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Rodriguez, Real Madrid top AP Global Football 10

By WTOP Staff

JACK BEZANTS
Associated Press

LONDON (AP) — James Rodriguez held off Cristiano Ronaldo to take the top spot in the Associated Press global football 10 poll on Tuesday.

Rodriguez scored twice in Real Madrid’s 4-0 win over Granada, a result that kept Madrid at the top of the team vote.

For the second straight week, Ronaldo is the runner-up to one of his Madrid teammates, despite scoring his 22nd goal of the season. Last week’s winner, Karim Benzema, also scored in Madrid’s victory but dropped to fifth.

Aurelio Capaldi of RAI Sport in Italy praised Madrid coach Carlo Ancelotti for getting the best out of Rodriguez so quickly.

“Ancelotti is probably living the best time of his coaching career: 11 wins in a row is an amazing result and the way he’s making things work after Real Madrid sold Angel Di Maria and Xabi Alonso is impressive,” Capaldi said. “This also explains why Rodriguez, who is scoring fabulous goals, already fits well in the team.”

Bayern Munich’s 2-1 comeback win over Borussia Dortmund, which extended its unbeaten start to the season in all competitions and pushed Dortmund into the relegation zone, put it second in the team vote.

Arjen Robben scored the winner for Munich from the penalty spot in the 85th minute and is 10th in the player rankings.

Manchester City is third in the team vote after a 1-0 win over Manchester United, where Argentina striker Sergio Aguero scored a second-half winner.

Aguero was third in the player vote, and Alexis Sanchez of Arsenal was a place behind after scoring twice in Arsenal’s 3-0 win over Burnley.

It was the second straight league game in which Sanchez scored twice for Arsenal.

“Sanchez to Arsenal will be one of the best signings of the European season,” Leonardo Bertozzi of ESPN Brazil said. “No other player has scored seven goals in the first nine games of the Premier League under the command of Arsene Wenger.”

One of the surprise results of the weekend was in the Spanish league, where Celta Vigo beat Barcelona 1-0 at the Camp Nou.

“Celta Vigo is the story,” Tito Puccetti of ESPN Argentina said. “It won again against Barcelona, something it has not managed to do since the 1941-42 season.”

Chelsea beat Queens Park Rangers 2-1 at Stamford Bridge to maintain its four-point lead at the top of the Premier League and is fifth this week. Spanish champion Atletico Madrid is one behind after beating Cordoba 4-2.

Antoine Griezmann scored Atletico’s first two goals and is sixth in the player vote.

___

AP Global Football 10:

Players

1. James Rodriguez, 105.

2. Cristiano Ronaldo, 94.

3. Sergio Aguero, 70.

4. Alexis Sanchez, 62.

5. Karim Benzema, 60.

6. Antoine Griezmann, 46.

7. Gonzalo Higuain, 33.

(tie) Victor Wanyama, 33.

9. Oscar, 31.

10. Arjen Robben, 28.

___

Teams

1. Real Madrid, 111 points.

2. Bayern Munich, 102.

3. Manchester City, 79.

4. Celta Vigo, 65.

5. Chelsea, 62.

6. Atletico Madrid, 51.

7. Napoli, 44.

8. Juventus, 37.

9. Southampton, 36.

10. Arsenal, 35.

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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