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Mets designate OF Chris Young for assignment

By WTOP Staff

PHILADELPHIA (AP) — The New York Mets designated outfielder Chris Young for assignment on Friday night.

Signed to a one-year, $7.25 million deal in the offseason, Young has struggled with the Mets. He hit .205 with eight homers and 28 RBIs in 88 games.

“We tried to give him opportunities to get it going,” New York manager Terry Collins said. “I told him, ‘I feel terrible about it, but we’re in a spot now where we want to see some young guys.’ We’ve got to find spots for them.”

Young was batting .148 in his last nine games and hadn’t homered since July 12.

“Chris Young is an outstanding teammate, I like him a lot,” Mets general manager Sandy Alderson said. “Unfortunately, it didn’t work out as we would’ve liked.”

Young was an All-Star with the Diamondbacks in his best season in 2010 when he batted .257 with 27 homers and 91 RBIs. But his production steadily slipped, and he hit .200 with 12 homers and 40 RBIs in 107 games with Oakland last season.

But the Mets took a shot that he would resurrect his career in New York.

“We were looking for a bounce back from him and were willing to take a risk,” Alderson said. “He fit all of our check marks.”

Collins said playing in pitcher-friendly Citi Field didn’t make it easy on Young.

“Our park is tough,” he said. “One of the reasons we got him is we knew he had some power. He’s pretty much a dead-pull hitter, and it makes it tougher.”

To replace Young, New York called up Matt den Dekker from Triple-A Las Vegas.

Den Dekker has appeared in 17 games with the Mets this season, batting .156. He hit .334 with eight homers and 46 RBIs in 92 games with Las Vegas.

“He’s been outstanding at Las Vegas,” Alderson said. “We needed a left-handed hitter in the outfield. At some point you have to make a move.”

Kirk Nieuwenhuis started in left field in New York’s 5-4 win over the Philadelphia Phillies on Friday night, going 1-for-4, as the Mets want to look at some of their young players.

“We’re going to give them a chance,” Collins 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 This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.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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