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Motivation pays off for 1st-round pick Verrett

By WTOP Staff

BERNIE WILSON
AP Sports Writer

SAN DIEGO (AP) — People should probably think twice before doubting Jason Verrett’s chances in the NFL simply because he’s only 5-foot-9 and 189 pounds.

Verrett went from having no scholarship offers out of high school to being taken in the first round of the draft by the San Diego Chargers.

When he hugged NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell on Thursday night, he didn’t seem to want to let go.

“I was just in the moment being surprised and excited,” said Verrett, who was taken with the 25th pick overall. “Just the length I had to go to, from high school to juco to the adversity I had to face as a young player, all that excitement and emotion came out in that hug. If it was a 10-second hug, my bad. I was just enjoying it.”

Verrett is from Fairfield, which is between Sacramento and San Francisco. He said he could have walked on at Fresno State as a freshman, but figured he’d have a better opportunity at Santa Rosa Junior College.

“I wanted to get a scholarship to help my parents,” Verrett said Friday.

His parents, Warren and Cynthia Verrett, attended his introductory news conference Friday.

Verrett spent just one season at Santa Rosa before earning a scholarship from TCU.

“It’s a wonderful story,” his mother said.

Verrett said he’s always been confident despite his size.

“It’s motivation, determination, hard work and commitment,” he said. “Those are the things I carry with me wherever I go. I wasn’t the biggest guy in high school, wasn’t the fastest guy, the smartest guy, but I was the guy who always wanted to be somebody. I happened to take that route to go through juco and then to TCU. It definitely shows my character and hard work and passion.”

Verrett said he got his toughness from his parents.

“They’re hard-nosed people,” he said. “They don’t back down for nobody. When I’m out there on the football field, I’m going to be competitive, I’m going to be that guy that wants to make plays. When I’m out there on the football field, I’ve got a chip on my shoulder. I’m motivated.”

Verrett became emotional when asked what it meant to have his parents and other family members sitting in front of him at the news conference.

Earlier, he mentioned that his parents changed allegiances after finding out Thursday night that their son was headed to San Diego.

“Before that phone call, my parents were Raiders fans. Right after that phone call, they were Chargers fans,” he said.

___

Follow Bernie Wilson on Twitter at http://twitter.com/berniewilson

Copyright 2014 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

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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