Skip to main content

Ronaldo and Chelsea lead AP football poll

By WTOP Staff

JACK BEZANTS
Associated Press

Cristiano Ronaldo’s third hat trick of the season put him at the top of the AP global football 10 on Tuesday.

Ronaldo scored three goals in Real Madrid’s 5-0 rout of Athletic Bilbao, taking his goal tally to 13 in only six appearances this season.

“Player of the week has to go to Ronaldo again, scoring at a frankly ridiculous rate,” James Porteous of the South China Morning Post said. “His third hat trick (this season) saw him equal the La Liga record for hat tricks with 22.”

Lionel Messi, last week’s winner, dropped to third place after scoring once in Barcelona’s 2-0 win over Rayo Vallecano. Arjen Robben was second after scoring twice in Bayern Munich’s 4-0 win over Hannover.

Chelsea was the top-rated team after beating London rival Arsenal 2-0. A penalty from Eden Hazard, fifth in this week’s player poll, and another strike from Diego Costa handed the Blues three points in a match that will also be remembered for Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho being pushed by Arsenal counterpart Arsene Wenger.

“Chelsea deserve the top spot as they beat Arsenal and confirmed they have the quality, the organization and the maturity to be successful,” Aurelio Capaldi of RAI Sport in Italy said. “Arsene Wenger lost twice against Jose Mourinho: on the field where Chelsea were better on every aspect of the game and on the bench when the Arsenal manager pushed Mourinho who keeps beating him.”

Real Madrid was only eight votes behind in second, while Juventus was third after extending its winning start in the Italian league to six matches by beating Roma 3-2. Also, Bayern Munich was fourth and Barcelona was sixth.

In the player vote, only five points separate fourth and 10th. Angel Di Maria is one position behind Messi after scoring once and assisting on another in Manchester United’s 2-1 win over Everton.

Di Maria is joined in the top 10 by United teammate David De Gea, who saved a penalty before making two fantastic stops in the final minutes of the game.

“David De Gea was a crucial help for Manchester United in their win against Everton,” Cedric Rouquette of Eurosport in France said. “Without him, Louis van Gaal’s team would still struggle for some credit.”

De Gea is tied with Alexandre Lacazette in sixth. Lacazette scored a hat trick as Lyon beat Lille 3-0.

___

AP Global Football 10:

Teams:

1. Chelsea, 168 points.

2. Real Madrid, 160.

3. Juventus, 117.

4. Bayern Munich, 116.

5. Valencia, 85.

6. Barcelona, 73.

7. Manchester City, 44.

8. Paris Saint-Germain, 40.

9. Marseille, 39.

10. Manchester United, 25.

___

Players:

1. Cristiano Ronaldo, 176 points.

2. Arjen Robben, 66.

3. Lionel Messi, 62.

4. Angel Di Maria, 55.

5. Eden Hazard, 54.

6. David De Gea, 53.

(tie). Alexandre Lacazette, 53.

8. Robert Lewandowski, 52.

9. Karim Benzema, 51.

10. Francesco Totti, 50.

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
Read Next Story

Related News

Frustration grows in Venezuela as earthquake death toll reaches 1,430

Israel and Lebanon sign framework agreement with US in ‘first step’ toward peace, Rubio says

Trump-endorsed populist poised to become Colombia’s next president as rival challenges vote