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Changes in Serie A after Allegri replaces Conte

By WTOP Staff

DANIELLA MATAR
Associated Press

MILAN (AP) — There is plenty of change in Serie A this season after a difficult and tumultuous period for Italian football.

The pain in Italy began with the Italian Cup final in May, which was overshadowed by the shooting and later death of Napoli fan Ciro Esposito.

It was hoped a good World Cup campaign would serve as a timely boost to a crisis-ridden country, but Italy was knocked out in the first round in Brazil, prompting the resignation of national team coach Cesare Prandelli and the president of the Italian football federation.

Giancarlo Abete’s replacement is Carlo Tavecchio, who is now under investigation by UEFA following alleged racist remarks during his electoral campaign.

The one positive note is that Antonio Conte was chosen to replace Prandelli — but that move sees Serie A lose one of its finest coaches.

Conte left Juventus fans reeling when he announced his departure, shortly after steering the Bianconeri to its third straight league title in his three years in charge.

He was replaced by Massimiliano Allegri, a man who was subject to constant criticism from the media and fans during his time at AC Milan, despite leading the Rossoneri to the league title during his first season in charge.

Allegri has admitted it will be tough to emulate Conte’s record-breaking last season in charge.

“To collect 102 points is impossible,” Allegri said. “The average you need to win is usually 84-85 points. I just want to have one more than second place.

“When you change coach, new things are normal. Each approaches the team based on their character. The coach is very important, but you need togetherness between him, the club and the players. At Juve I have found this. At Milan it was there for three years.”

With the uncertainty of how Juventus will perform under Allegri, Roma is among many people’s favorites to end the Bianconeri’s hold on the title.

Last season’s runners-up faded after a fantastic start under coach Rudi Garcia but are likely to cope better after a year of experience and following more shrewd moves in the transfer market — if the squad manages to deal with the dual challenges of the Champions League and Serie A.

In previous offseasons, Allegri’s old club has been seen as the team most likely to challenge Juventus. But Milan fans are set for another season of mediocrity after an eighth-place finish.

Milan — which fired Allegri in January — dismissed coach Clarence Seedorf at the end of the season and replaced him with another club great, Filippo Inzaghi.

The preseason has not gone to plan with a number of embarrassing performances and the sale of striker Mario Balotelli to Liverpool.

City rival Inter Milan is unlikely to fare much better, but could emerge as surprise title contenders if new signings Nemanja Vidic, Pablo Osvaldo and Gary Medel stay away from controversy.

If the Milan crisis — which saw both of the city’s teams flounder — repeats itself, Napoli and Fiorentina are likely to once again challenge for the top three.

Napoli impressed under coach Rafa Benitez last season but showed the previous year that it struggles domestically when involved in the Champions League.

Fiorentina is sweating again on the fitness of striker Giuseppe Rossi, who is sidelined with another knee injury.

There will be excitement further down the table, too, as Andrea Stramaccioni and Zdenek Zeman return to coaching, at Udinese and Cagliari, respectively, after a season break following high-profile failures at Inter and Roma.

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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