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Bills search for progress; Steelers looking to win

By WTOP Staff

WILL GRAVES
AP Sports Writer

PITTSBURGH (AP) — Mike Williams spent two hours hauling in strike after strike from Buffalo Bills quarterback EJ Manuel during practice on Thursday when the wide receiver decided it was time for a proclamation.

“I told EJ, to be honest my exact words were ‘This is the best I’ve ever seen,'” Williams said. “I don’t think he threw an incomplete pass.”

That’s stretching it a bit — a handful of passes hit the turf during a joint workout with the Pittsburgh Steelers — but for a second-year starter still learning on the job, playing well against one of the NFL’s better defenses is a start.

“We do not want to consider this like, ‘Oh man this was a great day,'” Manuel said. “This needs to be a consistent thing. It needs to be like that every day.”

Particularly on game days.

And while Manuel and the rest of the Bills were encouraged by the way they hung with the Steelers, it matters little if they can’t translate that into success when they face off in the preseason game at Heinz Field for Saturday night.

“I thought we did a pretty good job throwing the ball last time we played in a game,” Manuel said. “So we want to continue to carry that over. Not sure how much I will play, but the reps that we are in, we want to make sure we look good.”

So do the Steelers (0-1). While it’s just the preseason, Pittsburgh is searching for something to build on. The Steelers haven’t won an exhibition game in nearly two years, going 0-4 last August in what turned out to be a precursor for a miserable 2-6 start when the games started to count.

Quarterback Ben Roethlisberger has praised his young group for a promising two-plus weeks at Saint Vincent College, where he believes the good days outnumbered the bad by a large margin.

“For me the biggest thing is mistakes have gotten cut down, whether it’s rookie mistakes, veteran mistakes, myself,” Roethlisberger said. “Less mistakes usually means you are understanding things, you are in the book, you are studying, which leads to better production.”

He should get an extended look at what he’s working with Saturday night after leading the first string to a field goal in one series of action in last week’s opening loss to the New York Giants. Running backs Le’Veon Bell and LeGarrette Blount will “their share” of carries according to coach Mike Tomlin.

“We have a great deal of confidence in both guys,” Tomlin said. “Both guys are going to be central reasons why we’re successful. That’s the plan and I think they’re open to that.”

Pittsburgh is also optimistic it will get a chance to see rookie linebacker Ryan Shazier on the field for the first time in a game. The first round pick sat out the Giants’ game with a right knee issue that Tomlin called a “boo boo,” but looked just as quick as advertised after returning to full practice on Thursday.

Whoever is on the field with the defensive starters will try to take a step forward after a so-so performance against New York when the first string allowed Giants running back Rashad Jennings to rip off a 73-yard touchdown run up the middle.

Defensive lineman Cam Heyward took most of the blame for being out of position, but he’s hardly the only one culpable after the other 10 guys failed to get more than an outstretched hand on Jennings.

“I like how physical we are,” safety Mike Mitchell said. “There’s definitely some things we have to improve upon. As every other team in the NFL does right now. No one’s a finished product. We’re still growing and developing every single day.”

___

AP NFL website: www.pro32.ap.org and www.twitter.com/AP_NFL

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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