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Commuter Idle: From Roanoke to Falls Church

By WTOP Staff

Evans Edwards is a runner-up in WTOP’s first-ever Commuter Idle contest, and wins $150 in Exxon Mobil gas cards!

Neal Augenstein, wtop.com

WASHINGTON – Firefighting is already a demanding and dangerous job.

Add a three-plus hour commute from Roanoke, and it’s a doozy.

Evans Edwards is a career firefighter and medic for Fairfax County Fire and Rescue. He loves his job, but he’s not so crazy about his 235-mile, three-hour-20-minute one-way commute.

Edwards leaves his house in Roanoke by 2:45 a.m. to get to Fire Station 418 in the Falls Church area by 6 a.m., even though his shift doesn’t start until 7 a.m.

“By tradition, firefighters relieve the off-going shift as close to 6 a.m. as possible,” Edwards says.

One benefit of the job — it’s not a Monday through Friday gig.

“I work a 24-hour shift. In a given month I work 10 shifts,” he says.

“The commute is a grind,” says Edwards — an understatement.

“It’s I-81 to I-66 almost the whole way. I-81 is a driver’s death trap with many more tractor-trailers on the road overnight than cars.”

The uncertainty of a firefighter’s shift makes the commute even more exhausting.

“There’s no guarantee once I get to work that I’ll have any sleep until I sign off the next day. Most nights we catch a few hours. Sometimes it’s only 2-3 hours.

“Every once in a while we are up all night.”

The obvious question for Edwards is: Why?

“The fire department is the best job in world, and Fairfax County is one of the best fire departments in the world,” says Edwards.

“I used to be a corporate lawyer, so I’ve seen the office side of things.”

Edwards says he and his wife grew up in Roanoke and he has a family of six.

“(We) decided to move back at the end of 2008 after my sister died… so we could be close to her two kids and my parents,” says Edwards.

While Edwards loves his job, he is willing to make the sacrifice for his family.

“I may have the worst commute in the DMV.”

It’s tough to argue with him.

WTOP’s Neal Augenstein travels along with Evans Edwards to learn more about the long trek:

Evans Edwards talks about the seven-hour round trip and what makes it worth it:

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Follow Neal and WTOP on Twitter.

(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
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