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Phelps edges Lochte in 100 backstroke

By WTOP Staff

ATHENS, Ga. (AP) — For the second consecutive night, Michael Phelps saw a number he liked.

Phelps won the 100-meter backstroke on Saturday at the Bulldog Grand Slam, edging Ryan Lochte in another encouraging performance in his comeback.

Phelps, who retired after the last Olympics and stayed away from the pool for more than a year, finished in 53.88 seconds. Lochte was second at 54.40, and Olympian Tyler Clary finished third in 55.41.

“I just wanted to break 54, to be honest,” said Phelps, the winner of 18 golds and 22 medals overall — far more than any other Olympic athlete. “My best time is 53.01 from 2007 and it’s something I haven’t swam that that many times. I wanted to take it out a little faster and be as close to an even split as I could, but towards the end it hurt a lot. To be 53.88 now, I’m very pleased.”

This is the first meet for Lochte since he reinjured his surgically repaired left knee at the Mesa Grand Prix in April. He also lost to Phelps on Friday night, grabbing second in the 100 butterfly with a time of 53.08 seconds that was well off Phelps’ winning swim of 51.67.

The hastily arranged event on the University of Georgia campus gives some of the top swimmers on the East Coast a chance to swim one more time competitively before the next month’s national championships in Irvine, California.

The results from nationals, as well as the Pan Pacific Championships being held in Australia later in August, will determine the U.S. team for the 2015 world championships.

“Anytime I have a chance to get into the water and race after taking two years off is a good thing,” Phelps said. “It’s all about getting in rhythm and racing – that’s what I’ve always enjoyed about the sport. And having another race under my belt is nice.”

Lochte gets another shot at Phelps when the two compete in the 100 freestyle on Sunday. Lochte also is scheduled for the 200 individual medley and the 200 backstroke on Sunday.

Chase Kalisz, Phelps’ teammate with the North Baltimore Aquatic Club, also had a nice Saturday, winning the 200 butterfly in a personal best time of 1 minute, 58.09 seconds. About an hour later, he finished second to Georgia teammate Nicholas Fink in the 200 breaststroke in a time of 2:15.30.

“(The 200 butterfly) just hasn’t been something that I’ve been doing for that long,” said Kalisz, a rising junior at Georgia and the owner of the American, U.S. Open, NCAA championship and school record in the 400 IM. “I kind of picked it up last year, so it’s relatively new for me. And to go my best time any time is a good swim.”

Other winners on Saturday included Camille Adams, who won the 200 butterfly in 2:08.45, and Arianna Vanderpool-Wallace of the Bahamas and Auburn University, who won the 50 freestyle in 24.67. Bruno Fratus of Brazil won the men’s 50 freestyle in 22.09, and Connor Jaeger took the men’s 400 freestyle in 3:45.34.

Kathleen Baker (women’s 100 backstroke) and California’s Cierra Runge (women’s 400 freestyle) also posted wins. Former Georgia swimmer Melanie Margalis won the women’s 200 breaststroke with a personal best time of 2:27.06.

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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