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QB Brady Quinn among group cut by Dolphins

By WTOP Staff

TIM REYNOLDS
AP Sports Writer

DAVIE, Fla. (AP) — Brady Quinn’s reunion with the Miami Dolphins was seven years in the making.

It lasted two weeks.

Quinn was among the cuts made by the Dolphins on Tuesday, when the team made 11 moves in order to meet the NFL’s deadline for paring the roster down to 75 players.

Quinn was on the practice field with the Dolphins in the morning, then announced the news on his Twitter account about two hours after that session ended.

“It was short lived but I enjoyed every second,” Quinn wrote on Twitter. “Thank you Miami Dolphins for the opportunity to play the game I love again. Best of luck to all the players and coaches this season!”

The Dolphins put running back Mike Gillislee on injured reserve, along with tight end Arthur Lynch and defensive tackle A.J. Francis.

Wide receiver Armon Binns was perhaps the most notable player waived, a list that included tight end Brett Brackett, cornerback Steven Clarke, defensive end Rakim Cox, defensive tackle Cory Grissom, center Tyler Larsen and wide receiver Ryan Spadola.

Quinn’s contract was terminated.

Dolphins coach Joe Philbin said before the cuts were announced Tuesday that he was hardly looking forward to the idea of telling some players that they were not making the team.

“Yeah, that part of it is difficult,” Philbin said. “You do your best to talk to the players about the NFL and hopefully their careers can be a long-term thing. There’s always setbacks in life and you deal with them and you move on. Certainly, there will be some quality individuals that you have to let go.”

The Dolphins signed Quinn on Aug. 12. He completed all four of his pass attempts for 22 yards in his lone preseason appearance for Miami, which famously decided not to take him in the 2007 draft — even though Quinn was under the assumption he was Dolphins-bound. The decision was booed by some fans in the crowd at Miami’s draft party as well.

Quinn was brought in this time to challenge Matt Moore for the No. 2 quarterback spot in Miami behind starter Ryan Tannehill. And this move makes it clear, Moore won that battle.

Moore will likely take at least some of the snaps when Miami plays host to St. Louis on Thursday night in the preseason finale for both cuts.

Tannehill said he’s learned from having Quinn around, even for a short time.

“He’s been around the league,” Tannehill said. “He kind of brings a veteran perspective on some plays that maybe he’s run in the past. . To have a veteran guy with that kind of knowledge has been good.”

Miami was the seventh NFL club to bring in Quinn, who only has seen regular-season action with two franchises — the Browns, from 2007 through 2009, and Kansas City in parts of 10 games during the 2012 season.

___

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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