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Barth, Meredith out as Buccaneers begin final cuts

By WTOP Staff

FRED GOODALL
AP Sports Writer

TAMPA, Fla. (AP) — The Tampa Bay Buccaneers have released Connor Barth, the most accurate kicker in franchise history.

An 84 percent career field goal kicker in five NFL seasons with Kansas City and the Bucs, Barth missed all of 2013 after tearing the Achilles tendon in his right foot during a charity basketball game.

The Bucs announced the move Friday, when defensive end Larry English and offensive lineman Jamon Meredith also were released to begin the task of trimming the roster to the 53-man limit. The team waived 11 other players, leaving coach Lovie Smith to make eight more cuts by 4 p.m. Saturday.

Rookie Patrick Murray replaces Barth, who made a club-record 92.9 percent of his field goal attempts in 2011, when he hit 26 of 28. He set a team single-season mark with six of 50-plus yards in 2012, and led the NFL with 33 field goals of 40-plus yards over those two seasons.

Barth, 28, was headed toward the second season of a four-year, $13.2 million contract when he was injured during a charity basketball game in his hometown of Wilmington, North Carolina.

He began kicking again last October and by January rebuilt strength in his right leg to the point he said he was hitting 61-yard field goals.

“Every year, there are difficult decisions that need to be made during this time of year as we get down to our 53-man roster,” Smith said. “We appreciate everything Connor has done for the Buccaneers on and off the field over these past five years, but this decision was based on the best interests of our team moving forward.”

The other significant move of the day was the release of Meredith. He entered training camp as the starting right guard, but lost the job with a poor performance in the first preseason game.

Meanwhile, linebackers Nate Askew and Ka’Lial Glaud, tackle Edawn Coughman, cornerbacks Anthony Gaitor, Keith Lewis and Kip Edwards, fullback Lonnie Pryor, defensive end T.J. Fatinikin, defensive back Marc Anthony and offensive linemen Andrew Miller and Jeremiah Warren were waived.

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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 This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.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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