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Seminoles coach: Suspension ‘hit home’ for Winston

By WTOP Staff

BRENT KALLESTAD
Associated Press

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (AP) — Heisman Trophy winner Jameis Winston was welcomed back to his starting position Monday by Florida State coach Jimbo Fisher, who said he didn’t believe the quarterback’s leadership role with the top-ranked Seminoles has suffered because of the notoriety that has followed Winston in recent months.

Winston stood by on the Seminole sidelines Saturday night as fellow redshirt sophomore Sean Maguire threw for 305 yards and one touchdown to help Florida State (3-0, 1-0 Atlantic Coast Conference) eke out a 23-17 overtime win over a mistake-riddled Clemson team that had outplayed the Seminoles for much of the game. The Seminoles seek their 20th straight win Saturday at unbeaten North Carolina State (4-0).

Fisher said he hopes that last week’s one-game suspension is a wakeup call for Winston, who has bounced from one incident to another during his time in Tallahassee.

“I think it really hit home, no doubt,” Fisher said at his weekly Monday meeting with media covering the program.

Winston has been involved in a series of off-field incidents in recent months, including last week’s suspension for making “offensive and vulgar” comments about female anatomy on campus. University officials hope the suspension gets the 20-year-old’s attention.

“When he does spontaneous things he has to make better judgments,’ Fisher said Monday. “Jameis is not a bad individual. He makes poor decisions. He’s got to stop that.”

While playing for the Florida State baseball team, he was suspended for three games and completed 20 hours of community service after acknowledging he stole $32 worth of crab legs from a local grocery store in April. Before the football season, he said he had matured, learned what it takes to be a leader and understood that he needed to be more careful in his personal life.

Winston was not available for comment on Monday; he usually talks to the media on Wednesdays.

Fisher said overall, his 6-foot-4, 230-pound quarterback is loved by teammates.

“They also see how hard he works, how he prepares, how diligent he is with them. It has not affected that part.”

And, Fisher noted that his players also gained the confidence in Winston’s absence. The coach said they now know they can win without him if necessary.

“Hey, we can do this if Jameis wasn’t here,” Fisher said. “We are a team. I think the rest of the country saw that.”

Fisher also said the staff was to blame for Winston showing up in full uniform Saturday before returning to the locker room and removing his pads, helmet and football pants.

“That was a miscommunication,” Fisher said. “When we saw it, it was corrected. He was great about it. That was our fault.”

Fisher praised Maguire for his play and how he responded to a turbulent week.

Maguire was initially named the starter for the first half at midweek and then late Friday learned he’d be playing the whole game. His parents and a sister, who live in New Jersey, arranged at the last minute to travel to Tallahassee on Saturday, arriving shortly before kickoff.

“You never know until he gets in there,” conceded Fisher, who noted that Maguire was largely thrown to the wolves with a baptismal against a talented defensive team like Clemson.

“He was a guy you felt very comfortable about,” Fisher said. “Now I know, compared to not knowing. “That’s a heckuva way to get your first initiation into college football. He did an outstanding job handling his emotions.”

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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