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Rock ‘n’ Roll Marathon creates weekend closures in D.C.

By Dave Dildine

WASHINGTON — It’s that time of year again: The Rock ‘n’ Roll Marathon is coming to town.

The cross-city trek, the first of many annual road races in Washington, usually takes drivers by surprise.

The 2014 Rock ‘n’ Roll USA Marathon and the CareFirst Rock ‘n’ Roll USA Half Marathon begins at 7:30 a.m. on Saturday, March 15. Many streets throughout the D.C. will close for the race course from early morning through early afternoon.

This year’s course starts on Constitution Avenue and routes runners along the National Mall, back-and-forth across the Memorial Bridge, on Rock Creek Parkway into Woodley Park, and along streets through Adams Morgan, Columbia Heights, Capital Hill, the Navy Yard, Anacostia and River Terrace. The Half-Marathon and Marathon end at Lot 7 at RFK Stadium.

The first portion of the race will affect drivers in Northwest Washington. As the last runners pass across the Memorial Bridge and Rock Creek Parkway, police will likely reopen the roads.

The routes near the end of the marathon course between the Frederick Douglass Bridge and RFK Stadium will remain closed the longest.


The map above illustrates the 2014 race course and offers estimated duration of closures and a few alternate routes.

On Saturday, Metrorail opens its doors two hours early, at 5 a.m., to accommodate runners and spectators. Participants traveling by train should use the Federal Triangle, Smithsonian or Archives stations to access the start line.

Metro says the Orange, Blue, Yellow and Green lines will operate on their regular weekend schedules, except for the Greenbelt Station on the Green Line and Franconia-Springfield station on the Blue Line

Trains on the Red Line will run every 16 minutes between Shady Grove and Glenmont. Metro says additional trains will provide service from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. between Farragut North and Silver Spring.

Several Metrobus routes are affected by the race closures. Buses won’t proceed beyond most race closures until they’re lifted.

In addition to the Rock ‘n’ Roll Marathon, the Four Courts Four Miler Race will block roads in northern Arlington, Va. Arlington County Police report Va. 110 North and portions of Wilson Boulevard will be blocked from mid-morning until 11 a.m.

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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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