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Thousands show up for Brazil’s training session

By WTOP Staff

TALES AZZONI
AP Sports Writer

GOIANIA, Brazil (AP) — Thousands of fans watched Brazil’s final training session Monday before its World Cup warm-up game against Panama.

Fans arrived early at the Serra Dourada Stadium to get a glimpse of the players who will try to win the World Cup at home beginning next week.

Coach Luiz Felipe Scolari made reference to 20,000 people watching on, but initial estimates by police said between 5,000 and 10,000 supporters were at the stadium. Attendance at the 50,000-capacity Serra Dourada had been limited to 20,000 fans because of security reasons.

Mostly clad in Brazil’s yellow colors, fans faced long lines to get into the venue. It was free to watch the training session but fans needed to have tickets.

The crowd chanted “Brazil, Brazil, Brazil,” as they waited for their idols, then cheered loudly when the players entered the field. Fans yelled every time a player came near the sidelines or when a goal was scored.

“I’m not going to be able to watch the (Panama) match, so I had to find a way to see the players today,” said Cristiano de Castro, who brought his 2-year-old son to the Serra Dourada. “He loves the national team, this is huge for me and for him.”

At the end of the session players gathered at midfield and applauded the crowd.

“It was good to have 20,000 people here supporting us and hopefully we will have some 40,000 people tomorrow during the match,” Scolari said.

Tuesday’s game will be the team’s second-to-last before playing Croatia in the World Cup opener on June 12. The hosts face Serbia on Friday in its final tuneup. More than 50,000 tickets have already been sold for that match in Sao Paulo.

Brazil began its World Cup preparations a week ago outside Rio de Janeiro, where practices have been closed to the public so far.

Goiania was one of the 17 cities that bid to host matches during the World Cup, but it was left out as the nearby capital of Brasilia was picked thanks to its strong political influence. Brazil was based in Goiania before last year’s Confederations Cup, the World Cup warm-up tournament it won.

Brazil will be without captain Thiago Silva and midfielders Paulinho and Fernandinho for the match against Panama. Paulinho was nursing an ankle injury sustained in practice on Saturday, while his teammates stayed at the team’s training camp to work on their fitness.

Hernanes had replaced Paulinho in practice on Sunday, but Scolari said Ramires will start on Tuesday. Dante will be Thiago Silva’s replacement.

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Tales Azzoni on Twitter: http://twitter.com/tazzoni

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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