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Big 12 opener for Oklahoma, WVU part of light week

By WTOP Staff

The Associated Press

Things to watch in Week 4 of the Big 12 season with a light schedule — a Thursday night game and only two games Saturday.

GAME OF THE WEEK: No. 4 Oklahoma at West Virginia. While six Big 12 teams are getting the weekend off before conference play kicks into full gear, the Sooners (3-0) leave the state of Oklahoma for the first time this season to take on West Virginia (2-1) in a league opener for both teams. The last time the teams played in Morgantown two years ago, the Sooners pulled out a 50-49 victory after Landry Jones threw his sixth TD pass with 24 seconds left. The Mountaineers, who opened this season with a tough 33-23 loss to No. 3 Alabama, are coming off a 40-37 win over regional rival Maryland on Saturday. WVU got a field goal as time expired after blowing a 22-point lead.

BEST MATCHUP: West Virginia QB Clint Trickett vs. Oklahoma defense. Trickett leads the Big 12 with 408 yards passing per game, with seven TDs and one interception. The senior has thrown for at least 300 yards in four consecutive games. The Sooners defense has more interceptions (six) than touchdowns allowed (four).

INSIDE THE NUMBERS: No. 5 Auburn on Thursday night is only the second ranked non-conference opponent to visit No. 20 Kansas State in Bill Snyder’s 23 seasons as coach. The other was in 2002, when K-State beat No. 11 USC 27-20. The Wildcats lost at home to No. 8 Louisville in 2006, the first of Snyder’s three-year retirement when Ron Prince was their coach. … Oklahoma, coming off a decisive 34-10 win over SEC team Tennessee, goes for its eighth victory in a row. Bob Stoops tries to become the first coach to win 100 Big 12 regular-season games.

LONG SHOT: A lopsided victory for Kansas (1-1) in its last non-conference game. The Jayhawks are only slight favorites at home against Central Michigan (2-1), and have only an 8-6 edge in games against Mid-American Conference teams. Both teams are coming off lopsided losses, the Jayhawks 41-3 at Duke, and Central Michigan 40-3 at home to Syracuse.

IMPACT PLAYER: West Virginia senior receivers Kevin White and Mario Alford, who are 1-2 in the Big 12 in receptions per game. White leads the league and is second nationally with 10.7 catches per game, and his 153.3 yards per game is fourth nationally. Mario has seven catches a game.

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Compiled by AP Sports Writer Stephen Hawkins in Fort Worth, Texas.

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Follow Stephen Hawkins on Twitter at https://twitter.com/hawkaptexas

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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