LOSFA’s Vision is to be Louisiana’s First Choice for College Access Louisiana Office of Student Financial Assistance (LOSFA) Don’t Blow Your TOPS! It pays to make good grades!

LOSFA’s Vision is to be Louisiana’s First Choice for College Access Louisiana Office of Student Financial Assistance (LOSFA) Citizenship A student must be a U.S. citizen, or a permanent resident who is eligible to apply for citizenship Residency A student who has resided in Louisiana, completed their last two full years of high school in an approved school and graduated, as certified by the high school, shall have met the residency requirement for TOPS OR 24 consecutive months for a parent or custodian of a dependent student Criminal Convictions Must not have any final criminal convictions. This does exclude misdemeanor traffic violations

LOSFA’s Vision is to be Louisiana’s First Choice for College Access Louisiana Office of Student Financial Assistance (LOSFA) TOPS Core Curriculum – 19 Units For students graduating in English – 4 Units Math – 4 Units Science – 4 Units Social Studies – 4 Units Foreign Language – 2 Units (same language) Fine Arts – 1 Unit (or 1 Performance, Studio, Visual Art or Speech III & IV) Please visit our Web site for more details

LOSFA’s Vision is to be Louisiana’s First Choice for College Access Louisiana Office of Student Financial Assistance (LOSFA) ACT Highest composite score will be considered – TOPS does not consider the Essay portion of the ACT in calculating the composite score needed to qualify ACT Registration – TOPS Code 1595 – Date of Birth

LOSFA’s Vision is to be Louisiana’s First Choice for College Access Louisiana Office of Student Financial Assistance (LOSFA) ACT ACT Deadlines for 2016 Graduates – Without penalty: April 9, 2016 – Loss of one semester eligibility: June 11, 2016 Special tests may be taken prior to July 1 A June ACT score cannot be used to upgrade an Opportunity award to an Honors or Performance award A June ACT score can be used to upgrade a Tech Award to an Opportunity Award with a one semester or two quarter penalty – Students who fail to achieve a qualifying ACT score by July 1 of the graduating year shall not be considered for an award

LOSFA’s Vision is to be Louisiana’s First Choice for College Access Louisiana Office of Student Financial Assistance (LOSFA) SAT An equivalent SAT score may be substituted for the ACT score – TOPS does not consider the Essay portion of the SAT in calculating the composite score needed to qualify SAT Registration – Scholarship Code 9019 SAT Test Deadlines – Without Penalty: March 5, 2016 – Loss of 1 semester eligibility: May 7, 2016 and June 4, 2016

LOSFA’s Vision is to be Louisiana’s First Choice for College Access Louisiana Office of Student Financial Assistance (LOSFA) Opportunity, Performance & Honors Awards GPA on a 4.00 scale (not rounded) on 19.0 core units Must complete the 19 core units (for 2014 – 2017 grads) Maximum of eight semesters or twelve quarters A TOPS award may be combined with other forms of financial aid up to the “Cost of Attendance” for the institution Provides amount equal to tuition to a public school in Louisiana OR the average cost of a public education tuition to a private LAICU school –($2557 per semester for )

LOSFA’s Vision is to be Louisiana’s First Choice for College Access Louisiana Office of Student Financial Assistance (LOSFA) 4 Year TOPS Awards Opportunity Award (tuition amount) –2.50 core curriculum GPA on a 4.00 scale –A minimum score of a 20 on the ACT (940 SAT) Performance Award (tuition plus $400 annual stipend) –3.00 core curriculum GPA on a 4.00 scale –A minimum score of 23 on the ACT (1050 SAT) Honors Award (tuition plus $800 annual stipend) –3.00 core curriculum GPA on a 4.00 scale –A minimum score of 27 on the ACT (1210 SAT)

LOSFA’s Vision is to be Louisiana’s First Choice for College Access Louisiana Office of Student Financial Assistance (LOSFA) 2 Year TOPS Tech Award Eligibility Requirements:  2.50 core curriculum GPA on a 4.00 scale  A minimum score of 17 on the ACT (810 on the SAT)  Completion of one of the Tech Core Option curriculums or the OPH curriculum  Eligible schools:  Louisiana Technical College Campuses  A community college if the student is enrolled in a 2-year Tech program  Approved Cosmetology and Proprietary schools Examples of eligible programs: Medical AssistantComputer Network Technology Pharmacy TechnicianConstruction Technology Management Culinary ArtsDigital Media Criminal JusticeOffice Administration

LOSFA’s Vision is to be Louisiana’s First Choice for College Access Louisiana Office of Student Financial Assistance (LOSFA) TOPS Application Apply Jan 1 – July 1 of graduation year –FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid) – Must be completed if the student is eligible for federal grant aid (Pell Grant) Must be completed if the student is seeking any other form of financial aid The only application needed for TOPS

LOSFA’s Vision is to be Louisiana’s First Choice for College Access Louisiana Office of Student Financial Assistance (LOSFA) TOPS Processing Cycle STEP 1 – Student takes ACT –ACT scores are sent to LOSFA electronically STEP 2 – Student files FAFSA (Jan 1-July 1) –FAFSA data is sent to LOSFA electronically STEP 3 – Student completes 19 core units before graduation –Academic Records from the high schools are sent to LOSFA electronically STEP 4 – Student is determined eligible for TOPS –Students can create a Louisiana Award system account on our Web site to check their TOPS eligibility in June –Students will be mailed an award letter (by mid-July) –College will see student online at TOPS Master Roster STEP 5 – College will send LOSFA a bill –Students enrolled full-time through the 14 th class day

LOSFA’s Vision is to be Louisiana’s First Choice for College Access Louisiana Office of Student Financial Assistance (LOSFA) Award Details TOPS Recipients serving in the National Guard will receive: tuition exemption equal to the TOPS award amount, any applicable TOPS stipend and $600 annually for books and supplies Students who join the military have 1 year from their date of separation to enroll in college Returning Out of State Students – cannot use TOPS out of state, can come back and use remaining semesters if continuation requirements were met Graduate Study – can use remaining semesters

LOSFA’s Vision is to be Louisiana’s First Choice for College Access Louisiana Office of Student Financial Assistance (LOSFA) Award Letter TOPS recipients should familiarize themselves with the Rights and Responsibilities included with their award letter TOPS recipients are personally responsible for knowing and complying with the TOPS continuation requirements Award Acceptance Students have one year in which to enroll in a Louisiana approved post- secondary institution Must be continuously enrolled on a full-time basis during the Fall and Spring semesters or Fall, Winter, Spring quarters Award Retention 24 Hours each academic year, excluding Advanced Placement hours GPA requirement for each award level Renewal of the FAFSA is highly recommended

LOSFA’s Vision is to be Louisiana’s First Choice for College Access Louisiana Office of Student Financial Assistance (LOSFA) At the end of each Academic Year, the following cumulative GPA must be maintained: –Opportunity Award:2.30 first academic year 2.50 all subsequent years –Performance Award:3.00 –Honors Award:3.00 –Students falling below 3.00 would revert to the Opportunity Award –Tech Award:2.50 Must meet steady academic progress requirements of 2.00 at the end of any semester or quarter Award is reinstated upon attainment of the required GPA Students failing to meet their GPA requirement will be placed on suspension not to exceed two years/one year for Tech or Award will be canceled

LOSFA’s Vision is to be Louisiana’s First Choice for College Access Louisiana Office of Student Financial Assistance (LOSFA) FAFSA

LOSFA’s Vision is to be Louisiana’s First Choice for College Access Louisiana Office of Student Financial Assistance (LOSFA) The Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) is the application for both federal and state aid programs –Be sure to fill out the FAFSA even if you don’t think you’ll qualify for need based aid The FAFSA is the only application needed for the TOPS scholarship You should never be asked to pay to fill out the FAFSA. It is a FREE application –

LOSFA’s Vision is to be Louisiana’s First Choice for College Access Louisiana Office of Student Financial Assistance (LOSFA) FAFSA: Student Information Social Security Number State of Legal Residence Citizenship status Interest in Student Loans and Work-Study programs Financial information = your income, assets, and types of federal benefits received Highest grade completed by Parent 1 and Parent 2 High School completion status: High School Diploma, GED, Home Study Name of student’s High School

LOSFA’s Vision is to be Louisiana’s First Choice for College Access Louisiana Office of Student Financial Assistance (LOSFA) FAFSA: Parental Information Skip if you are an independent student Remember: Grandparents, foster parents and Legal Guardians cannot complete this application Whose information do you use? –If your parents are divorced or separated, answer the questions about the parent you lived with most during the past 12 months If this parent is remarried as of today, answer the questions about that parent and their spouse –If your parents are not married and live together, select “unmarried and both parents live together” and provide information about both –If your parent is single or widowed, answer the questions about that parent If your widowed parent is remarried, answer the questions about that parent and their spouse

LOSFA’s Vision is to be Louisiana’s First Choice for College Access Louisiana Office of Student Financial Assistance (LOSFA) FAFSA: Student and Parent Financial Information Students and parents will record their income, assets, and types of federal benefits they receive Parents and Students are encouraged to utilize the IRS Data Retrieval Tool when completing FAFSA. This tool allows you to access your IRS tax return information and transfer it directly to FAFSA from the IRS website. It’s the easiest way to provide your tax data.

LOSFA’s Vision is to be Louisiana’s First Choice for College Access Louisiana Office of Student Financial Assistance (LOSFA) FAFSA: School Information May list up to 10 institutions to receive FAFSA data when filing online –Make sure to list a Louisiana school first for TOPS purposes Housing plan Enrollment status

LOSFA’s Vision is to be Louisiana’s First Choice for College Access Louisiana Office of Student Financial Assistance (LOSFA) FAFSA: Signatures For a dependent student, both the student and the parent must sign FAFSA on the Web may be signed by: –Using a pin number The parent and student must have separate pin numbers Parents may use the same PIN for all of their children –Printing the signature page Must mail within 14 days

LOSFA’s Vision is to be Louisiana’s First Choice for College Access Louisiana Office of Student Financial Assistance (LOSFA) The Student Aid Report (SAR) provides you with: –Expected Family Contribution (EFC) –Pell Grant Eligibility –Listing of Institutions which will receive your data –A financial aid history –A listing of your responses to the FAFSA Corrections may be made: –Online at –By phone at (800)

LOSFA’s Vision is to be Louisiana’s First Choice for College Access Louisiana Office of Student Financial Assistance (LOSFA) Louisiana College Goal Sunday College Goal Sunday is a FREE event designed to assist students and families with completing the primary financial aid application, the FAFSA Financial Aid professionals will be on hand to help complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) A particular focus of College Goal Sunday is on helping low-income, first generation college student families through the process

LOSFA’s Vision is to be Louisiana’s First Choice for College Access Louisiana Office of Student Financial Assistance (LOSFA) Louisiana College Goal Sunday College Goal Sunday is open to all college-bound students regardless of age. Whether a traditional student right out of high school or an adult who is returning or pursuing higher education for the first time, College Goal Sunday will assist all prospective students in the completion of the FAFSA form Dependent students (those under 24) should bring a parent or legal guardian

LOSFA’s Vision is to be Louisiana’s First Choice for College Access Louisiana Office of Student Financial Assistance (LOSFA) Louisiana College Goal Sunday To register to attend this event, please visit:

LOSFA’s Vision is to be Louisiana’s First Choice for College Access Louisiana Office of Student Financial Assistance (LOSFA) Louisiana College Goal Sunday Students and parents should bring completed IRS 1040 tax forms, W-2 forms and other income and asset information Even if taxes have not been completed, students and families can estimate their information and make corrections at a later time

LOSFA’s Vision is to be Louisiana’s First Choice for College Access Louisiana Office of Student Financial Assistance (LOSFA) Louisiana College Goal Sunday February 28, 2016 Site Locations Alexandria – Louisiana State University at Alexandria Algiers – Delgado Community College West Bank Baton Rouge – Baton Rouge Community College Bossier City – Bossier Parish Community College

LOSFA’s Vision is to be Louisiana’s First Choice for College Access Louisiana Office of Student Financial Assistance (LOSFA) Louisiana College Goal Sunday Hammond – Southeastern Louisiana University Houma – Fletcher Technical Community College Lake Charles – SOWELA Technical Community College Monroe – Louisiana Delta Community College

LOSFA’s Vision is to be Louisiana’s First Choice for College Access Louisiana Office of Student Financial Assistance (LOSFA) Louisiana College Goal Sunday New Orleans – Dillard University – Xavier University

LOSFA’s Vision is to be Louisiana’s First Choice for College Access Louisiana Office of Student Financial Assistance (LOSFA) Louisiana College Goal Sunday March 6, 2016 Site Locations Alexandria – Central Louisiana Technical Community College Baton Rouge – Southern University Gonzales – River Parishes Community College Lafayette – University of Louisiana at Lafayette

LOSFA’s Vision is to be Louisiana’s First Choice for College Access Louisiana Office of Student Financial Assistance (LOSFA) Louisiana College Goal Sunday Morgan City – South Central Louisiana Community College New Orleans – Southern University at New Orleans (SUNO) Ruston – Louisiana Tech University Shreveport – Louisiana State University at Shreveport – Southern University Shreveport

LOSFA’s Vision is to be Louisiana’s First Choice for College Access Louisiana Office of Student Financial Assistance (LOSFA) Louisiana College Goal Sunday 2016 Site Locations For specific building and room locations at each site, please visit

LOSFA’s Vision is to be Louisiana’s First Choice for College Access Louisiana Office of Student Financial Assistance (LOSFA) Louisiana College Goal Sunday Doors will open at 1:30 pm Program begins at 2 pm promptly This is not a drop-in event. Please make every effort to arrive in a timely manner.

LOSFA’s Vision is to be Louisiana’s First Choice for College Access Louisiana Office of Student Financial Assistance (LOSFA) LOSFA Social Media Sites

LOSFA’s Vision is to be Louisiana’s First Choice for College Access Louisiana Office of Student Financial Assistance (LOSFA) Contact LOSFA (225) :00 a.m. – 4:30 p.m. Monday - Friday