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Rossi dismisses reports of fitness problems

By WTOP Staff

MILAN (AP) — Giuseppe Rossi dismissed speculation Monday that he was omitted from Italy’s World Cup squad because of concerns about his fitness.

Rossi only recently returned from a four-month layoff following his latest right knee injury but was included in Italy coach Cesare Prandelli’s provisional 30-man squad.

The United States-born forward was one of six players cut — along with injured midfielder Riccardo Montolivo — from the final 23-man list on Sunday.

“Everyone says I’m not in shape: I dare them to ask anyone for the test results and those of the match. You’ll be surprised,” Rossi wrote in both English and Italian on Twitter on Monday.

The 27-year-old Rossi has struggled with a number of serious injuries in his career and will now miss a third straight major international tournament.

Rossi was also one of the final cuts for World Cup 2010 by then-coach Marcello Lippi, who said last week that he regretted that decision. He missed out on the European Championships in 2012 because of problems with his right knee.

Rossi led Serie A with 14 goals in 17 matches with Fiorentina this season until he reinjured his right knee in January, sidelining him for four months. He has not played a full 90 minutes since returning a month ago and occasionally appeared hesitant in Saturday’s friendly against Ireland.

But Rossi sarcastically dismissed reports that fears about being injured again could affect his game.

“Getting tackle on? Scared? Makes me laugh. My decision making is faster than the defenders…” Rossi continued on Twitter. “Next time, like an amateur, I’ll wait for my opponents to get tackled on. Just some things I wanted to clear up.

“Now the most important thing to do is root for Italy. Forza Azzurri!! #fifthstar.”

“He’s upset,” Rossi’s agent Andrea Pastorello said. “He really cared about the World Cup in Brazil. He made enormous sacrifices for five months.”

He will now return home to New Jersey as Italy prepares to fly to Brazil.

“We won’t cause a drama, Prandelli’s decision will be calmly accepted,” Pastorello added. “The coach has the responsibility of making difficult decisions. We know that the reasons aren’t technical ones.”

Italy opens its World Cup campaign against England in Group D on June 14 and then faces Costa Rica on June 20 and Uruguay on June 24.

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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