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Alonso fastest in 2nd practice at Monaco GP

By WTOP Staff

JEROME PUGMIRE
AP Sports Writer

MONACO (AP) — Ferrari driver Fernando Alonso posted the fastest time in the rain-disrupted second practice session at the Monaco Grand Prix on Thursday. Formula One leader Lewis Hamilton was second.

Alonso, third overall in the championship, clocked 1 minute, 18.482 seconds. Hamilton was .419 seconds behind, and Sebastian Vettel .535 behind for Red Bull. Frenchman Jean-Eric Vergne was fourth best for Toro Rosso.

Spectators waited for nearly 40 minutes as drivers stayed in their garages until the track dried after some showers.

Hamilton was fastest in the morning session ahead of Mercedes teammate Nico Rosberg, and Red Bull driver Daniel Ricciardo.

There is a final practice session on Saturday morning before qualifying in the afternoon.

Hamilton, who has won 26 races, has never started from the pole in Monaco despite securing 35 career poles elsewhere.

“It felt really good out there today. I had a good first session and was then really pleased to get those last few laps in the dry this afternoon,” Hamilton said. “I’m feeling pretty set for Saturday. There is still some work to do, but we have tomorrow to look into that.”

The British driver is confident he can end his barren run in Monaco, where he has not won since 2008, the year he won the F1 title.

“This track is one of the coolest ever,” Hamilton said. “It’s such a classic race, and I’ve been trying to win here again since 2008, so I’m hoping this is the year as we have such a great car.”

Hamilton has four poles this season, with Rosberg clinching the other, meaning Mercedes have swept all five races and all five poles.

Hamilton has won the previous four and Rosberg took the opening GP in Australia, where Hamilton retired with engine failure.

Rosberg, who secured his maiden Monaco GP win last year, trails Hamilton by three points overall.

“It seems that we are looking very quick here again, although our main competitors seem to be a little closer to us than in Barcelona,” the German said. “The conditions weren’t great this afternoon so I didn’t take any risks as there was nothing to learn on the wet parts of the track.”

Monaco’s tight, sinewy circuit makes overtaking almost impossible and puts whoever gets pole into a prime position.

But given that engine power is less important than at other races, Red Bull could end Mercedes’ winning streak if Vettel or Ricciardo can upstage Hamilton and Rosberg in qualifying.

“The nature of the circuit doesn’t put such a premium on straight-line performance, which has obviously been our weakness this year. We’re hoping to give these guys (Mercedes) a run for their money,” Red Bull team principal Christian Horner said. “It’s been an encouraging start to the weekend. When you consider where we were preseason, we’ve come a long way in a couple of months.”

Vettel was fifth fastest in the first practice behind Alonso.

The Spaniard is 51 points behind Hamilton but four ahead of Vettel, his main rival from previous seasons, who is fourth.

In the morning’s run in overcast, chilly conditions, British driver Max Chilton spun off in his Marussia car, while struggling German driver Adrian Sutil stalled his Sauber.

Swedish driver Marcus Ericsson slammed his Caterham into the barriers with a minute remaining in the afternoon run.

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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