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Stanford not slighted by 2nd-place Pac-12 pick

By WTOP Staff

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Stanford has played in four straight major bowl games and the past two Rose Bowls, building a resilient football power at an improbable place.

The Cardinal’s reward for all that consistency this week? They were picked to finish second behind Oregon in the Pac-12 North Division yet again.

Yet Stanford coach David Shaw doesn’t perceive any slight in the preseason conference media poll. He believes it’s a testament to the overall power of the Pac-12, which appears to be stacked with deep, talented teams heading into his fourth season on The Farm.

“It doesn’t matter, and I don’t use it as motivation,” Shaw said Thursday at the league’s media days. “I don’t get happy or sad about it. I might pick Oregon, too. Who knows? Doesn’t matter. We’ve got to play 12 tough games to earn anything beyond that, anyway.”

Stanford has made back-to-back trips to the Rose Bowl after two straight wins over Oregon, yet quarterback Kevin Hogan said the Cardinal are still smarting over their loss to Michigan State last January.

“We do have a lot of success, but that can’t stop us from being the hunters rather than the hunted,” Hogan said. “Oregon has a great team coming back. They deserve the credit for what they’ve done. You can’t blame people for expecting them to be successful, but that doesn’t change the expectations we have for ourselves. I don’t think anybody is offended by a preseason ranking right now.”

UCLA coach Jim Mora also isn’t putting much stock into the preseason plaudits for his Bruins, the South Division favorites and a popular preseason top-10 pick. Mora’s deep roster is led by quarterback Brett Hundley, who is just one of several Pac-12 passers expected to shine this season.

“I don’t want the players to think they’re extra special before we accomplish the goals we set out to do,” Mora said.

UCLA has a chance to cement a spot among the Pac-12’s elite after winning 19 games in Mora’s first two seasons. Stanford is already there, and the list of title contenders seems to be awfully crowded in the West Coast’s dominant conference.

Stellar quarterback play was the main theme emerging from the Pac-12’s first two-day preseason media event at Paramount Studios.

Ten starting quarterbacks returned to Pac-12 teams this season, ranging from Heisman Trophy contenders Hundley and Oregon’s Marcus Mariota to several standout veterans including Hogan, Oregon State’s Sean Mannion, Arizona State’s Taylor Kelly, Washington State’s Connor Halliday and Southern California’s Cody Kessler.

“I don’t think there’s even a conference that’s close, as far as the quarterbacks,” Mora said.

Arizona coach Rich Rodriguez thinks this is the toughest time in college football history to be a defensive coordinator, but not every Pac-12 team produces those numbers with intricate spread offenses. Stanford and Oregon State have stuck with pro-style schemes, while new USC coach Steve Sarkisian is introducing hurry-up tactics to the Trojans’ traditional pro sets.

“It just shows that teams can win in a lot of different ways,” Mannion said. “Every school in the conference presents a different challenge.”

While most Pac-12 teams have established starting passers, the quarterback race is wide open at Washington. New coach Chris Petersen suspended Cyler Miles, his only quarterback with starting experience, for the season opener against Hawaii after his involvement in an offseason fight.

Miles also missed spring ball with the Huskies, but Petersen is confident that a strong quarterback will emerge to lead his first team in Seattle after eight outstanding seasons at Boise State.

“You’ve got to have a quarterback that’s playing at a high level to have some success,” Petersen said. “Everybody gets a fresh start. There’s no opinions. We don’t get biased as coaches. We’re real confident in our process and how we do things.”

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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