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Iowa St names Richardson starting QB

By WTOP Staff

LUKE MEREDITH
AP Sports Writer

AMES, Iowa (AP) — Iowa State has named junior Sam Richardson its starting quarterback.

Cyclones coach Paul Rhoads said Monday that Richardson emerged as the starter over Grant Rohach.

Richardson opened 2013 as the starter. But he struggled with injuries and ineffectiveness, and Rohach started the final four games for the Cyclones.

Richardson, who finished with 1,397 yards passing and 11 TDs last season, took advantage of the fresh start provided by new coordinator Mark Mangino to reclaim the starting job.

The Cyclones, who were 3-9 in 2013, open against defending FCS champion North Dakota State on Aug. 30.

“He’s had a tremendous fall camp,” Rhoads said of Richardson. “He’s displayed great leadership, and that certainly includes poise in the pocket, where he’s been very much in control of our offense and of himself. His understanding of the scheme and decision making has really grown in the time that we’ve spent here the last two weeks. And maybe as much as anything, he’s throwing a great ball. An accurate ball. A tight ball. A catchable ball.”

Even though Richardson will open the season as the starter for the second straight year, he appeared to be behind Rohach until just a few weeks ago.

Rohach led the Cyclones to wins over Kansas and West Virginia to close out 2013 — including the biggest comeback in school history to beat the Mountaineers on the road. Rohach built on that momentum in spring practice and appeared to be well ahead of Richardson following the spring game.

But Richardson said he and Mangino started to click about a week into fall camp, and Richardson started showing the form that made the coaching staff so high on him before last season.

“In the spring, it was tough to get used to how Mangino coached and what he was expecting. He’s a different kind of coach, and it took a little bit to get used to it,” Richardson said. I was “going out there with a new focus and trying to get the job. Once they noticed that I was trying to work to get there they kind of noticed that and gave me more reps.”

Rhoads also made it clear that he has no plans to rotate Richardson and Rohach or go to the bench after a bad series or two.

“There won’t be any kind of hand on the shoulder or anything like,” Rhoads said. “You don’t want to be looking over your shoulder. You don’t want to be concerned about a bad play.”

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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