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Dolphins bring in Rogers, 4th kicker of preseason

By WTOP Staff

TIM REYNOLDS
AP Sports Writer

DAVIE, Fla. (AP) — Jake Rogers needed a team and the Miami Dolphins needed yet another kicker.

So for now, they’re a match.

Two days after playing the second half of a preseason game with no available placekicker, the Dolphins signed Rogers on Monday. They become his seventh NFL team, though none of the other six clubs ever actually used him in a regular-season game.

“It’s a great opportunity,” said Rogers, who said he made three of his four attempts in his first practice with the Dolphins on Monday.

Rogers was released by Cleveland on July 28. He said he got the call from the Dolphins “Saturday night around 9:30,” which would have been about the time the team was scanning its sideline for someone to kick against the Dallas Cowboys as well.

On the team’s final possession, punter Brandon Fields was warming up if a field goal was needed. The Dolphins wound up getting a touchdown and prevailing 25-20, going for 2-point conversions after all three of their TDs in the second half because John Potter left the game with a hip injury.

Potter was waived-injured list Monday night, and offensive tackle Steven Baker and safety Demetrius Wright were also waived.

Potter was signed Aug. 15 because incumbent Caleb Sturgis, who made 26 of 34 field-goal tries as a rookie a year ago, has been hurt.

For the second half of the preseason game against Dallas, Fields handled kickoffs.

“The last time I tried a field goal was in high school,” Fields said. “The last time I kicked off was junior year of college.”

Fields was asked how good a placekicker he is.

“There’s a reason why I’m a punter,” Fields quickly said.

Rogers becomes the fourth kicker to be with Miami during this preseason. Besides Sturgis and Potter, the Dolphins also brought in Danny Hrapmann for about a week earlier this month. Hrapmann was released Aug. 15, the day that Potter was signed.

“We’re going to get through it,” Dolphins coach Joe Philbin said. “We got through it the other night. It looked like (Rogers) kicked the ball relatively well today. We’ll take it one day at a time and see how it plays itself out.”

Also Monday, the Dolphins also signed defensive tackle Cory Grissom.

Miami plays its preseason finale at home against St. Louis on Thursday night.

___

AP NFL website: www.pro32.ap.org and www.twitter.com/AP_NFL

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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