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Scolari out as Brazil coach after WCup failure

By WTOP Staff

TALES AZZONI
AP Sports Writer

SAO PAULO (AP) — Brazil coach Luiz Felipe Scolari resigned after the team failed to win the World Cup, the Brazilian Football Confederation said Monday.

Scolari promised to win the tournament at home, but Brazil was eliminated in the semifinals by a disastrous 7-1 loss to eventual champion Germany that matched the national team’s worst defeat in its 100-year history. Brazil also lost 3-0 to the Netherlands in the third-place match.

Scolari’s contract ended after the World Cup and he handed over the command of the team after Saturday’s match, saying it would be up to the confederation to decide whether he would remain at the helm of the five-time world champions.

In a statement, the confederation said President Jose Maria Marin accepted what it called “Scolari’s resignation.”

“Scolari and his staff deserve our respect and our gratitude,” the statement said. “They were responsible for making the Brazilian people regain their love for the Selecao even though we did not reach our greater goal (of winning the title).”

Scolari’s replacement was not immediately announced. Assistant Carlos Alberto Parreira, the coach who led Brazil to the 1994 World Cup title, was also leaving.

The confederation said Marin would give further explanations in a news conference on Thursday.

Scolari, who led Brazil to the 2002 World Cup title, had said after Brazil’s loss to the Netherlands that he would turn in a report of his work with the national team and Marin would then analyze what he would like to do.

Scolari publicly apologized to fans after the loss to Germany, saying he knows it will never be forgotten, and defended his work with Brazil since returning in late 2012. In 29 matches, he led the nation to 19 wins, six draws and four losses. Brazil won last year’s Confederations Cup, the World Cup warm-up tournament.

“I don’t think you can analyze the entire work based on only one disastrous result,” Scolari said after Brazil’s loss to the Dutch. “I think the job was well done.”

The once-popular coach was loudly booed by fans after Brazil ended the home tournament on Saturday. Despite high expectations, Brazil struggled throughout the competition, finishing with three wins, two draws and two losses.

Scolari had been betting on young striker Neymar to carry the team to the title, but he was shelved by a back injury in the quarterfinals.

Scolari was picked to lead the 2014 team mostly because of his popularity and experience from the 2002 title, but many critics said he was outdated as a coach. Before rejoining the national team, Scolari was coming off relegation in the Brazilian league with traditional club Palmeiras.

Among those touted to replace Scolari are Tite and Muricy Ramalho, who have been successful with local clubs in recent years. Ramalho is a four-time Brazilian champion, while Tite led popular Corinthians to the Club World Cup title in 2012. There is also talk in local media about international coaches, including Pep Guardiola, Jose Mourinho, and Chile’s Argentine coach Jorge Sampaoli.

Brazil’s next official tournament is the 2015 Copa America. The team is expected to play four friendlies this year, the first one against Colombia on Sept. 5 in Miami. It will also play Ecuador on Sept. 8 in New York, Argentina on Oct. 11 in Beijing and Turkey on Nov. 12 in Istanbul.

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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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