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Eli Manning optimistic about Giants

By WTOP Staff

EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. (AP) — Eli Manning and the New York Giants have a lot of work to do before their regular-season opener next Monday night in Detroit.

The Giants were 5-0 in the preseason while adapting to the West Coast offense under offensive coordinator Ben McAdoo.

“Don’t get me wrong, we’re ready for Week 1,” Manning said Friday. “But I think as a season goes on, you’re always looking to improve, whether you’ve been in a system for 10 years or whether you have young guys and need guys to step up or you have new players, there’s always room for improvement.

“I don’t want to alarm people and say, ‘We’ve got to get better. We’ve got to keep getting better.’ That’s just part of it. We’re going to keep getting better, but we can still go out there and be successful and do good things and win games.”

The most immediate issue involves just who will help the Giants do those things. The final roster cuts from 75 to 53 are due Saturday at 4 p.m., and undrafted rookie receiver Corey Washington will spend a long day waiting by the phone. He, along with fellow young receiver Preston Parker and Super Bowl hero Mario Manningham will be hoping to avoid an unwanted call.

Manningham injured a calf Thursday night against New England, ending an ineffective, two-catch preseason, and Parker was productive but unspectacular.

“It’s going to be tough,” said Washington, who had 10 catches for 155 yards and four touchdowns in the preseason. “It’s another wait. I’ve done all I can do. It’s a matter of waiting right now. … I found a couple of roles on special teams. I didn’t have any tackles, but I set guys up. I wouldn’t be disappointed being on the practice squad. Practice squad, active roster, I’m here to help the guys get wins.”

Free-agent left guard Geoff Schwartz will have to await his turn to help after dislocating a toe. Because surgery was never an option, according to Schwartz, he could be placed on short-term (eight weeks) injured reserve. While Tom Coughlin put Schwartz’s rehab at three to four weeks, the coach admitted it could take more time.

“I would add a little more to that, just to be safe,” Coughlin said.

There is no real timetable because the severity of the injury tends to increase with a person’s size. Schwartz weighs in at 340.

“This is a unique type of thing,” Schwartz said. “Especially with toes, and with big guys, you just have to see how the rehab goes. There are a lot of different ways to approach it. Being a bigger guy, putting pressure on that toe is not going to help.”

Cornerback Prince Amukamara could be in the lineup against Lions Pro Bowl receiver Calvin Johnson and new additions Golden Tate and Kevin Ogletree, after being cleared to practice Monday. Amukamara has sat out since the third game, when he injured his groin against the Colts.

“The more I practice, the more confident I’ll get,” Amukamara said. “I got the opportunity to face (Johnson) last year. I’m just going to study all their guys.”

For Manning, Detroit will represent a huge first test.

“I think we can score points,” he said. “I think we’ve done some things. We haven’t shown everything in the book. We haven’t thrown the ball down the field a whole lot, so I think there’s definitely room to score some points and move the ball and be successful. It’s just a matter of doing it.”

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

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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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