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Ready or not, Pac-12 play arrives for Washington

By WTOP Staff

TIM BOOTH
AP Sports Writer

SEATTLE (AP) — When the non-conference part of Washington’s schedule wrapped up over the weekend, head coach Chris Petersen was left wondering whether the Huskies were ready for Pac-12 Conference play to start.

After a couple of days to ponder the first four weeks of the season, Petersen is still just as uncertain as the Huskies (4-0) prepare to host No. 16 Stanford on Saturday.

“I don’t know if we’re ready for it or not, but we’ve got four games, some good experience and this whole thing is a work in progress and I really mean that,” Petersen said. “This is going to be a completely new challenge to us that we haven’t seen in the first four games and we’re well aware of that. We have to step our game up. We have to play at a level we haven’t played at yet to compete with these guys.

“Hopefully, those first four games helped us somehow, someway.”

If Petersen learned anything during the first month of his tenure at Washington, it’s that his team has the ability to be wildly inconsistent. From the offensive struggles against Hawaii to the defensive struggles against FCS power Eastern Washington to last weekend’s miserable first half versus Georgia State, there’s been little stability.

That was to be expected with Petersen and a new staff taking over. But it’s also led to an inability to determine just where the Huskies stand.

Are they more like the team that completely dominated Illinois? Or are they akin to the team that escaped Eastern Washington’s upset bid? Facing a Top 25 program like Stanford will be a strong indication of where Petersen’s team is at the start of Pac-12 play.

“It feels like it’s been a month,” Washington defensive tackle Danny Shelton said. “I’m ready to get into this conference and represent Washington.”

Saturday’s win over lowly Georgia State seemed like a microcosm of Washington’s non-conference schedule. The Huskies slept through the first half and trailed the Panthers 14-0 at halftime before scoring 45 second-half points and finishing off a victory that looked far better on the scoreboard than in reality.

Washington left the field to boos at halftime and Petersen seemed to understand the frustration.

“I would have been booing us too,” Petersen said. “I was booing myself. I was just going, ‘it is bad.’ You feel bad for the kids because they are kids and they are trying even though it doesn’t go how we want it to go sometimes, but I know the effect it has on those guys. But we need to do our job and play better.”

Washington lost some of its depth at running back when senior Jesse Callier suffered an Achilles injury against Georgia State and was lost for the season, Petersen said. It’s the second season-ending injury in Callier’s career after he tore knee ligaments in the 2012 season-opener. Washington still has plenty of depth with Dwayne Washington, Lavon Coleman and Deontae Cooper at running back but another injury could affect that.

Petersen is also uncertain about the status of speedy wide receiver John Ross for Saturday. Ross sat out against Georgia State with a leg injury suffered against Illinois. Petersen said Ross took part in practice on Monday and “seemed OK,” but wouldn’t go so far as to say he is ready for Saturday’s game.

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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