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Change of scenery might just be what Raiders need

By WTOP Staff

CHRIS LEHOURITES
AP Sports Writer

BAGSHOT, England (AP) — With everyone trying to pretend this is just a normal week of practice, perhaps the best plan of action for the Oakland Raiders is to embrace the abnormality of being in London, and hope something positive happens.

The Raiders opened the season with three straight losses, including a 16-9 setback against the New England Patriots last weekend. Their next chance for a win will come against the Miami Dolphins on Sunday at Wembley Stadium in the NFL’s first of three regular-season games in the British capital.

The Raiders were first to arrive in England, touching down at Gatwick Airport on Monday.

“It’s crazy,” said Raiders quarterback Derek Carr, a rookie who has started all three games of his professional career. “I texted my wife this morning and she was still on Tuesday. I was texting her goodnight and she said good morning. It was weird.

“As the days have gone, it’s gotten progressively better. The faster I can get into the right time zone, which is here, the better it will feel.”

The Dolphins (1-2) chose to delay their arrival until Friday, giving the Raiders more time to get acclimated to the time difference and get their sleep patterns in order.

But they need to improve on the field, a direction they seem to be going after Sunday’s close loss to the Patriots.

“I think we played better,” Raiders coach Dennis Allen said Wednesday at the team’s training base south of London. “Ultimately, there are still a few plays in the game that we need to be able to come up with and need to be able to make that puts us over the hump and gives us an opportunity to win games. It certainly gives us something to build off of.”

The Raiders opened with a 19-14 loss at the New York Jets and then lost at home to the Houston Texans, 30-14. And despite scoring only nine points against the Patriots, Carr played pretty well, going 21 of 34 for 174 yards.

Unfortunately for the rookie quarterback, his final pass was deflected by intended receiver Denarius Moore and intercepted by 325-pound defensive lineman Vince Wilfork, allowing New England to run out the clock.

“Vince Wilfork is one of the luckiest defensive tackles I have ever seen. He makes plays like that all the time,” Raiders defensive lineman Antonio Smith said with a laugh, and then spun things to look on the bright side.

“The good thing to take out of it is that when we play a game like we’re supposed to play it and with confidence and having fun and enjoying with passion, then we can compete against any team,” Smith said. “I’m looking forward to passing that on this week into a win. Not just a, ‘We did good but we lost.’ We want a win this week.”

Both teams will have a bye week after Sunday’s game.

Several players and the coach were asked about the recent domestic abuse issues in the NFL, mainly revolving around commissioner Roger Goodell’s handling of the Ray Rice incident.

“I don’t think it’s just an NFL issue. I think it’s a societal issue,” Allen said. “That’s something that as a society we need to address. The National Football League can be at the forefront of that. I think the National Football League really can shape a lot of the values in our society and I think that’s what the commissioner is trying to do, and I think that’s what the National Football League is trying to do.”

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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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