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Russia, South Korea ready to go at World Cup

By WTOP Staff

STEVE DOUGLAS
AP Sports Writer

CUIABA, Brazil (AP) — In his fourth and final World Cup as a player, Hong Myung-bo led South Korea on that famous run to the semifinals in 2002.

Twelve years on, and now national team coach, it’ll be some achievement if he gets the side beyond the group stage.

A stuttering qualifying campaign may have dented South Korean confidence ahead into their opening Group H match against Fabio Capello’s Russia on Tuesday, but they’ve got a wealth of World Cup experience.

“We have a good memory from the last World Cup because we qualified through the group stage. So we also want to qualify in this one as well,” South Korea midfielder Ki Sung-yeung said. “But it’s not easy — it’s going to be tough. We will suffer from every single game.”

At first glance, it appears the Koreans and Russians will be in a race for second spot in the group behind a young and vibrant Belgium team whose golden generation has bloomed just in time for Brazil. Algeria is the other team in the group.

Much, therefore, hinges on the outcome in Cuiaba.

Capello endured a miserable first World Cup as coach with England in 2010, the team limping into the knockout stage before a heavy defeat to Germany in the last 16. And the build-up to the 2014 tournament has hardly been smooth for the Italian manager, losing Roman Shirokov — his captain and fulcrum of the midfield — to a back injury days before the big kickoff.

Capello has already said this tournament is a “rehearsal” for the 2018 World Cup hosted by Russia, so the pressure is off his players somewhat. Given the weak nature of Group H, though, failure to advance would be a disappointment.

“The experience of games at the World Cup helps,” Capello said. “Four years ago, I was at the tournament with the England team but it’s important to remember which players you’re coaching and what their mentality is.

“Experience helps you to fix mistakes you made in the past.”

In Shirokov’s absence, Capello has spent the pre-tournament friendlies trying to get the Russians to attack down the flanks instead, relying on the likes Dmitri Kombarov and Yuri Zhirkov. He has yet to name a new captain from squad of players who all play their club football in Russia.

Young striker Alexander Kokorin is likely to start up front ahead of Alexander Kerzhakov.

South Korea lost 2-1 to Russia in a friendly at Dubai in November and is coming off a 4-0 hammering by Ghana in Miami, which highlighted the team’s defensive problems as well as limitations in attack.

Hong, brought in as coach in July last year as a replacement for Choi Kang-hee following the lacklustre qualifying campaign, must choose between out-of-form striker Park Chu-young, selected for a third World Cup, or a taller targetman in Kim Shin-wook.

Kim’s form in the domestic K-League has been impressive over the past year but Park has experience on his side.

The match completes the opening round of fixtures at the World Cup.

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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