Skip to main content

Do You Share an Alma Mater With an Olympian?

By U.S. News & World Report

Practice, Study, Sleep, Repeat

The 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro are right around the corner.

Lots of the athletes who will be representing the U.S. in the Summer Games also participated in sports at the college level.

Here is a selection of 10 U.S. athletes from a variety of sports who attended, or are planning to attend, a college or university.

Ashton Eaton

Sport: Track and field

College: University of Oregon

U.S. News rank: 103 (tie), National Universities

Major: Psychology

Fun fact: The decathlete is married to Canadian Olympian Brianne Theisen-Eaton.

Ibtihaj Muhammad

Sport: Fencing

College: Duke University

U.S. News Rank: 8, National Universities

Major: International relations, African and African-American studies

Fun fact: Muhammad founded a clothing company called Louella that sells modest, stylish clothing.

Katie Ledecky

Sport: Swimming

College: Committed to Stanford University, with plans to enroll in the fall

U.S. News Rank: 4 (tie), National Universities

Fun fact: Ledecky deferred her enrollment at Stanford for a year to train for the 2016 Games.

Jordan Burroughs

Sport: Wrestling

College: University of Nebraska–Lincoln

U.S. News rank: 103 (tie), National Universities

Major: Sociology

Fun fact: Burroughs won world championship titles in 2011, 2013 and 2015, and earned a gold medal at the 2012 London Games.

Madison Kocian

Sport: Gymnastics

College: Committed to the University of California–Los Angeles, with plans to enroll in the fall

U.S. News rank: 23 (tie), National Universities

Fun fact: According to Kocian’s USA Gymnastics bio, the athlete’s mom put her daughter in gymnastics because she would always climb out of her crib.

David Boudia

Sport: Diving

College: Purdue University–West Lafayette

U.S. News rank: 61 (tie), National Universities

Major: Communications

Fun fact: Boudia was home-schooled after 10th grade so he could focus on diving.

Kerri Walsh Jennings

Sport: Beach volleyball

College: Stanford University

U.S. News rank: 4 (tie), National Universities

Major: American studies

Fun fact: Walsh Jennings is a veteran Olympian — the Rio de Janeiro Games will be her fifth.

Carli Lloyd

Sport: Soccer

College: Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey–Newark

U.S. News rank: 140 (tie), National Universities

Major: Exercise science and sport studies

Fun fact: Lloyd scored all of Team USA’s goals in the women’s soccer finals in the 2008 Beijing Games and the 2012 London Games, and the U.S. won gold medals both years.

Meb Keflezighi

Sport: Track and field

College: University of California–Los Angeles

U.S. News rank: 23 (tie), National Universities

Major: Communications studies

Fun fact: Keflezighi, who was born in Eritrea, emigrated to the U.S. in 1987. He became a U.S. citizen in 1998.

Gwen Jorgensen

Sport: Triathlon

College: University of Wisconsin–Madison

U.S. News rank: 41 (tie), National Universities

Fun fact: Jorgensen earned a a bachelor’s degree and a master’s in accounting at the University of Wisconsin–Madison. She competed for the Badgers at first as a swimmer but eventually made the switch to running.

Find Your Gold-Medal School

If you’re looking to follow in these competitors’ footsteps and become a college athlete, learn how to land athletic scholarships from universities and outside sources.

And don’t forget to follow U.S. News Education on Facebook and Twitter for more education news and tips.

More from U.S. News

Score Big With Scholarships for Student Athletes

Offbeat Sports Scholarships Offer College Cash

Play a College Sport as an International Student

Do You Share an Alma Mater With an Olympian? originally appeared on usnews.com

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