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Lorenzo wins Aragon GP after Marquez, Pedrosa fall

By WTOP Staff

ALCANIZ, Spain (AP) — Jorge Lorenzo won his first race of the MotoGP season at the Aragon Grand Prix on Sunday after points leader Marc Marquez and Honda teammate Dani Pedrosa both crashed in the rain.

Lorenzo changed for a bike with tires for wet conditions after it started to rain halfway through the race. The move proved the right one after Marquez and Pedrosa both decided to push on with tires for dry surfaces, only to fall with a few laps to go.

Lorenzo’s teammate Valentino Rossi also crashed before the rain started and was taken to a hospital for testing after being diagnosed with a concussion.

“With these conditions I was a little worried,” said Lorenzo. “I knew that I could fall at any moment. But I started well, then I didn’t feel as confident as Marc and Dani and said, ‘Oh well, I will try for third.’ But I decided to go for it and went into boxes. It was a tough choice because it is always risky to change tires.”

Lorenzo eased his Yamaha through the final three laps to finish in 44 minutes, 20.406 seconds. He was more than 10 seconds ahead Aleix Espargaro, who edged Cal Crutchlow for second place.

It was Lorenzo’s first win since the two-time champion won the last race of 2013.

Just as Lorenzo pulled into pit lane to change bikes, Pedrosa fell with four laps to go. Marquez had one more chance to learn from his Honda partner’s mistake, but he opted to ride on, only to fall a lap later.

Marquez finished 13th, one spot ahead of Pedrosa.

After having won 10 of the first 12 races, Marquez has crashed during the last two. He finished the previous San Marino GP in 15th after falling.

Marquez said that he didn’t know that Pedrosa had fallen.

“If I had, I would have stopped,” said Marquez. “I said that here at Aragon I would go for it, but I didn’t have experience for these conditions and they got the better of me. There are four races left and I am close to the title.”

Marquez leads the standings with 289 points. Pedrosa is next with 215, with Rossi another point behind.

Even before the rain provoked havoc, bikes were sliding off the 5-kilometer (3.15-miles) MotorLand Aragon circuit.

Rossi, who had won the previous San Marino GP, crashed on the third lap when trying to overtake Pedrosa on the outside. He was carried off on a stretcher.

According to the MotoGP website, Rossi sustained a concussion and “lost consciousness briefly after the crash but regained it quickly.”

A lap earlier, fellow Italian Andrea Iannone had also crashed after jumping from third on the grid to take a brief lead of the race. He wiped out after losing a thrilling joust for first place with Marquez.

Andrea Dovizioso, another Italian, fell after he had changed to tires for rain.

Spaniards also won in the smaller classes.

In Moto2, Maverick Vinales won ahead of Esteve Rabat and Johann Zarco.

Rabat kept his lead in the points standings with 278. Mika Kallio has 245, followed by Vinales with 204.

In Moto3, Alex Marquez, the younger brother of Marc, moved into first place in the points standings after finishing an accident-filled race in second place behind winner Romano Fenati.

Danny Kent finished third.

Marquez overtook Australia’s Jack Miller in the points standings after Miller fell when the two riders came into contact.

Marquez has 206 points, while Miller has 195.

The Moto2 and Moto3 races were delayed due to heavy morning fog that covered the track.

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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