup game. Dempsey said he wants to continue playing with the national team as long as possible, first focusing on staying with the team through the 2016 Copa America before worrying about the 2018 World Cup in Russia.

Dempsey, who turned 31 in March, believes it’s possible to still be in contention for a spot in Russia when he’s 35.

“I want to play with the national team as long as possible. I am looking forward to push and be a part of Copa America for sure. And if you can still play at a high level and perform then, yes, you try and be one of those players that play at the international level for a long time,” Dempsey said. “But you have to continue to perform. It’s not about saying you want to do it and it’s going to happen. You have to put in the work.”

The U.S. captain noted there was an undercurrent with the American team of continuing the efforts to grow the game in the states. Dempsey said the team was well aware of the attention back home.

“You want to do well. You want to continue the growth of the game and the sport and you want to continue pushing the game in the right direction in the states, and you feel that responsibility as a player,” Dempsey said.

He noted the changes that had to be made when striker Jozy Altidore went down with a hamstring injury in the first group game against Ghana. The injury forced Dempsey to play as a target forward at the top of the American attack, rather than a slightly withdrawn position where he could have seen more of the ball as a playmaker.

“Still I thought we were able to play well and get the job done,” Dempsey said. “At the end of the day we just came up a little bit short in the Belgium game.”

In the short term, Dempsey said he’ll be ready for Sunday night’s MLS game between the Sounders and rival Portland that’s expected to draw another crowd of about 65,000 in Seattle. Seattle and Portland already played one wild match this season, a 4-4 draw in April where Dempsey recorded a hat trick with two late goals that rallied the Sounders for a point.

It’ll be the second match this week between the Cascadia rivals after facing off in the U.S. Open Cup quarterfinals on Wednesday. Seattle beat Portland 3-1 in extra time to advance in the tournament.

“I’m back, I want to play,” Dempsey said.

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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