Advisor Training: Helping Your Advisees Navigate TOPS This page is an opening page option.

Important TOPS Contact Information Academic Success Center Lee Hall 115 Academic support on campus Academic performance plans Warning emails Success seminars, workshops, etc. LOSFA 1-800-259-5626 Statewide office Administers TOPS Ultimately determines continuation and suspension Monitors ALL of your college credit, not just from UL

Why is TOPS Important? Many of our students rely on financial aid to pay for college. When a student keeps their TOPS for all four years, they are more likely to remain in school. We see many students stop attending the University once they lose their financial aid. This training will help you understand how TOPS works and how you can help your students avoid making simple mistakes that could cost them over $5000 per year in free tuition money.

What is TOPS? Taylor Opportunity Program for Students In 1989, the Louisiana Taylor Plan became a law which provided state-funded, merit based college tuition to Louisiana high school graduates. Current Academic Standards to earn TOPS include: Minimum High School Core GPA of 2.5 19.0 Core Units Minimum ACT Score of 20

The Three Tiers of TOPS Opportunity Award: Performance Award: Covers a portion of a student’s tuition each semester Performance Award: Covers a portion of a student’s tuition each semester Includes a $200/semester stipend Honors Award: Covers a portion of a student’s tuition each semester Includes a $400/semester stipend Students on the Performance or Honors Award who do not earn a 3.0 cum GPA will be dropped down to an Opportunity Award. Students who lose the Performance or Honors Award stipends can never regain them.

How much is TOPS worth? Fall 2016 TOPS Opportunity Award (estimation) $2,457 per semester $4,914 per year $19,656 over 8 semesters (4 years)

Is TOPS going away? Are the rumors true? As of now, students who have earned TOPS will still receive their TOPS award. There is a possibility that students will receive less than the normal amount. Its is project that students will received 47.63% of the cost of tuition rather than 93%. This includes stipends for Performance and Honors awards. The budget will be reevaluated after Nov 1st and we will know more about the outcome for TOPS for the Spring. Spring 2016TOPS Award (estimation) $1,287.67for Tuition 190.52 Honors Stipend $95.03 Performance Stipend

What are some obstacles students face with in keeping TOPS? Students face many obstacles when it comes to keeping TOPS. These obstacles can include poor time management, lack of motivation, procrastination, work obligations, lack or preparation for college, or demands from family and friends. Another common problem we see is students who do not have the correct information about what it takes to keep TOPS. This is where you as an advisor can help. When you are working with a student who has TOPS, it is important to understand how many credit hours they need to take, as well as GPA requirements.

Full time student One of the first requirements for students to keep TOPS is to maintain continuous-full time enrollment Continuous means enrolled all consecutive major semesters (Fall and Spring) Full-time means 12+ credit hours as of the 15th day of class

Earn at least 24 Credit Hours Another general TOPS requirement is that a student must earn 24 credit hours each academic year TOPS year begins with Fall semester and ends at the end of summer. Includes courses from Fall, Spring, Intersessions, and Summer Earned credit is “D” or better Credits earned from Dual Enrollment, AP Courses, CLEP, or other tests DO NOT apply towards credit hours.

Can TOPS be cancelled permanently? YES! If a student does not: enroll full-time, remain continuously enrolled, or earn 24 credit hours per academic year will have his/her TOPS Award permanently CANCELED.

TOPS GPA Guidelines TOPS uses cumulative GPA, which is calculated based on ALL college credit, including dual enrollment and repeated classes. Every semester, students must have a minimum 2.0 Cum GPA in order to receive financial aid for the following semester.

Semester GPA, All Semesters Year-End GPA, Freshman Year What GPA is required to keep TOPS? TOPS also requires that students meet a year-end GPA by the end of every Spring semester. At the end of each Spring semester, TOPS will evaluate a student’s cumulative GPA. If they do not meet the GPA requirements, that student may be put on TOPS probation and have the TOPS award suspended until they bring their GPA back up. TOPS Award Semester GPA, All Semesters Year-End GPA, Freshman Year Year-End GPA, All Other Years Performance Award 2.0 cum 3.0 cum Honors Award Opportunity Award 2.3 cum 2.5 cum

Can summer classes be used to improve a students GPA? Summer semesters can be crucial in helping a student keep their TOPS A student can use the summer semester to make up credit hours AND raise their GPA. If a student doesn’t meet the required GPA by the end of the Spring, they can use the summer semester to try and regain eligibility for TOPS for the Fall semester. If you are working with a student who needs to raise their GPA, work with them to choose courses that they will be successful in over the summer. Remember that the summer semester is fast paced and often challenging.

Can a student earn TOPS back? Yes. When a student’s TOPS is suspended as a result of a low GPA, we often call this TOPS probation. This means they still have the opportunity to get their TOPS back. If a student’s TOPS is CANCELLED, it means they will not be able to earn it back. If a student’s award is suspended because of a low GPA, they have up to 2 years to regain a 2.5 cum GPA. Students must also continue to meet other TOPS guidelines including being a full-time, continuously enrolled student who earns at least 24 credit hours in a year.

What can a student do if their TOPS is cancelled? If a student’s award is canceled for failure to earn 24 credit hours or enroll full-time in Fall or Spring, they can appeal for an exception through LOFSA. at 1-800-259-5626. It is better to contact LOSFA in advance if there is a valid medical concern, or truly exceptional circumstances.

Can a student drop a class while they are on TOPS? If you have a student who is probably going to fail a class and wants to drop it, they need to consider how this will affect their TOPS eligibility. Students should never drop below full-time until AFTER the 15th day of class. This is when TOPS will check to see that they are enrolled in 12 credit hours. Students must still earn 24 credits/year. They will need to make up missing credit hours in either the Spring or Summer semester to make sure they meet the 24 credit minimum.

Resources TOPS http://www.osfa.la.gov/ 1-800-259-5626, ext. 1012 Academic Success Center Lee Hall Room 115 http://studentsuccess.louisiana.edu/ 337-482-6818 The Learning Center 2nd Floor of Lee Hall http://studentsuccess.louisiana.edu/?q=node/14 337-482-6583

More Resources The Career Counseling Center Conference Center 104 http://careercounseling.louisiana.edu/ 337-482-5431 The Writing Center 107 Griffin Hall http://english.louisiana.edu/about-us/writing-center/ 337-482-5224

Online Advisor Chat An academic counselor is available 8am-4:30pm, Mon-Thurs to chat with students who have questions. They can answer general TOPS questions, general academic questions, general advising questions http://studentsuccess.louisiana.edu

Academic Success Center 115 Lee Hall (337-482-6818) Mon-Thurs 7:30-4:30 Fri 7:30-12:00 http://studentsuccess.louisiana.edu Email: asc@louisiana.edu

Online Advisor Training Quiz After you have reviewed this power point, complete the quiz that corresponds to this training. Submit your answer sheet to Pennie Babin via email at pbb8108@louisiana.edu in the Academic Success Center to earn credit for this training.