Skip to main content

Commuter Idle: From Sparrows Point to D.C.

By WTOP Staff

Congratulations to Brenda Wells, WTOP’s first-ever Commuter Idle! Brenda has won $1000 in gas money, plus she’ll get a day off from driving with a limo ride to and from work courtesy of Reston Limousine. Our two runners-up will each receive $150 in Exxon Mobil gas cards.

SPARROWS POINT, Md. – Brenda Wells knows what it means to commute.

This single mother of three children wakes up at 3 a.m. to the sound of an alarm clock playing “Reveille.”

She is out of her Baltimore County home in Sparrows Point by 4 a.m. and headed to work in D.C.

Her commute includes a car ride, a MARC train ride, a Metro ride and a Metrobus ride.

First, she drives to Baltimore-Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport, crossing two bridges and paying $3 in tolls.

She then takes the 4:48 a.m. MARC train to D.C.’s Union Station and waits another 10 to 15 minutes for the Metro, where she’ll take the Red Line to the Blue Line at Foggy Bottom. The last leg of her journey to the office is on a bus.

Her roundtrip commute runs five hours or longer, provided the transit systems are on schedule.

So why does she make this trip?

“First, I’m a single mom. I have three small kids. I love my kids. I got to provide for them. Two, I love my job,” Wells tells WTOP’s Kristi King, who recently accompanied her on the long commute.

Wells is a federal worker with the Department of State in the Bureau of Diplomatic Security, where she assigns special agents to the consulates and embassies around the world.

Her children are 9, 7 and 3, and Wells says she can’t afford to live closer to D.C. Her parents help her out with child care.

Wells packs her breakfasts to take with her and never sleeps on the MARC train because she’s “too scared” she’ll miss her stop.

“I bring my lunch in every day, to save,” she says.

For Wells, the day is structured around the commute — even her 9 p.m. bedtime — which is something her children seem to understand.

“They know when it’s time for mama to go to bed. Mama goes to bed and for the most part they’re turning off my light. We have an evening ritual,” Wells says.

But she admits the commute is difficult.

“Every morning it’s a struggle to get up and just keep on going,” she says.

WTOP’s Kristi King braved the commute with Wells as part of WTOP’s Commuter Idle series. Watch their journey below:

Follow Kristi King and

(Copyright 2012 by WTOP. All Rights Reserved.)

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