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Chelsea travels to Lisbon, Schalke hosts Maribor

By WTOP Staff

BARRY HATTON
Associated Press

LISBON, Portugal (AP) — It’s all level in Group G of the Champions League as the four clubs head into the second set of matches after 1-1 draws.

Chelsea plays at Sporting Lisbon on Tuesday, with both clubs looking to take control of the group.

The London club had the lead over Schalke at Stamford Bridge but allowed Klaas-Jan Huntelaar to level the score, while Sporting surrendered its lead to an injury-time equalizer at Maribor.

Chelsea coach Jose Mourinho’s trip back to his native Portugal is set to provide the biggest thrills as he takes on a club where he was an assistant to Bobby Robson in the early 1990s.

In the other game, Schalke hosts Maribor.

Here are some things to watch:

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CHELSEA’S CHANCES

Mourinho’s team needs to start taking its chances in front of goal, and Mourinho wants Eden Hazard to play a big part in that at the Jose Alvalade Stadium.

Chelsea created plenty of opportunities to finish off Schalke but came up short. The Portuguese coach is hoping to have striker Diego Costa fit for the Lisbon match after the Spaniard scored his eighth goal in six Premier League matches over the weekend.

Mourinho also wants to see an improvement from Hazard, who disappointed in the 3-0 win over Aston Villa.

“I don’t know what he needs,” the coach said of Hazard’s performance. “I know he needs to play more than he did (against Villa).”

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SPORTING’S NOVICES

With the exception of former Manchester United winger Nani, Sporting Lisbon has a young and inexperienced team, with almost all the players making their debut in the competition.

And Sporting coach Marco Silva is new to the top flight after coaching second-tier Portuguese clubs before joining Sporting this year.

The club is in the Champions League for the first time in five years.

That lack of experience places a burden on Nani to help settle a team that has looked jittery so far. He got the only goal against Maribor.

“Nani has brought us confidence, especially in the Champions League,” Algeria striker Islam Slimani said.

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STAR POWER

On paper, Chelsea has the pedigree and star power to overwhelm its opponent.

The 2012 Champions League winners, in their 12th consecutive group stage campaign, can draw on a depth of international talent. The drawback: some of its top players, namely Willian, Oscar and Andre Schurrle, are still seeking their best form after their World Cup appearances.

Sporting’s spending power — its budget for this season is about 25 million euros ($32 million) — is dwarfed by Chelsea’s. But Sporting is unlikely to be a walkover: it is unbeaten in its last 16 European home games and has won its last three home games against English clubs without conceding a goal.

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TAME THE EUPHORIA

Schalke’s biggest match of the season is always against neighbor and rival Borussia Dortmund and the team needs to come down after its 2-1 victory in the derby last weekend.

“Emotionally, it will be difficult now,” Schalke director Horst Heldt said, fearing the team could be feeling empty. “It would be important to win (against Maribor), to confirm the point we earned at Chelsea.”

Heldt said Schalke will need to bring in some fresh players.

Two straight wins in the Bundesliga and the derby victory have bolstered the position of coach Jens Keller, who has repeatedly had to defend himself from criticism no matter how successful his team is.

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HOPEFUL MARIBOR

Maribor is in the competition’s group stage for the first time in 15 years but is buoyed by its draw against Sporting.

The Slovenian club is winless in its four European matches against German opposition, but it has lost just one of its last six European away games.

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Associated Press writer Nesha Starcevic in Frankfurt contributed to this report.

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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