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French Open Watch: Keeping those sponsors happy

By WTOP Staff

PARIS (AP) — Novak Djokovic knows it’s important to keep those sponsors happy.

During Djokovic’s victory in the French Open quarterfinals Tuesday, the letter “P” tumbled off a courtside advertising sign for the carmaker “Pugeot.”

Between points, Djokovic ambled over and put the silver-colored “P” back in place.

Then he struck a pose next to it, showing the patch on his sleeve with that same company’s name.

— Howard Fendrich, http://twitter.com/HowardFendrich

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TEA TIME: When Maria Sharapova came back from a set down to win her French Open quarterfinal, Wimbledon champion Andy Murray’s mother, British Fed Cup captain Judy, wrote on Twitter: “Sharapova is like a tea bag. Put her into hot water and (you’ll) find out how strong she is.”

So a reporter wanted to know what Sharapova thought of that assessment.

Didn’t go well.

First, Sharapova asked who Judy Murray is.

Then Sharapova asked the reporter to explain what the tweet meant.

The reporter asked Sharapova whether she drinks tea.

“I’m a big tea drinker,” Sharapova replied with a laugh. “I don’t understand what she means.”

The reporter began explaining.

“That’s great. She’s very creative,” Sharapova said. “I guess she could have put it many different ways, and she chose the English version.”

— Howard Fendrich, http://twitter.com/HowardFendrich

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PICTURE THIS: But first, let me take a selfie.

That was the request put to Canada’s Eugenie Bouchard right there on court by Fabrice Santoro, a former player who conducts post-match interviews at the French Open.

After asking questions about Bouchard’s quarterfinal victory, Santoro went off on a tangent.

“I saw on the social networks that you do an enormous amount of selfies,” he said, “and I’d like to have one with you.”

Bouchard looked surprised, laughed, and then posed with Santoro while he used his phone to snap a photo of the two of them.

“I didn’t know I was famous for my selfies, but that was really cool,” the 20-year-old Bouchard said later. “So different, you know. I love those things.”

— Jerome Pugmire, http://twitter.com/jeromepugmire

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WASTE NOT, EAT NOT: Nearly half a million spectators attend the French Open, and there are dozens of outlets across the tennis complex to feed them.

That means a lot of food going to waste at the end of each day.

So the French Tennis Federation started a project aimed at distributing leftovers to the homeless.

The federation says it hopes to donate the equivalent of 8,000 meals over 10 days to the homeless via several centers in Paris.

— Jerome Pugmire, http://twitter.com/jeromepugmire

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French Open Watch follows tennis’ clay-court Grand Slam tournament in Paris as seen by journalists from The Associated Press.

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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