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Harvin ready to explode for Seahawks

By WTOP Staff

CURTIS CRABTREE
Associated Press

RENTON, Wash. (AP) — There is no hiding the grin on Percy Harvin’s face these days.

After a difficult two seasons that saw Harvin miss 23 games overall due to ankle and hip injuries, Harvin is fully healthy once again and looks ready to explode this season.

And he might just take the Seattle Seahawks offense along for the ride.

Harvin has been unhindered in training camp by the hip injury that limited him to just one regular-season game last year. Harvin said he hasn’t felt this good since before his college days at the University of Florida and he’s found gears he didn’t realize he had.

“I definitely feel a lot better,” Harvin said. “I’ve got a lot more motion than I’m used to having. I can do a lot more cuts and just a lot of different motions that I wasn’t able to do before.”

Considering he was a league MVP candidate before getting hurt with the Minnesota Vikings two seasons ago, that’s a scary thought for the rest of the league. Harvin’s presence is already being felt this preseason. He’s caught seven passes for 92 yards in Seattle’s last two preseason games and returned the opening kickoff 46 yards Friday night against the Chicago Bears.

With Harvin in the lineup, the Seahawks’ first-team offense scored on nine consecutive possessions over the last two games with seven possessions ending with touchdowns.

“What we’re seeing is really good execution and a lot of positive things with minimal negative plays,” head coach Pete Carroll said. “Russell (Wilson) is getting the ball out really quickly and when he isn’t, he’s moving efficiently and finding a place to put the ball and keeping the drives alive.”

Harvin has barely missed a rep in practice during training camp. He’s begged to be kept on the field despite the coaching staff’s initial reservations about giving him too much work early in camp.

“We’re loving the grind right now,” Harvin said. “Practice has been fun. (Just) competing. It’s been a joy.”

Harvin’s consistency on the practice field has allowed him to develop chemistry with Wilson that was lacking last season. His speed and versatility give Seattle’s offense an added dimension it was lacking last season.

“To add Percy to the mix, it makes our personnel so much tougher to defend,” Wilson said.

Harvin seems giddy at the thought of getting back on the field for Seattle’s regular-season opener next week against the Green Bay Packers. Even though there is one more preseason game before the Seahawks begin their defense of their Super Bowl title, Harvin has done enough waiting. The regular season can’t come soon enough.

“I’m definitely ready,” Harvin said. “I’m right on point right now. Just got to keep working and keep grinding.”

Notes: Seattle terminated the contracts of veteran CB Terrell Thomas and G Wade Smith. They also waived OT Cory Brandon, RB Demitrius Bronson, S Michael Dobson, DE Jackson Jeffcoat, WR Kevin Smith and CB Thomas Wolfe. … Seattle will need to make seven more roster moves to reduce the roster to 75 players by 1 p.m. PDT on Tuesday. … Carroll said LB Heath Farwell will likely require surgery after suffering “extensive damage” to his groin against the Chicago Bears on Friday night. … LB Bruce Irvin (hip) and WR Kevin Norwood (foot) could return to practice next week. Irvin is on the physically unable to perform list after offseason surgery. Norwood had surgery to remove a bone spur early in training camp.

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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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