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D.C. Record Fair brings vinyl back to the District

By WTOP Staff

Alicia Lozano, wtop.com

WASHINGTON – Sunday will be a little bit like Christmas for local audiophiles. The D.C. Record Fair is back with more than 40 vendors selling vinyl to hundreds of music fans.

The playground will span two floors and include everything from classical and jazz to punk and rock.

Since its founding several years ago, the D.C. Record Fair has grown in size. In 2011, about 1,500 people packed into the Black Cat on “snowmageddon” weekend to score new tunes and find old favorites.

The event’s popularity speaks to the resurgence of vinyl as record sales continue to soar in the U.S. Last year, vinyl reached 4.6 million sales, breaking 2011’s record of 3.9 million sales, according to Nielsen SoundScan.

“I’ve seen it re-embraced in such an interesting way,” says The Vinyl District’s Jon Meyers, who is also one of the fair’s organizers. “I was really surprised to see how vinyl has come back into the public consciousness again.”

D.C. musician Danny Ingram, who worked at Orpheus Records in Georgetown in the 1980s and will be spinning records Sunday, says nothing quite compares to going out and buying vinyl.

“There’s this great expectation as you flip through the racks of albums, wondering what’s going to be behind the next record,” he says.

He owned close to 5,000 records and 1,500 singles, but sold them when he got married to help with a down payment on his home, he says.

Music labels are cashing in on the success of traditional records – many now come with free MP3 downloads to make listening more portable. This has attracted the attention of listeners who didn’t necessarily grow up sifting through vinyl bins.

“People coming through the door aren’t your typical older males,” Meyers says. “They are kids and teens and people in their 20s. It spans every generational niche.”

The D.C. Record Fair kicks off Sunday from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. at Penn Social in downtown D.C. Early birds pay $5 at the door until noon. It’s $2 after. Don’t forget the live DJs, food and bar.

WTOP’s Neal Augenstein contributed to this report.Follow @AugensteinWTOP and

(Copyright 2013 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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