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Messi, Barcelona top AP global football poll

By WTOP Staff

JACK BEZANTS
Associated Press

Lionel Messi’s 400th and 401st Barcelona goals helped him edge out teammate Neymar by a point to take leading player honors in The Associated Press global football poll on Tuesday.

Messi’s milestone strikes came in his team’s 6-0 thrashing of Granada, where Neymar scored a hat trick. That result lifted Barcelona back on top of the team vote, with English Premier League leader Chelsea in second after winning 3-0 against Aston Villa.

“The numbers which help depict Lionel Messi’s career are startling; two goals scored on Saturday, five for the season, and 401 in his career. He is just 27,” Chris Tait of The Herald in Scotland said.

Chelsea received praise for its fast start from Ubiratan Leal of trivela.com in Brazil. Jose Mourinho’s side has five wins and a draw in the Premier League.

“It’s remarkable how quickly Chelsea have put the pieces in place for this season,” Leal said. “The way Diego Costa, Willian, and Oscar get along on the pitch make people think that the Brazilian team could have been much better in the World Cup with proper planning and managing.”

Costa scored his eighth goal of the season in Chelsea’s victory over Villa, and was fifth in the player vote.

Five goals in two games ranked Cristiano Ronaldo only third, despite spearheading a brutal Real Madrid attack. Madrid was fourth in the team vote, while Ronaldo scored four goals in a 5-1 rout of Elche, and followed with the second goal in a 2-0 win over Villarreal.

“Over its past four games, Real Madrid has outscored its opponents 20-4,” Tom Timmermann of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch in the United States said. “I’m not sure which is the more impressive number, scoring 20 goals in four games, or outscoring opponents by 16 goals.”

Juventus beat Atalanta 3-0 away for its fifth straight win, and is the third highest team. Carlos Tevez, who scored twice in for Juventus, was a position behind Ronaldo in fourth place in the player poll.

Roma was the other Italian side in the top 10, polling ninth. Like Juventus, it has five league wins from five after beating Verona 2-0 at home on Saturday, but it was second in Serie A on goal difference.

Bundesliga champion Bayern Munich was fifth, after two wins in a week against Paderborn (4-0) and Mainz (2-0).

Atletico Madrid thrashed Sevilla 4-0 to rank sixth, its midfielder Koke ninth after capping his influential performance with a goal.

Manchester City was eighth, and Edin Dzeko voted seventh in the player rankings after scoring twice in the 4-2 victory over Hull.

Elsewhere, Albin Ekdal entered the poll in sixth after a hat trick in Cagliari’s shock 4-1 win over Inter Milan at the San Siro.

Marseille was seventh after following a 5-0 away win against Reims with a 2-1 victory against St. Etienne in the French league, ands Southampton was tenth, alongside its striker Graziano Pelle.

Pelle scored a bicycle kick goal in a 2-1 win against Queens Park Rangers, keeping his side second in the Premier League.

___

AP Global Football 10:

Players:

1. Lionel Messi, 94 points.

2. Neymar, 93.

3. Cristiano Ronaldo, 69.

4. Carlos Tevez, 62.

5. Diego Costa, 56.

6. Albin Ekdal, 54.

7. Edin Dzeko, 43.

8. Mario Goetze, 38.

9. Koke, 32.

10. Graziano Pelle, 29.

Teams:

1. Barcelona, 100.

2. Chelsea, 88.

3. Juventus, 82.

4. Real Madrid, 80.

5. Bayern Munich, 66.

6. Atletico Madrid, 58.

7. Marseille, 48.

8. Manchester City, 41.

9. Roma, 40.

10 Southampton, 25.

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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