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Schweinsteiger fit for late World Cup stage

By WTOP Staff

NESHA STARCEVIC
AP Sports Writer

PORTO SEGURO, Brazil (AP) — Bastian Schweinsteiger’s fragile left knee has been a matter of concern for weeks and the reason the Germany midfielder started the World Cup on the bench. Now he’s fit again just as the tournament gets into the decisive stage and Germany faces host Brazil in the semifinals.

Germany coach Joachim Loew considers Schweinsteiger one of his key players, the man who controls the pace of his team’s game and sets quick transitions in motion once he wins the ball.

But Schweinsteiger was on the bench when the tournament started because he was not yet fully fit after a lingering knee injury that forced him to miss of Germany’s pre-World Cup training camp.

He has been in the starting line-up for the last three games, however, and said on Sunday that Loew was right to give him time to get back in shape.

“I feel very good now, I’ve played a lot of minutes at a high level and I can go now for more than 90 minutes, although of course I hope that it won’t be necessary,” Schweinsteiger said.

Loew took a gamble when he took an ailing Schweinsteiger to the 2012 European Championship. Schweinsteiger played below par and Germany lost to Italy in the semifinals. His lack of fitness was singled out as one of the reasons Germany failed to win the title.

The Germany coach had promised before the World Cup that he would take along only healthy players. But a slew of injuries to some key players, including Schweinsteiger and Sami Khedira, gave him little choice but to hope that they would recover as the tournament goes on.

“Bastian and Sami did not have their rhythm at the start. It was important for both to be fit again,” assistant coach Hansi Flick said on Sunday. “We were hoping that they would get fit as the group stage progressed. We are not stubborn, we all work on a common plan and so far it has worked out sensationally.”

Schweinsteiger agreed, saying he did not mind sitting on the bench despite being one of the team’s leaders.

“I completely share the opinion of the coach. He made the right decision. The matches here sap a lot of energy. My mood was always good. It’s not about a person, we are here to win the title, to win for Germany,” he said.

The 29-year-old Bayern Munich midfielder has 106 caps and is one of Germany’s most experienced players. Schweinsteiger believes this team is better than the one of 2010, when Germany lost in the semifinals to eventual champion Spain.

“We are more mature, we have more experience and we have a deep bench with more options,” Schweinsteiger said.

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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