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Tuesday, Nov. 12, 2013

By WTOP Staff

2:50 p.m. – Leah Packer, 12-year-old WTOP fan

Leah Packer, a middle school student from Olney, Md., sat down in the glass-enclosed news center on Tuesday and explained why she’s the station’s biggest fan.

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Leah Packer, 12, takes questions in the glass-enclosed nerve center

9:40 p.m. – Josh Gerstein, senior White House correspondent for Politco

Bill Clinton’s Obamacare criticisms

8:50 p.m. – Dan Deevy, WTOP’s Guy in L.A.

Reviewing ‘The Best Man Holiday’

8:10 p.m. – Matt Heimer, editor of Marketwatch’s Encore Blog

How to become a 401k millionaire

7:40 p.m. Patricia Papernow, a psychologist whose new book is called "Surviving and Thriving in Stepfamily Relationships"

Identifying challenges can help families tackle them head on

7:20 p.m. Rick Seaney, CEO of FareCompare.com

What the merger of American Airlines and US Airways means for fare prices

5:40 p.m. Rachel Smolkin, managing editor POLITICO

A possible contender for the 2016 presidential race rankles Wall Street

5:10 p.m. Deborah Kotz, Daily Dose health blogger for the Boston Globe

New guidelines on cholesterol medication

4:40 p.m. – Ali Velshi, host, Al-Jazeera America

DOJ reaches agreement in American and U.S. Air merger

3:10 p.m. – Maura Johnston, editor, Maura Magazine

Lady Gaga’s new album

1:30 p.m. – Mark Rosenker, CBS News aviation/transportation safety analyst

The US Airways/American Airlines merger

12:51 p.m. – Dave Ross, commentator

How not to retire poor

10:40 a.m. – Jill Schlesinger, business analyst, CBS News

Janet Yellen faces Senate Banking Committee

10:10 a.m. – Kimberly Palmer, Alpha Consumer blogger at U.S. News & World Report and author of ‘Generation Earn’

Apps that can help with your holiday shopping

Related Link: 12 New Shopping Apps for the Best Deals

9:40 a.m. – Greg Fitch, senior research associate with the Automated Vehicle Systems Group at the Virginia Tech Transportation Institute

Distracted driving behaviors and the desire that fuels them

9:10 a.m. – Barry Bagnato, CBS News

The prevalence of violence in PG-13 movies

Related Link: Study: PG-13 gun violence rivals that of R movies

8:20 a.m. – John King, CNN chief national correspondent

New numbers are coming out about the number of people who have signed up for healthcare through the Obamacare website.

7:10 a.m. – Jason Moser, Montley Fool senior analyst who follows Amazon closely

With Amazon starting Sunday deliveries, will it ever totally replace brick and mortar stores?

Related link: Amazon introduces Sunday delivery with U.S. Postal Service

Scaffolding is being removed from around the Washington Monument

WTOP’s Kristi King reports.

Typhoon scammers seek to profit from your generosity

WTOP’s Randi Martin reports.

Legitimate ways to help victims of the Philippines typhoon can be found here.

Could bus transport be the answer to Montgomery County’s traffic problems?

WTOP’s Kate Ryan reports.

Growing pains for Montgomery College

WTOP’s Kate Ryan reports

More than $150 million has been paid by the United States to Afghanistan companies that may have helped pay for attacks against U.S. soldiers and facilities, according to an ABC News report.

Citing the Special Inspector General for Afghanistan Reconstruction, ABC says among the businesses in question is a road construction company the U.S. says is partially owned by the leader of a network blamed for a fatal 2011 attack on the U.S. Embassy in Kabul.

See more from ABC News at the link and in the video below:

ABC News: Senator: US Soldiers Being Killed by Terror Groups Backed With US Money

Is MCPS chief on short list for NY job?

WTOP’s Kate Ryan reports

Follow @WTOP on Twitter.

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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