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Chile miners seek to give boost to World Cup team

By WTOP Staff

LUIS ANDRES HENAO
Associated Press

SANTIAGO, Chile (AP) — The Chilean miners who survived trapped underground longer than anyone else before have a message for their country’s World Cup team: Don’t fear the “group of death.”

Chile has a strong squad, but in the first round it faces defending champion Spain and 2010 finalist Netherlands, as well as Australia. Just advancing out of Group B will be seen as a major success.

But for the miners who were trapped deep underground for 69 days in 2010: “Nothing is impossible for a Chilean.” That’s the title of their stirring television ad released Wednesday.

In the Bank of Chile ad, the men return to the mouth of the mine that nearly became their rocky grave. There, miner Mario Sepulveda gives a moving speech telling Chile’s team to courageously fight against all odds, remembering how the miners overcame death itself.

Then, the miners collect sand from the Atacama desert in jars that they hope to send to the team to be poured wherever they play. In the end, the group breaks into a chant of “Chi! Chi! Chi! Le! Le! Le!” — for the country’s name.

“My message to our Chile team is that we’re going to win. They have the talent and a whole country behind them and they must battle until the end,” Sepulveda, the public face of the miners, told The Associated Press. “There are harder things in life and you can conquer them. Chile will not only pass to the second round, but it will surprise everyone.”

With world-class players including Juventus midfielder Arturo Vidal and Barcelona forward Alexis Sanchez, Chile finished third in South American qualifying, had a draw with Spain and beat England in friendly matches, and lost only two of 15 games last year.

Chile placed third when it hosted the 1962 World Cup. It will be playing in its second consecutive Cup, which it has never done before.

In its last two appearances, in 1998 and 2010, Chile reached the round of 16. At the 2010 Cup in South Africa, Chile beat Switzerland and Honduras and lost to eventual champion Spain 2-1 in the group stage. It then lost to Brazil 3-0 in the second round.

If Chile gets through the group stage, it could again meet host Brazil in the second round.

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Associated Press writer Eva Vergara contributed to this report.

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Online:

Miners’ ad: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tmLmWiqSVS8&feature=youtu.be

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Luis Andres Henao on Twitter: https://twitter.com/LuisAndresHenao

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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