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Clinton says New Hampshire taught her about ‘grit’

By WTOP Staff

KEN THOMAS
Associated Press

NASHUA, N.H. (AP) — Returning to New Hampshire, Hillary Rodham Clinton thanked voters Sunday for teaching her about “grit and determination” during her 2008 presidential campaign, reaching for her family’s old political magic to help fellow Democrats.

The former secretary of state campaigned in New Hampshire for the first time since October 2008, joining with Sen. Jeanne Shaheen and Gov. Maggie Hassan, who both face competitive re-election campaigns, in an all-female pitch to voters in the midterm election’s final weekend.

Clinton’s visit stoked speculation about another presidential run, capping a two-month string of campaign appearances in the nation’s top Senate and gubernatorial battlegrounds.

“Starting way back in 1991 you opened your homes and your hearts to us,” Clinton said, recalling the first presidential bid of her husband, former President Bill Clinton. “And in 2008, during the darkest days of my campaign, you lifted me up, you gave me my voice back, you taught me so much about grit and determination.”

The rally at a community college in the home of the nation’s first presidential primary was eagerly anticipated by Democrats, many of whom still remember Bill Clinton’s resiliency in 1992, a second-place finish for which he famously nicknamed himself the “Comeback Kid.”

Following a loss to Barack Obama in the 2008 Iowa caucuses, Hillary Clinton staged her own rebound here in the state’s presidential primary and later joined with the future president in New Hampshire after ending her White House bid — in a town appropriately named Unity.

Six years later, Clinton remains the dominant figure in a potential Democratic presidential primary to succeed Obama, and the rally served notice of her popularity here. The mere mention of her name by Shaheen and Hassan brought loud chants of “Hillary,” bringing a smile to Clinton’s face.

“She is here to help keep us going so we can keep our state moving in the right direction,” Hassan said.

In her remarks, Clinton honed in on a number of local issues, noting Shaheen’s support for jobs at the Portsmouth Naval Yard and legislation to help small businesses gain access to credit.

Clinton pounced on Republican Scott Brown’s answer in a recent Senate candidate debate that had Democrats claiming he was unfamiliar with New Hampshire’s geography, namely Sullivan County. Brown, who is competing in a tough contest with Shaheen, moved to New Hampshire from Massachusetts last year after losing a re-election bid for the Senate seat he won in a 2010 to fill the remaining two years of the late Sen. Ted Kennedy’s term.

Shaheen, Clinton said, didn’t just know where certain communities were located but understood their issues. The upcoming election, Clinton said, offered a choice “between two very different visions.”

“Either we’re all in this together or we’re all in this on our own,” Clinton said. After the rally, she made off-schedule stops at restaurants in Manchester and Dover and was raising money for Hassan in Portsmouth.

Republicans aimed to use Clinton’s visit to tie Shaheen to Obama, who remains unpopular. State GOP chair Jennifer Horn said Clinton and Shaheen “share one thing in common — they have both supported Obama’s failed leadership, which has left America weaker at home and around the world.”

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Associated Press writer Kathleen Ronayne contributed to this report.

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Follow Ken Thomas on Twitter: https://twitter.com/KThomasDC

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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