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Hamlin wins Lillehammer Cup preseason luge race

By WTOP Staff

LILLEHAMMER, Norway (AP) — Erin Hamlin’s season got off to a winning start.

Hamlin, the 2014 Olympic bronze medalist, won the Lillehammer Cup women’s luge race Saturday by rallying in her second run and topping Germany’s Julia Orlamuender by nearly one-tenth of a second.

Hamlin, of Remsen, New York, posted a combined time of 1 minute, 37.643 seconds. Orlamuender was 0.094 seconds back, with Italy’s Andrea Voetter third and Julia Clukey of Augusta, Maine placing fourth.

The Lillehammer Cup is an unofficial event that capped a week of preseason training for sliders from several nations.

“It was nice to be back in a racing atmosphere,” Hamlin said. “The first sessions on ice have gone really well. My mission with this trip was just to get comfortable on the sled again and get into the sliding mode. I hadn’t been on a sled since the relay competition in Sochi, which was the longest break I’ve ever had, so the adjustment phase was important.”

Hamlin was second after the first run, trailing the rising German star Orlamuender by about two-tenths of a second. But Orlamuender wasn’t able to find the same speed in her second run while Hamlin remained consistent, and that was enough.

“Everything came together really well and I just aimed to be consistent and comfortable,” Hamlin said. “The runs weren’t ideal, considering I had really good training most of the time.

“First run my lines at the top of the track were a little bit off, which costs a lot here. Second run was a lot better, but I had to work a little bit harder for the clean run than I would have liked to.”

Dominik Fischnaller of Italy topped Latvia’s Kristaps Maurins by 0.001 seconds to win the men’s race, rallying in the second run to prevail in 1:40.118. For the U.S., Tucker West was sixth in 1:40.494, and Chris Mazdzer had a mistake at the end of his second run to fall to 16th.

In doubles, the Latvian team of Andris Sics and Juris Sics prevailed in 1:36.837. Matt Mortensen and Jayson Terdiman were seventh for the U.S., about a second off the winning pace.

The Americans are scheduled to start on-ice training at their home facility in Lake Placid, New York on Oct. 18.

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 This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.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