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Zhang leads China to gold at gymnastics worlds

By WTOP Staff

NANNING, China (AP) — Led by Zhang Chenglong on the horizontal bar, China won its sixth straight gold medal in the men’s team event at the gymnastics world championships on Tuesday.

Japan led after five of six disciplines, and four-time world all-around champion Kohei Uchimura looked to have secured his team’s first gold medal in the event in 36 years. But Zhang’s near-flawless routine on the horizontal bar erased a 15.866-point deficit as China beat Japan by 0.1.

The United States took the bronze medal, and Britain finished fourth.

“We felt we gave it all we could,” Uchimura said. “Zhang’s performance was spectacular. We gave it 100 percent and while we can’t be satisfied with the result we can be pleased with our performances.”

China entered unbeaten in world championships team competition since 2003.

Japan won silver at the previous three worlds where the team competition took place: 2007, 2010 and 2011. No team competition was contested at the 2009 and 2013 worlds.

Japan took an early two-point lead in the floor exercise thanks to a strong performance from 18-year-old Kenzo Shirai, who executed his trademark quadruple twist.

China, which edged Japan in the qualifications, got off to a shaky start in the floor routine when Cheng Ran fell on a tumbling skill but the hosts moved into medal position after three apparatus and trailed Japan after the fourth and fifth disciplines.

Trailing Japan by a slim margin, China narrowed the lead with precise routines on the horizontal bar by Deng Shudi and Lin Chaopan.

Needing to deliver a score of 15.867 or better, Zhang, who claimed his fourth world championship gold medal, nailed a series of complex aerial skills and pirouetting elements before dismounting to roars from the crowd that only got louder when his score of 15.966 was posted.

China’s team score of 273.369 points was just enough for the win, and Japan took silver with 273.269 points.

The battle for bronze was just as intense.

The United States, Russia and Britain were almost even as they headed into their last apparatus, but the Americans out-performed Britain on the floor exercise to secure third place with 270.369 points.

Britain was fourth with 269.170 points, and less-than-perfect pommel horse routines dropped Russia out of medal contention. The Russians finished fifth with 266.503 points.

Brazil (263.562), Switzerland (257.293) and Germany (256.160) rounded out the field.

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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