Skip to main content

Ryan Dungey sweeps 450 Class motos at Washougal

By WTOP Staff

WASHOUGAL, Wash. (AP) — Ryan Dungey swept the 450 Class motos Saturday in the Lucas Oil Pro Motocross Championship’s Washougal National for his third victory of the year.

Dungey, the Red Bull KTM rider from Belle Plaine, Minnesota, raced to his 30th career 450 Class victory. He’s second in the standings, 14 points behind teammate Ken Roczen with three races left.

“Today was just about coming in and not worrying about the championship. There’s a lot of racing left,” Dungey said. “We just tried to put out our best effort and we did that.”

GEICO Honda’s Eli Tomac was second in both motos.

“We got great starts and Eli kept us honest in that second moto, but I just really tried to put the hammer down and extend the gap,” Dungey said. “Fortunately, we did that. I love it here and this just feels awesome.”

Roczen was third in each moto.

“You always want to be up front, but it was another weekend of work for us,” Roczen said. “It’ll be good to have an off weekend and recharge the batteries. Ryan rode really well today and congrats to him. I’ll take some time to regroup and get some rest in. I really want to keep that red plate. All that matters is who’s on top in the end, and we aren’t there just yet.”

In the 250 Class, Red Bull KTM’s Marvin Musquin also swept the motos for the French rider’s first victory of the season.

“That was a perfect day,” Musquin said. “I was fastest qualifying and got both moto wins. It was my first time in America going 1-1. … I found an outside line that helped me make passes all day.”

Kawasaki’s Blake Baggett was second overall, finishing fifth in the first moto and second in the second. Points leader Jeremy Martin of Yamaha was third, running fourth in each moto.

Martin has a 43-point lead over teammate Cooper Webb.

“I’m pumped,” Martin said. “Last year I went 29-12 at Washougal and this year I went 4-4, so I’m super, super happy. I was able to get some good starts, find some good lines and get into a rhythm.”

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 This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.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
Read Next Story

Related News

Frustration grows in Venezuela as earthquake death toll reaches 1,430

Israel and Lebanon sign framework agreement with US in ‘first step’ toward peace, Rubio says

Trump-endorsed populist poised to become Colombia’s next president as rival challenges vote