TOPS & FAFSA for 2015 Graduates

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

TOPS Core Curriculum – 19 Units For students graduating in 2014 - 2017 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

ACT Without Penalty: April 18, 2015 Loss of 1 semester eligibility: June 13, 2015 Students who fail to achieve a qualifying ACT score by July 1 of the graduating year shall not be considered for an award Highest composite score will be considered TOPS does not consider the essay portion of the ACT when calculating the composite score needed to qualify List TOPS code 1595 & your SSN on the ACT

SAT An equivalent SAT score may be substituted for the ACT score SAT Test Deadlines Without Penalty: March 14, 2015 Loss of 1 semester eligibility: May 2, 2015 and June 6, 2015 Students must use the SAT scholarship code 9019 on the registration form TOPS does not consider the essay portion of the SAT when calculating the composite score to qualify

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 ($2324 per semester for 2014-2015)

TOPS Eligible Institutions: LAICU Centenary College Dillard University Louisiana College Loyola University New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary Our Lady of Holy Cross College Our Lady of the Lake College St. Joseph Seminary College Tulane University Xavier University

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) A minimum score of 27 on the ACT (1210 SAT)

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 Assistant Computer Network Technology Pharmacy Technician Construction Technology Management Culinary Arts Digital Media Criminal Justice Office Administration

TOPS Application Apply Jan 1 – July 1 of graduation year FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid) – www.fafsa.ed.gov 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

FAFSA Information Needed PIN Number and Signatures Student Demographic Information Independent/Dependent Student Status Parent Demographic Information Student and Parent Financial Information Student and Parent Tax Information You can estimate your taxes if you file late School Information (add a LA school first) Student Aid Report & making corrections

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 14th class day

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

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

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

What is College? Think of “college” as any form of education after graduating high school: Public Colleges Private Colleges Community Colleges Louisiana Technical Colleges Cosmetology Schools Proprietary Schools Find the perfect fit & major for you! 2-year, 4-year, etc.

Types of Financial Aid Scholarships Grants Employment Opportunities Gift Aid – Based on Merit Grants Gift Aid – Based on Need Employment Opportunities Loans Must be repaid – may be based on need

Institutional Aid Each institution has its own merit-based and need-based scholarship programs Investigate aid opportunities early Each institution has its own aid application process and deadline Upperclassmen should also check with their department for aid opportunities for students in a specific major

Private Aid The best source of information on private aid is the Internet. There are numerous free scholarship search services available See LOSFA Web site Useful Internet Links page Private aid can be based on merit or financial need Sources of private aid include companies, civic organizations, religious organizations, clubs, etc.

START Saving Program Louisiana’s 529 college savings program Chafee Grant Awards up to $5,000 annually during the academic year to qualified students who have been in the foster care system Rockefeller State Wildlife Scholarship Forestry, Marine Science, Wildlife $2,000/annually for undergraduates $3,000/annually for graduate students Competitively awarded for up to 5 years

Go Grant Need based grant $1000 maximum yearly benefit for AY 2012/13 Safer Volunteer Firemen’s Tuition Reimbursement Sponsored by the LA State Firemen’s Assoc. For eligible applicants who sign up to serve as Louisiana volunteer firemen after graduation Awards up to $8,000 for 2 year degree Awards up to $16,000 for 4 year degree TOPS Tech Early Start $600/AY for eligible 11th & 12th grade students attending public schools who concurrently enroll for up to six credit hours/semester in a vocational course of study leading to a TOP Demand Occupation

www.studentaid.ed.gov Federal Work Study Pell Grant Maximum award amount is $5,500/yr FSEOG Grants range from $100 - $4,000 TEACH Grant Provides up to $4,000/yr to students who intend to teach in schools that serve students in low income families Iraq & Afghanistan Service Grant Federal Perkins Loans Direct Loans

Senior Year Timeline

Summer before Senior Year: Contact the financial aid offices of the colleges you are interested in attending for information on institutional aid opportunities Search for private scholarships and grants Schedule campus visits at the schools you are interested in attending

Fall of Senior Year: Meet with your counselor to make sure you are on track for TOPS and college admissions requirements Apply for college admissions Apply for institutional scholarships Apply for private aid Attend College Fairs and Career Day events Take the ACT or SAT again

Spring of Senior Year: Apply for TOPS and Federal Aid by filing the FAFSA at www.fafsa.ed.gov Take the ACT or SAT again Contact the financial aid office at the school you plan to attend to verify: FAFSA deadline, notify the office of any private aid you will be receiving, complete the institutional data form (if required) Receive your financial aid award letter Compare your financial aid packages and decide which school you want to attend

ACT Sub-Score Beginning academic year 2014-2015 a minimum English AND Math sub-score on ACT are required for a student to qualify for college level coursework at a four-year public institution in Louisiana English Sub-score = 18 Math Sub-score = 19 Students who do not meet the minimum English AND Math ACT sub-score requirement will require developmental coursework, therefore making them ineligible for admission at a four year institution It is always recommended to speak with the Admissions Office at the school you wish to attend as some may give special consideration based on other factors

2014 College Admission Standards MINIMUM ADMISSION STANDARDS for FIRST-TIME FRESHMEN These are the minimum admission standards for regular Freshman admission to a Louisiana, public four-year university for Fall 2014. Students should check with the specific institution for additional information about the university’s requirements and process for admission.*

2014 College Admission Standards High School Curriculum = Core 4 Curriculum Courses in the English, Math, Science, Social Studies, Foreign Language, and Arts categories listed in Bulletin 741 as Core 4. Overall HS GPA = 2.0 (minimum) Developmental Courses Needed = None. Demonstration of College Readiness: ACT English score = 18 (minimum) ACT Math Score = 19 (minimum)

2014 College Admission Standards 4. Core GPA (courses listed above) → OR ← ACT Composite (minimum) 3.0 LSU A&M 25 2.5 LA Tech, UL Lafayette, UNO 23 2.0 Grambling, LSUA, LSUS, 20 McNeese, Nicholls, Northwestern, Southeastern, Southern A&M, SUNO, UL Monroe Universities may consider admission appeals for exceptions; check with the institution. Community or Technical College Admission: Open to High School Graduates.

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8:00 a.m. – 4:30 p.m. Monday - Friday Contact LOSFA www.osfa.la.gov custserv@la.gov (225) 219-1012 8:00 a.m. – 4:30 p.m. Monday - Friday