Don't Blow Your
TOPS
GRADUATING IN 2006? To qualify for TOPS, you need to know this!
Complete all courses in the TOPS core curriculum. Exceptions will not be granted even if a course is not offered at your school.

Upon graduation from high school, you must have attained a minimum 2.50 cumulative grade point average on TOPS core curriculum courses, computed in accordance with program rules.
ACT and SAT Test
The minimum ACT score required to qualify for the TOPS Opportunity Award is a 20 (17 for the TOPS Tech Award).

A qualifying ACT or SAT score must be achieved by the April 8, 2006 or national ACT test date.  An initial qualifying ACT score achieved on the June 10, 2006 national test date (Or initial qualifying SAT scores from the May 6 and June 3, 2006 test dates) will be accepted, but you will be penalized one semester (Or two quarters ) of eligibility.

When registering for the 2005-2006 ACT assessment test, your social secuirty number must be entered correctly in item C, the year you will graduate from high school must be entered in item K, and the code for the high school from which you will graduate must be entered in item L. Also include the TOPS ACT code of 1595 as one of the four college/scholarship choices allowed in item O.

A qualifying SAT score may be submitted in lieu of, or in addition to, the ACT by using the scholarship code 9019 on the SAT registration form. The highest equivalent score achieved on either test, ACT or SAT, will be used to determine eligibility.

To Apply
Deadlines for all TOPS applications:

Applications are not available until after January 1, 2006
Deadline
Date
Penalty
Priority Consideration
May 1, 2006
N/A
No Penalty
July 1, 2006
N/A
First Penalty
August 30, 2006
One semester or
Two quarters
Final Penalty
October 30, 2006
Two semesters or
Three Quarters
Applications received after October 30, 2006 will NOT be considered

For Federal Student Aid and TOPS:

Federal Student Aid programs include Pell grants, Federeal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grants (FSEOG), Stafford Loans (Subsidized and unsubsidized) Parent Loans for Undergraduate Students (PLUS), the Federal Work Study Program and Perkins Loans.

To apply for TOPS and all the programs listed above, you must compelte all questions on the Free Applications for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) for the school year 2006-2007.

For TOPS Only

In order to apply for TOPS only, using the LOSFA on line TOPS Application, families must be able to demonstrate that the student does not qualify for federa; grant aid.  To make that determination, use Finaid's Financial Estimator Calculator available on the internet at www.finaid.org/calculators.

Students who use the LOSFA on-line TOPS Application will be the first denied a TOPS award in the event of a budget shortfall.

LOSFA on-line TOPS Application; students may apply by logging on to www.OSFA.state.la.us.
Students with hurricane related eligibility issues should seek guidance at www.OSFA.state.la.us or call (800) 259 - 5626, ext. 1012.