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Liverpool wins thriller in Premier League

By WTOP Staff

LONDON (AP) — Liverpool beat Queens Park Rangers 3-2 on an own goal in the fifth minute of injury time Sunday in the Premier League.

Liverpool pulled out the road victory thanks to the mistake by Steven Caulker — QPR’s second own goal of the day.

Four goals were scored in a pulsating final eight minutes — the last unwittingly netted by Caulker, who redirected the ball past his own goalkeeper.

A madcap finale began in the 67th minute when QPR defender Richard Dunne put Liverpool 1-0 ahead with his record-extending 10th own goal in the Premier League.

Eduardo Vargas tied the score twice QPR, first in the 87th minute with his first Premier League goal and again in the second minute of stoppage time with a header from a corner. That canceled out a goal from Philippe Coutinho.

Liverpool’s second straight win lifted it to fifth place and left QPR at the bottom on goal difference, increasing the pressure on manager Harry Redknapp.

Stoke came from behind to beat Swansea 2-1 in the other game, with Jonathan Walters heading in a 76th-minute winner.

U.S. defender/midfielder Geoff Cameron made his first appearance of the Premier League season for Stoke, coming on in the 62nd minute. He hadn’t played since leaving a League Cup match Aug. 27 and undergoing hernia surgery.

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SPAIN

Atletico Madrid beat Espanyol 2-0 to extend its unbeaten home streak in the Spanish league to 24 games.

Atletico limited Espanyol to one shot on goal and earned 12 corners to just one for the overmatched visitors.

Goalkeeper Miguel Moya saved Espanyol’s sole chance by Lucas Vazquez in the 13th minute, and midfielder Tiago Cardoso put Atletico ahead in the 43rd when he floated a header over goalkeeper Kiko Casilla from Gabi Fernandez’s pass.

Atletico has excelled at set pieces under coach Diego Simeone and finished Espanyol off with a corner kick in the 71st, which was headed on by center backs Diego Godin and Jose Jimenez before Mario Suarez tapped the ball in.

The defending champion rose to fourth place, five points behind leader Barcelona.

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ITALY

Lazio beat Fiorentina 2-0 for its third consecutive Serie A win.

Antonio Candreva set up both goals for Filip Djordjevic and Senad Lulic.

AC Milan won 3-1 at Hellas Verona. Keisuke Honda scored in each half to increase his tally to six for the season, matching Carlos Tevez as the top goal scorer. Verona defender Rafa Marques also had an own goal.

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FRANCE

Striker Andre-Pierre Gignac scored his 10th league goal in as many games as league leader Marseille beat Toulouse 2-0 for an eighth straight win.

After center half Nicolas Nkoulou put Marseille ahead in the 21st minute with an effort that appeared to come off the top of his shoulder, Gignac made it 11 in 11 for club and country in the 36th.

New coach Marcelo Bielsa has transformed the club, which equaled its record for consecutive wins in front of 62,000 fans at Stade Velodrome — also setting a new club home attendance record.

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GERMANY

Hamburger SV tied 1-1 with Hoffenheim in the Bundesliga but was left to rue missed chances as it remained in the relegation zone.

Anthony Modeste scored for Hoffenheim and Pierre-Michel Lasogga for Hamburger SV.

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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