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White Sox’s Konerko out with broken hand

By WTOP Staff

CLEVELAND (AP) — White Sox first baseman Paul Konerko wants to end his career on his terms, not because of a broken bone in his left hand.

The 38-year-old slugger, who plans on retiring at the end of the season, was diagnosed with a fractured sesamoid Friday, three days after he was injured while tagging out Twins shortstop Danny Santana in Minnesota.

“I’m going to do everything I can to get back for a couple of games before it’s all over,” Konerko said following Chicago’s 2-1 loss to Cleveland in 10 innings. “If this happened at any other time of the season, I’d be on the disabled list right now. It’s very swollen, very stiff, and I can’t do much with it at all.”

Chicago manager Robin Ventura said he expects Konerko to play again this season, but ruled him out for the three-game series against the Indians.

Konerko wasn’t as positive about his status, explaining that he can’t close his left fist and doesn’t believe he will resume baseball activities until at least next weekend.

“If you can’t swing a bat or catch a throw from an infielder, it’s tough to play,” he said. “I don’t know what it’s going to feel like, but I know bones don’t usually heal in a week.”

The White Sox will hold Paul Konerko Day on Sept. 27 at U.S. Cellular Field during the final weekend of the season. Konerko has played for the White Sox since 1999 and is the team’s captain. He also was honored in a pregame ceremony in Minnesota on Wednesday.

“He’s not real happy because this is a bad time for it to happen,” Ventura said. “It is Paul Konerko Month, after all. It’s painful, but the trainers have told him he can’t do any more damage to it by playing. As soon as the pain becomes manageable, he’ll resume baseball activities, but it will probably take a week.”

Konerko is batting .220 with five homers and 22 RBIs in 74 games this season. The six-time All-Star is 41st on the career home run list with 439.

Konerko announced in December that he would retire after the season, his 18th in the majors.

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 This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.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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