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Review: How to follow World Cup beyond live video

By WTOP Staff

MAE ANDERSON
Associated Press

NEW YORK (AP) — Every World Cup game is being shown on television and online in the U.S., but many will require a cable or satellite TV subscription, even for Internet streaming. What if you don’t have one?

Good news: In 2014, there are more apps and other options than ever before. As the World Cup transitions into the knockout stages, here’s a look at how to keep up on everything to do with the tournament in Brazil, including the U.S.-Germany match on Thursday.

— UNIVISION:

To stream games online using ESPN’s website or app, viewers need a cable or satellite TV subscription. It’s not enough to have Internet service through the cable provider.

But there is another way to watch for free — legally. Spanish-language channel Univision is streaming the first 56 World Cup games for free on its website and Deporte app. The only drawback (for some) is that the commentary is in Spanish.

Unfortunately, even the games on Univision will require a cable or satellite subscription once the quarterfinals begin on July 4.

Univision: http://futbol.univision.com

— RADIO:

ESPN Radio and Sirius XM are broadcasting all games over the radio. Simply find your local ESPN station, tune in at game time and let the drama unfold. Sirius requires a satellite radio subscription.

This is handy if you are watching the game on Univision but want to hear English-language commentary, though Internet streams can run a minute or so behind the broadcast.

ESPN stations: http://sports.espn.go.com/espnradio/affiliate

— APPS:

There is a wide array of smartphone apps to help World Cup fans.

The official FIFA app for Apple and Android phones gives you real-time updates of all games, updated rankings, photos and video highlights and selected tweets from FIFA and others.

If you’re looking for a source outside the sport’s governing body, check out Forza Football, Vubooo’s World Cup 2014 and World Soccer Finals for Apple and Android devices, and in some cases Windows phones as well. You don’t get live video, but the apps offer lineups, game statistics, live updates, rankings and video highlights.

These apps offer similar information, but they are all free so you can try them all and see which you like best.

FIFA app: http://www.fifa.com/mobile

— MEDIA SITES:

ESPN’s website is chock full of stats and video highlights that you can access even if you don’t have cable. Many news sites, including The New York Times and The Wall Street Journal, offer live blogs of all of the games, offering insights and commentary. This can be a useful way to keep up, especially now that two games are going on at the same time.

My favorite live blog is from The Guardian. It provides an insightful running commentary, along with a heavy dose of snarkiness and an ongoing debate about which country’s national anthem is the best.

Guardian World Cup page: http://www.theguardian.com/football/world-cup-2014

— SOCIAL MEDIA:

Twitter is displaying World Cup scores on its home page. All but two teams have official accounts, and 300 players are on Twitter. FIFA’s Twitter accounts are FifaWorldCup and Fifacom. Clicking on the official Twitter hashtags, WorldCup and WorldCup2014, will take you to Twitter’s hubs for the event.

Facebook has an official World Cup section called “Trending World Cup.” It includes the latest scores, game highlights and a feed with tournament-related posts.

Google has been doing a different Google Doodle on its main search page each day. One memorialized Paul the Octopus, an octopus that predicted World Cup winners until his death in 2010.

Google also has special Street View pages that highlight the painted streets of Brazil and the inside of all World Cup stadiums. The figure that guides users through Street View now has a white T-shirt and a soccer ball.

A dedicated Google Trends page showcases all trending topics related to the World Cup. Also, when you search for anything related to the World Cup, including just the name of a country in the tournament, stats and other information appear in a graphical box up top.

Google: http://www.google.com/trends/worldcup

Twitter: https://blog.twitter.com/2014/follow-the-worldcup-action-on-twitter

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/worldcup

— HIT THE BAR:

Even if you have a TV, the best way to watch the World Cup is with other fans. Ask local bars and restaurants where and when the games will be shown.

But don’t limit yourself to those: community centers, parks or other non-traditional places might be showing the games. In Minneapolis, for example, the Riverview Theater showed the June 16 U.S.-Ghana game for free. In New York, games are being shown outdoors at The Archway under the Manhattan Bridge.

If you don’t have a cable or satellite TV subscription, this is about the only way you can watch live video with English commentary in the U.S. ABC television stations are showing 10 of the 64 games, including the final, over the air for free. But streaming is through ESPN, so you still need the subscription.

So do your research, and you might find some unexpected places nearby showing the games — and find out which neighbors are fellow fans.

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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