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Raiders cut Little, Ross to get to 53

By WTOP Staff

JOSH DUBOW
AP Sports Writer

ALAMEDA, Calif. (AP) — The Oakland Raiders cut receiver Greg Little, safety Brandian Ross and 20 other players Saturday to reduce their roster to the 53-man limit.

Little impressed early in training camp but struggled in recent weeks in practice and exhibition games, leading to his release. Brice Butler made the team ahead of Little after catching four touchdown passes in the exhibition season.

Ross started 13 games last season in place of injured Tyvon Branch but ended up getting beaten out for a roster spot as a reserve safety this year by rookie Jonathan Dowling and veteran Usama Young.

Running back Jeremy Stewart, a key special teams player, and defensive end Jack Crawford, a 2012 fifth-round pick, were also released.

The other most notable cut was undrafted free agent running back, George Atkinson III, the son of former Raiders defensive back George Atkinson. The younger Atkinson could be a prime candidate to make the team’s 10-player practice squad, which can be formed Sunday.

The Raiders kept their entire eight-player draft class, including seventh-round defensive lineman Shelby Harris, who did not play college football last season after being kicked off the team at Illinois State.

Harris beat out Crawford, Ryan Robinson, Denico Autry and Ricky Lumpkin as Oakland’s eighth defensive lineman. With the release of Crawford, the Raiders are left with just two of the six players general manager Reggie McKenzie selected in his first draft in Oakland in 2012.

Guard Tony Bergstrom, Oakland’s top pick that year at No. 95 overall, stayed on the team as the ninth offensive lineman. Bergstrom missed all last year on injured reserve with a foot injury.

Among the other notable players to make the team was cornerback Neiko Thorpe, who was signed to a futures contract out of the Canadian Football League in January.

The other players cut Saturday were cornerback Chance Casey; offensive linemen Jack Cornell, Dan Kistler, Erle Ladson, Lamar Mady and Jarrod Shaw; linebackers Carlos Fields, Bojay Filimoeatu, and Spencer Hadley; tight ends Jake Murphy and Scott Simonson; receiver Seth Roberts; kicker Giorgio Tavecchio; and fullback Karl Williams.

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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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