Skip to main content

OSU’s Meyer: Surgery on Braxton Miller successful

By WTOP Staff

RUSTY MILLER
AP Sports Writer

COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) — Braxton Miller came through surgery just fine.

The Ohio State quarterback will still miss the rest of the 2014 season after having successful surgery on Tuesday to repair the torn labrum in his right (throwing) shoulder.

“Braxton and I talked this morning before he went in,” Buckeyes coach Urban Meyer said on the Big Ten coaches teleconference on Tuesday. “He had surgery. Everything is good.”

Miller sent Meyer pictures of himself, his father and Dr. James Andrews, who performed the operation on Tuesday in Gulf Breeze, Florida.

A day before his surgery, Miller posted the following on his Twitter account: “There are two sides of everything. The worst has happened. The best is next ..”

Miller initially injured his shoulder in last year’s Orange Bowl loss to Clemson, then had surgery in February and missed spring workouts. He returned to the team and reinjured the shoulder on Aug. 18 during preseason camp.

Meyer said everything went according to plan during surgery.

“It’s very positive,” Meyer added. “All reports are there were no surprises and everything went well. He’s out of surgery and will be back tomorrow morning.”

Miller is expected to be sidelined for roughly a year as he takes a medical redshirt. He has indicated he is on schedule to graduate from Ohio State in December and plans to return to the team to play for his final season.

J.T. Barrett will start in place of Miller for the Buckeyes against Navy in Baltimore on Saturday. The redshirt freshman has never taken a snap in a college game but Meyer likes how he has assumed a leadership role since Miller went down.

“We just started seeing this young man develop,” he said of Barrett. “We all thought he would, we recruited him. And he comes from a really good high school program and a really incredible family. All of those positives are coming out right now. I saw it before (Miller’s) injury but you really see it now.”

Miller was voted a team captain by his Ohio State teammates. He will not make the trip to the opener on Saturday, but Meyer said he would take an active role in the team.

Cleveland Cavaliers star LeBron James offered best wishes to Miller on his Twitter account: “Excited and Happy my lil bro braxtonmiller surgery went great!”

___

Follow Rusty Miller on Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/RustyMillerAP

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 Stories

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