Friday, Nov. 1, 2013

By WTOP Staff
November 1, 2013 | 2:39 AM

11:10 a.m. – Dr. Oz

Ways to keep your energy up after Saturday night’s time change

9:40 p.m. – Jonelle Marte, Marketwatch.com

Most people are not being left without health insurance, due to Obamacare

8:10 p.m. – Chris Chase, USA Today Sports, Megan Cloherty, WTOP Sports, George Wallace, WTOP Redskins Beat Reporter

Why it would be huge for the Redskins to beat the Chargers Sunday

7:20 p.m. – Chris Chase, USA Today Sports, Megan Cloherty, WTOP Sports and George Wallace, WTOP Redskins Beat Reporter

What’s RG3’s problem?

6:40 p.m. – Scott Greenberg, syndicated wine columnist

Don’t panic, the world isn’t running out of wine

5:40 p.m. – Matt Williams, new manager for the Washington Nationals

The Nationals manager explains what’s in store for the 2014 season

5:10 p.m. – David Elfin, Redskins beat reporter and author of the book ‘The Washington Redskins: The Complete Illustrated History’

What can expect from the Redskins as they battle the San Diego Chargers this Sunday?

4:20 p.m. – Chris Wallace, host, Fox News Sunday

The week in politics

3:50 p.m. – Ann Hornaday, film critic, Washington Post

"Ender’s Game," "About Time," and "Last Vegas"

2:20 p.m. – Dr. Vivek Jain, medical director of Center for Sleep Disorders, George Washington University Faculty Associates

Tips for turning back the clock

12:50 p.m. – Dave Ross, commentator

12:10 p.m. – Food attorney Mary Beth Albright

The new federal guidelines for schools on managing food allergies

10:40 a.m. – Clinton Yates, The Washington Post

The recent rash of protests about alleged racial harassment at upscale stores

10:10 a.m. – Jen Chaney, The Washington Post, New York Magazine’s Vulture and other outlets

The new science-fiction movie ‘Ender’s Game.’

9:50 a.m. – Sharyl Attkisson, CBS News correspondent

CBS News uncovers the number of people who have enrolled for health care through the Obamacare website.

9:10 a.m. – Chris Slobogin, director of Criminal Justice Program at Vanderbilt Law School

Has the NSA gone rogue?

8:45 a.m. – Randy Wittman, Washington Wizards’ coach

The Wizards play the 76ers during their Friday night home opener.

8:20 a.m. – Candy Crowley, host of CNN’s ‘State of the Union with Candy Crowley’

Administration still has faith in health care overhaul

7:50 a.m. – David Gregory, moderator of NBC’s ‘Meet the Press’

Damage from ‘Obamacare’ launch could have long reach

6:50 a.m. – Jan Crawford, CBS News political correspondent

The latest information about just how many people have enrolled through the Obamacare website.

Georgetown celebrates Halloween

WTOP’s Bob Madigan reports.

Watch out, Superman. There’s something behind you. (WTOP/Bob Madigan)

Click here for more crazy and cool Halloween pictures.

Montgomery County has lots of students, needs lots of money

WTOP’s Kate Ryan reports.

Follow @WTOP on Twitter.

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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