TOPS

The Louisiana Tuition Opportunity Program for Students (TOPS) is a comprehensive program of state scholarships administered by the Louisiana Office of Student Financial Assistance. Students who earn a GPA and ACT score combination will qualify for a tuition scholarship to public institutions in the state of Louisiana. The average of all state university tuitions will be awarded to students who choose a private institution in the state. Additional stipends are awarded to students with higher ACT scores and GPAs. Below is a chart detailing the requirements:

PROGRAM	GPA (on a 4.0 scale/using only core courses)	ACT Composite	SAT I Composite (critical reasoning + math scores)
TOPS TECH	2.5	17	820-850
TOPS Opportunity	2.5	LA state average which is 20	950-970
TOPS Performance	3.0	23	1070-1080
TOPS Honors	3.0	27	1220 and higher

Once you are on track to achieve these goals, there are some things you must do in your senior year.

WHAT YOU MUST DO IN YOUR SENIOR YEAR

1. All applicants for TOPS Opportunity, Performance and Honors awards and TOPS Tech awards (except those students who can demonstrate that they do not qualify for federal grant aid because of their family's financial condition) must complete all applicable sections of the initial FAFSA. The student must submit the initial FAFSA in time for it to be received by the federal processor by July 1. Make sure to list a LOUISIANA institution as the first college or university on the FAFSA.

2. The student must take the official ACT Test (including National, International, Military or Special test types) on or before the official April test date in the Academic Year (High School) in which the student graduates. The student may substitute an equivalent score of 940-970 on an SAT I taken on or before the official April test date in the Academic Year (High School) in which the student graduates. In order to substitute an SAT score, the student must direct the College Board to send the score to LOSFA so that the score is electronically reported to LOSFA by the College Board within 45 days of the final test date allowed by Section 509. The LOSFA code for the SAT is 9019. Scores received in any other manner shall not be considered.

3. When registering for these standardized test, IT IS IMPERATIVE that the student enters the following in the appropriate areas on the test registration forms:

YOUR HIGH SCHOOL CODE

YOUR CORRECT SOCIAL SECURITY NUMBER

MONTH AND YEAR OF YOUR HIGH SCHOOL GRADUATION

If the student completes these tasks and earns the appropriate GPA, TOPS should be one scholarship he/she can count on. Check on your status after June 1st by going to the LOSFA website (listed above) and clicking on the STUDENT PORTAL: https://osfantweb.osfa.state.la.us/TOPSPort.nsf/. If you have not set up an account, do so by clicking on the blue bar at the top of the page. Follow the instructions.

NOW IT'S TIME TO CALCULATE...

Below is a guide to help you calculate your TOPS GPA.

* Where there is a choice, always select the highest grades from your transcript (i.e. foreign language, history, science...).

GRADE

GRADE	QUALITY POINTS		GRADE	QUALITY POINTS
	REGULAR	H or AP		REGULAR	H or AP
A (full credit)	4	4	C (full credit)	2	2.4
B (full credit)	3	3.2	D (full credit)	1	1

Your TOPS or TOPS TECH GPA is the total number of quality points divided by the number of units/credits. The Louisiana Office of Student Financial Assistance, the administrators of the TOPS Program, does not allow for "rounding up" in the GPA. So a 2.495 or a 2.499 does not register as a 2.5.

To be eligible for the TOPS money, you must earn a 2.5 GPA for the basic tuition and a 3.0 GPA with the corresponding test score for the additional money. If you don't have the required GPA now, don't panic. You have until the end of your senior year to earn it.

For example, from your transcript, take your number grade, convert it to a letter grade, and insert that grade in the appropriate line under "GRADE." Next, using the chart on the bottom of this page, under QUALITY POINTS, insert the Quality Points earned for the course. This can be done for each course at the end of each school year.

Example

COURSE	GRADE	QUALITY POINTS	UNITS/CREDITS COMPLETED	TOTAL
ENGLISH (4 UNITS)
English I A	84/B	3	.5	1.5
English I B	84/B	3	.5	1.5
MATH (3 UNITS)
Algebra I (H) A	93/A	4	.5	2
Algebra I (H) B	89/B	3.2	.5	1.6

Please note that this site only assists you in determining your GPA based on the grades you enter in the spreadsheet. If those grades are not the grades sent to the TOPS office at the end of your senior year, the GPA you calculate today will be incorrect.

##Please note additional math or science requirement for the Class of 2008 and later.##

Class of 2008 (and thereafter) click here to calculate your TOPS GPA.

TUITION OPPORTUNITY PROGRAM FOR STUDENTS


COURSE	GRADE		QUALITY POINTS	UNITS/CREDITS COMPLETED	TOTAL
ENGLISH (4 UNITS)
English I (1st sem)			--		---
English I (2nd sem)					---
English II (1st sem)			--		---
English II (2nd sem)			--		---
English III (1st sem)			--		---
English III (2nd sem)			--		---
English IV (1st sem)			--		---
English IV (2nd sem)			--		---
MATH (3 UNITS)
Algebra I (1st sem)			--		---
Algebra I (2nd sem)			--		---
OR
Applied Algebra I Part A (1st sem)		The average of these four semester grades will count for one full credit grade. ____________
Applied Algebra I Part A (2nd sem)
Applied Algebra I Part B (1st sem)
Applied Algebra I Part B (2nd sem)
AND
Algebra II (1st sem)			--		---
Algebra II (2nd sem)			--		---
Geometry, Trigonometry, Calculus or comparable Advanced Mathematics (1st sem)			--		---
Geometry, Trigonometry, Calculus or comparable Advanced Mathematics (2nd sem)			--		---
SCIENCE (3 UNITS)
Biology (1st sem)			--		---
Biology (2nd sem)			--		---
Chemistry (1st sem)			--		---
Chemistry (2nd sem)			--		---
*Earth Science, Environmental Science, Physical Science, Biology II, Chemistry II, Physics, Physics II, or Physics for Technology (1st sem)			--		---
*Earth Science, Environmental Science, Physical Science, Biology II, Chemistry II, Physics, Physics II, or Physics for Technology (2nd sem)			--		---
SOCIAL STUDIES (3 units)
American History (1st sem)			--		---
American History (2nd sem)			--		---
World History, Western Civilization or World Geography (1st sem)			--		---
World History, Western Civilization or World Geography (2nd sem)			--		---
Civics			--		---
Free Enterprise			--		---
FOREIGN LANGUAGE (2 units of the same language)
Foreign Language (1st sem)			--		---
Foreign Language (2nd sem)			--		---
Foreign Language (1st sem)			--		---
Foreign Language (2nd sem)			--		---
FINE ARTS SURVEY (1 total unit OR substitute two units performance courses in music, dance, or theater; or two units of studio art or visual art; or one elective from among the other subjects listed in this core curriculum)
Fine Arts (1st sem)			--		---
Fine Arts (2nd sem)			--		---
OR
Performance Course (1st sem)		The average of these four semester grades will count for one full credit grade. ____________
Performance Course (2nd sem)
Performance Course (1st sem)
Performance Course (2nd sem)
OR
Other approved course (1st sem)			--		---
Other approved course (2nd sem)			--		---
COMPUTER (.5 unit)
			--		---
*FOR THE CLASS OF 2008 AND LATER, ADDITIONAL MATHEMATICS OR SCIENCE (1 unit)
Additional Mathematics or Science (1st sem)
Additional Mathematics or Science (2nd sem)
			____________________ Total Quality Points	_______________________ Total Units completed	Total Q.P. -divided by- Total Units

*Beginning with the graduating class of 2008 and thereafter, an additional unit of advanced math or advanced science, for a total of 17.5 units, will be required. The additional unit must be from among the following: Geometry, Calculus, Pre-Calculus, Algebra III, Probability and Statistics, Discrete Mathematics, Applied Mathematics III, Advanced Mathematics I, Advanced Mathematics II, Integrated Mathematics III, or Biology II, Chemistry II, Physics, or Physics II, AP Calculus BC, AP Physics C: Electricity & Magnetism, or AP Physics C: Mechanics.

TOPS-TECH AWARD

If you took a TOPS Core requirement in the eighth grade (for example, English I, Algebra I, the first year of a foreign language or computer science), enter a "P" (for pass) in the grade slot for that course. Then, when calculating your GPA, quality points or units/credits completed are NOT included in your TOPS GPA calculation so enter zeros in those slots. In these cases,when totaling your units/credits completed, your total quality points will be less than 16.5.

COURSE	GRADE		QUALITY POINTS	UNITS/CREDITS COMPLETED	TOTAL
ENGLISH (4 UNITS)
English I (1st sem)			--		---
English I (2nd sem)			--		---
English II (1st sem)			--		---
English II (2nd sem)			--		---
English III (1st sem)			--		---
English III (2nd sem)			--		---
English IV or substitute one unit of Business English (1st sem)			--		---
English IV or substitute one unit of Business English (2nd sem)			--		---
MATH (3 UNITS)
Algebra I (1st sem)			--		---
Algebra I (2nd sem)			--		---
OR
Applied Algebra I Part A (1st sem)		The average of these four semester grades will count for one full credit grade. ____________
Applied Algebra I Part A (2nd sem)
Applied Algebra I Part B (1st sem)
Applied Algebra I Part B (2nd sem)
AND ( 2 units) Geometry, Applied Math III, Algebra II, Financial Mathematics, Advanced Mathematics I, Advanced Mathematics II, Discrete Mathematics, or Probability and Statistics (two units). Integrated Mathematics I, II, and III may be substituted for Algebra I, Geometry and Algebra II, and shall be considered the equivalent of the three required math units.
(1st sem)			--		---
(2nd sem)			--		---
(1st sem)			--		---
(2nd sem)			--		---
SCIENCE (3 UNITS)
Biology (1st sem)			--		---
Biology (2nd sem)			--		---
Chemistry or Applied Chemistry (1st sem)			--		---
Chemistry or Applied Chemistry (2nd sem)			--		---
Earth Science, Environmental Science, Physical Science, Integrated Science, Biology II, Chemistry II, Physics, Physics II, or Physics for Technology (1st sem)			--		---
Earth Science, Environmental Science, Physical Science, Integrated Science, Biology II, Chemistry II, Physics, Physics II, or Physics for Technology (2nd sem)			--		---
SOCIAL STUDIES (3 units)
American History (1st sem)			--		---
American History (2nd sem)			--		---
World History, Western Civilization or World Geography (1st sem)			--		---
World History, Western Civilization or World Geography (2nd sem)			--		---
Civics			--		---
Free Enterprise			--		---
OPTION 1 OR 2 COURSE WORK **
(1st sem)
(2nd sem)
(1st sem)			--		---
(2nd sem)			--		---
(1st sem)
(2nd sem)
(1st sem)			--		---
(2nd sem)			--		---
(1st sem)
(2nd sem)
(1st sem)
(2nd sem)			-
(1st sem)
(2nd sem)
			__________ Total Quality Points	____________________ Total Units completed (will be no more than 16.5)	Total Q.P. Divided by Total Units

**Remaining core courses shall be selected from one of the following options:

OPTION 1	TOTAL OF 17 UNITS
1	Fine Arts Survey or substitute two units of performance courses in music, dance, or theater; or substitute two units of visual art courses; or substitute two units of studio art courses; or a course from the career and technical program of studies that is approved by the BESE (must be listed under the Vocational Education Course Offerings in Bulletin 741 or the updates to Bulletin 741); or substitute one unit as an elective from among the other subjects listed in this core curriculum
2	Foreign Language, Technical Writing, Speech I or Speech II
1	One unit from the secondary computer education program of studies that is approved by the BESE
OR
OPTION 2	Total of 19 Units
4	In a career major comprised of a sequence of related specialty courses. In order for a student to use this option, the courses for the career major must be approved by the BESE.
1	Credit in a basic computer course.
1	In related or technical fields. A related course includes any course which is listed under the student's major. A technical course is one that is listed in the approved career option plan for the high school at which the course is taken.