Thursday, Oct. 31, 2013

By WTOP Staff
October 31, 2013 | 3:41 AM

How old is too old to trick-or-treat?

WTOP’s John Aaron reports.

9:10 p.m. – Gerri Dettweiler, director of consumer education, Credit.com

Do you have to tell prospective home-buyers if your house is haunted?

8:10 p.m. – Mike McCarthy, editor, D.C. Magazine

Fun weekend events around the region

WTOP worker, GWU teacher assaulted in separate attacks

Nick Iannelli, WTOP

7:40 p.m. Christian Toto, assistant editor at Big Hollywood

Reviewing ‘Las Vegas’ and ‘Freebirds’

5:10 p.m. James Hohmann, political reporter for POLITICO

Va. governor candidates bring in the star power for the final days of the campaign

Decriminalizing the possession of small amounts of marijuana could be in the works for D.C.

WTOP’s John Aaron reports

4:40 p.m. – Catherine Herridge, Fox News chief intelligence correspondent

The NSA "Muscular" program taps the details of millions of messages

4:10 p.m. – Larry Magid, CBS News and CNET tech analyst

Parents can use a new app to track their children while trick-or-treating

3:50 p.m. – Ben Mutzabaugh, travel reporter for USA Today

The FAA okays the use of electronic gadgets on the plane

3:10 p.m. – Janet Bodnar, Editor of Kiplinger Personal Finance

Control your home with your smartphone

2:20 p.m. – Dr. Robi Ludwig, psychotherapist and Today Show contributor

Why do we like to be scared?

12:50 p.m. – Dave Ross, commentator

Maybe the sky is falling

12:10 p.m. – Nycci Safier Nellis, TheListAreYouOnIt.com

Restaurants have Halloween specials all weekend.

11:10 a.m. – Mark Rosenker, CBS News aviation analyst and former NTSB chairman

FAA comes into 21st century and allows people to use their electronic devices.

Related Story: FAA OKs air passengers using gadgets on planes

10:10 a.m. – Dr. Anthony Fauci, director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases

Polio outbreak in Syria shows the importance of maintaining vaccination programs.

Related Story: UN officials confirm polio outbreak in north Syria

9:10 a.m. – Ted Leonsis, owner of the Washington Capitals and Wizards

Washington Wizards launches Courage Program, an initiative to support the Tragedy Assistance Program for Survivors.

8:40 a.m. – Morgan Housel, Motley Fool columnist

It’s very uncertain how Wall Street will react when the Fed starts pulling back.

7:50 a.m. – Dr. Thomas LoRusso, medical director of the Northern Virginia Sleep Diagnostic Center

Falling back to standard time

7:10 a.m. – Ed Baig, USA TODAY personal tech columnist

A review of the iPad Air, which will be released Friday morning.

6:40 a.m. – Glenn Thrush, senior writer for POLITICO

How the president and his administration are handling the fallout from the Obamacare website glitches and Kathleen Sebelius testimony.

Is John Philip Sousa’s ghost in Congressional Cemetery?

WTOP’s Brennan Haselton reports.

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Don’t Settle for Student Loans to Pay for Online Education

By WTOP Staff
July 14, 2026 | 6:30 PM

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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