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New York scare house evokes city’s ‘bad old days’

By WTOP Staff

VERENA DOBNIK
Associated Press

NEW YORK (AP) — New York City’s bad old days are here again — in a Halloween haunted house, that is.

“Nightmare: New York,” staged in a Lower East Side building, depicts the ugliest, scariest vision of 1970s- and ’80s-era Gotham. Subways are awash in graffiti, creeps and crime. Menacing punks roam the streets. And the “characters” of Times Square don’t look anything like Elmo or SpongeBob SquarePants.

Visitors wander through a 13-section maze of New York’s dark side, starting with a blackout, followed by scenes amid flashing strobe lights or a fire. Characters include a psychotic, Son of Sam-style serial killer, a urine-stained homeless man, a deranged woman crawling on the floor and tunnel-dwelling “mole people” whose grotesque faces suddenly pop up from dark corners.

“When someone screams, that’s our applause,” says Timothy Haskell, the off-Broadway director who created the show. “But I also want them to appreciate the real-life stories that seep into your bones. Startles are ephemeral, haunting is forever.”

To be sure, there is still plenty of real crime and creepiness in New York City. But the very idea that people would need to visit a haunted house to experience the worst of the “bad old days” is just what city officials like to hear. They repeatedly tout the steady drop in the city’s crime rate in the past two decades, saying New York is now the safest big city in America. Last year, 333 homicides were recorded, down from 2,245 in 1990, according to police statistics.

The 38 actors starring in this in-your-face, interactive attraction crank up the fright factor for visitors who mark their faces with a blood-red X, a signal that they allow themselves to be touched by performers trying to scare them out of their wits.

“The best will be when they grab her,” says Matthew Elgandy, looking at his girlfriend as they wait to enter. “I’m pretty sure my ears will be destroyed after she screams.”

Before even entering the spooky spectacle, the couple was startled by a man with a nylon stocking mask who popped out of nowhere and whispered threats in their ears.

“Nightmare” is in its 11th season, with themes changing each year. It runs through Nov. 1. Tickets range from $30 to $60, the latter allowing the spectator to skip what’s often an hour-long line as Halloween approaches.

“I come every year and I’m still scared, but I come again,” Anthony Seala says. “Every year they push the envelope a little more.”

___

Online:

http://nightmarenyc.com

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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