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Lionel Messi back to the top of AP soccer poll

By WTOP Staff

JACK BEZANTS
Associated Press

LONDON (AP) — The season’s first Associated Press global soccer poll has Lionel Messi back at the top of the list.

The Barcelona forward scored two goals in the 3-0 win over Elche, putting him ahead of Bayern Munich striker Arjen Robben and Manchester City forward Stevan Jovetic.

“The big news of the week is in the Camp Nou, where I have seen again a sparkling Messi after one year at a lower level,” Paolo Condo of Italian sports daily Gazzetta dello Sport said. “His performance was the best of my first ranking.”

City, the defending Premier League champion, took the top spot in the team vote after beating Liverpool 3-1 on Monday.

Bayer Leverkusen, which beat Borussia Dortmund 2-0 in its season opener in the Bundesliga, was second and Barcelona was third.

Barcelona’s victory was the first for coach Luis Enrique in his first league game in charge. And it marked the debut of 18-year-old Munir El Haddadi, who also scored.

Robben scored the decisive goal as Munich began its German league season with a 2-1 victory over Wolfsburg, while Jovetic netted twice for City against Liverpool.

“City won the first star match of the season in the Premier League versus their arch and unexpected rival in 2013-2014,” Cedric Rouquette of Eurosport in France said. “All of us noticed that the offensive power and technical abilities of (Manuel) Pellegrini’s team will still be there this season.”

Leverkusen got a goal after only nine seconds from Karim Bellarabi, and a second-half effort from Stefan Kiessling. Bellarabi’s goal is the fastest in the Bundesliga’s 52-season history, and he is 10th in this week’s poll, while Kiessling is seventh.

Cristiano Ronaldo scored in Real Madrid’s 2-0 win over Cordoba on Monday and is sixth, with his side polling eighth.

Tottenham is represented in both the team and player rankings after it began the Premier League season with two wins under new manager Mauricio Pochettino.

The 4-0 rout of Queens Park Rangers on Sunday was particularly impressive, and Pochettino appears to be getting the best out of the players signed after Gareth Bale left the club.

Both Erik Lamela and Nacer Chadli, often criticized in England, have impressed in Tottenham’s winning start. Chadli scored twice on Sunday and is eighth in the player vote, while Lamela ended up fifth.

“Erik Lamela’s rebirth under Mauricio Pochettino has been an exciting watch so far, with the way he attacks defenders looking more and more like Arjen Robben every match,” Sam Tighe of Bleacher report said. “With the ball tied to his left boot on a string, he’s perplexing defenders left, right and center.”

Atletico Madrid is fifth after beating city rival Real Madrid in the Spanish Super Cup, even though it then began its league title defense with a 0-0 draw at Rayo Vallecano.

Swansea’s unbeaten start in the Premier League, including victory over Manchester United at Old Trafford in Louis van Gaal’s first game in charge, helped it reach ninth.

___

AP Global Football 10 rankings:

Players

1. Lionel Messi, 110 points.

2. Arjen Robben, 80.

3. Stevan Jovetic, 73.

4. Diego Costa, 58.

5. Erik Lamela, 45.

6. Cristiano Ronaldo, 40.

7. Stefan Kiessling, 39.

8. Nacer Chadli, 38.

9. Munir El Haddadi, 35.

10. Karim Bellarabi, 34.

___

Teams

1. Manchester City, 105 points.

2. Bayer Leverkusen, 98.

3. Barcelona, 87.

4. Tottenham, 76.

5. Atletico Madrid, 64.

6. Bayern Munich, 60.

7. Chelsea, 57.

8. Real Madrid, 46.

9. Swansea, 44.

10. Bordeaux, 33.

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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