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Broncos, Seahawks top AP Pro32 before rematch

By WTOP Staff

SIMMI BUTTAR
AP Sports Writer

NEW YORK (AP) — The Seattle Seahawks and Denver Broncos finished last season as the top two teams in the league.

Heading into their Super Bowl rematch Sunday, that’s where they are in the latest AP Pro32 rankings.

The Broncos moved to the top spot after holding off the Kansas City Chiefs 24-17 at home, and the Seahawks dropped to No. 2 after they lost to the Chargers 30-21.

Denver had 10 first-place votes in the 12-member media panel that regularly covers the league. Seattle, which routed Denver in the Super Bowl at MetLife Stadium in February, and Cincinnati each got one first-place vote.

Sunday’s rematch is at CenturyLink Field, where the Seahawks have won 18 of their past 19 including the playoffs.

“Even with one loss, the Seahawks will regain the top spot if they beat Denver,” Alex Marvez of Foxsports.com said.

The Bengals moved up a spot to No. 3 after beating the Falcons 24-10.

“I’m very impressed with Cincinnati so far this season,” said ESPN’s Herm Edwards, who gave the Bengals a first-place vote. “That defense looks ready for the playoffs.”

The Bengals host the Titans on Sunday and then have a bye before an Oct. 5 road test in prime time against Tom Brady and the Patriots, who moved to No. 7 in the poll after routing the Vikings.

The Eagles are No. 5 after rallying again in the second half for a 30-27 win over the Colts on Monday night. The Eagles are the first team in NFL history to overcome double-digit halftime deficits in the first two games.

Philadelphia is 2-0 and in first place in the NFC East.

“That’s two straight comeback wins for the Eagles, who get a major boost from speedy running back Darren Sproles, who makes you think you’re playing Madden 2014 when you watch him fly around the field,” Newsday’s Bob Glauber said.

The Panthers and Cardinals, who also are both off to 2-0 starts, made big climbs to No. 5 and No. 6.

Carolina faces a big test Sunday night when it hosts Pittsburgh.

“The defense is playing great and Cam (Newton) threw well from the pocket,” NBC Sports’ Tony Dungy said.

The Panthers and Cardinals have also won their games with two different starting quarterbacks.

“Unheralded (Cardinals coach) Bruce Arians may be the best coach this side of Bill Belichick,” said Ira Kaufman of the Tampa Tribune.

Among the teams that made the biggest drop are the New Orleans Saints, who fell from No. 6 to 17 after blowing a late lead and losing to the Cleveland Browns. The Saints are 0-2 going into their home opener against the Minnesota Vikings.

“Defense continues to hold the winless Saints back,” Rick Gosselin of The Dallas Morning News said. “They rank second in the NFL in offense, but 30th in defense.”

There’s little surprise that the 0-2 New York Giants, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Jacksonville Jaguars and Oakland Raiders round out the bottom four spots in the poll.

“Despite an active offseason, the Raiders haven’t been doing much of anything well,” Jenny Vrentas of The Monday Morning Quarterback said.

___

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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