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Giants OT Will Beatty back from broken leg

By WTOP Staff

TOM CANAVAN
AP Sports Writer

EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. (AP) — After a disappointing season that ended with a broken leg in the regular-season finale, New York Giants tackle Will Beatty is back in form and smiling a lot this week.

Not only is the six-year veteran playing well, he’ll get a chance to go against former mentor Osi Umenyiora on Sunday when the Atlanta Falcons (2-2) come to MetLife Stadium to play the Giants (2-2).

Beatty spent most of his first four seasons going against Umenyiora in practice, first providing scout-team looks and eventually squaring off as starters. It was Beatty on the left end of the offensive line and Umenyiora on the right end of the defensive line.

The relationship ended last season when Umenyiora signed with the Falcons as a free agent. The friendship is still there.

“You look forward to the big games and the good matchups,” Beatty said Wednesday after practice. “This is almost a division game for me going against him because of how well I know him. Let’s see how much he changed. I get to show him how much I changed and how much I grew.”

Beatty broke his right leg in late December and there was a lot of concern about whether he would be ready for the start of the season.

The 29-year-old who signed a five-year, $37 million contract in February 2013 worked hard in the offseason to get ready and it’s been paying off.

“There is still a lot of improvement, but I do feel good,” Beatty said. “I feel like going out there and just being with my teammates is my focus.”

Umenyiora said that Beatty was always a good player, and now he is doing as well as any left tackle in the league.

“I am proud of him, proud to see the type of player he has become, because he was like that from the beginning,” said Umenyiora, who spent his first nine seasons with the Giants. “Last year, I left last year, so obviously he didn’t have anybody pushing him. That is why his game kind of slipped a little bit, but now he looked on the schedule and he sees me on there and all of a sudden he is an All-Pro left tackle again, so I am going to take credit for that. Will Beatty is just a really good guy.”

Beatty laughed when told of Umenyiora’s comment. He also took the blame for his play last season, saying he did took much thinking instead of just playing and enjoying the game.

“After I broke my leg my main focus was to just walk again and get back out there,” Beatty said. “If I got that chance I wanted to make sure I enjoyed it and took advantage of it as long as I could because you never know when the last play is going to be. That’s been my mindset this year, go out there and play and enjoy yourself.”

The Giants have done that the past two games, beating Houston and Washington by a combined 75-31 margin.

NOTES: First-round draft pick Odell Beckham Jr., practiced on a limited basis and caught a deep pass. The receiver, who has battled a hamstring injury, hopes to make his NFL debut this weekend. …LBs Jon Beason and Devon Kennard and punter Steve Weatherford also practiced on a limited basis. The Giants had no one sit out practice. “The energy level that we had at practice today was amazing,” receiver Victor Cruz said. “Guys are just ready to go, ready to compete, and it is good to see. It gets me motivated, it gets me pumped up, and I am excited to finish out this season on a good note.” …Giants DE Mathias Kiwanuka played at Boston College with Falcons QB Matt Ryan. “He’s got a masterful control of the huddle and he understands how to check protections and all that kind of stuff,” Kiwanuka said.

___

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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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