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Man City starts Premier League season with win

By WTOP Staff

LIVERPOOL, England (AP) — Two days into the English Premier League season there already is a familiar sight at the top of the standings.

Manchester City began the defense of its title with a 2-0 road victory over Newcastle on Sunday, with star forwards David Silva and Sergio Aguero scoring at St. James’ Park.

Liverpool — the runner-up last season — was less convincing against Southampton at Anfield but still took the three points, with Daniel Sturridge’s 79th-minute goal securing a 2-1 win in the team’s first match of the post-Luis Suarez era.

Raheem Sterling put Liverpool ahead in the 23rd, but Brendan Rodgers’ side struggled for fluency and Nathaniel Clyne deservedly equalized for Southampton in the 56th.

With Chelsea visiting Burnley on Monday to wrap up the first round of games, City is the only team to have won by more than a one-goal margin.

“We have talked to the squad about the two ‘H’s — hungry and humble,” City manager Manuel Pellegrini said. “We need both if want to continue winning titles and improve on what we did last season.”

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PARIS (AP) — Monaco extended its poor start to the season, falling 4-1 at Bordeaux for its second straight loss in the French league.

Monaco striker Dimitar Barbatov opened the scoring with a diving header on the stroke of halftime, but Bordeaux forward Diego Rolan leveled from close range three minutes after the break and the hosts took the lead when Argentine striker Emiliano Sala converted a penalty in the 61st.

Rolan volleyed home to make it 3-1 in the 65th before Wahbi Khazri sealed the win with another spot kick in the 75th.

Also Sunday, Saint-Etienne rallied past Reims 3-1 while Marseille lost 2-0 to Montpellier. Bordeaux and Saint-Etienne are the only clubs that have won their first two league games.

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BERLIN (AP) — Bayern Munich opened its German Cup defense with a 4-1 win at third-division side Preussen Muenster.

Robert Lewandowski crossed for former Borussia Dortmund teammate Mario Goetze to score with a header in the 19th minute, and Thomas Mueller claimed his 100th goal in a competitive game for Bayern 10 minutes later.

David Alaba’s powerful shot in off the crossbar made it 3-0 in the 52nd, before Mueller set up substitute Claudio Pizarro to score in the 73rd.

Rogier Krohne scored an 89th-minute consolation from the penalty spot for Muenster.

Elsewhere, Sven Schipplock scored five goals in Hoffenheim’s 9-0 rout of fifth-tier side USC Paloma, Werder Bremen needed extra time to beat fourth-tier FV Illertissen 3-2, and Freiburg defeated Eintracht Trier, another fourth-tier side, 2-0.

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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