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Update June 23, 2020: Act 346 of the 2020 Regular Session of the Louisiana Legislature includes a provision that delays the implementation of the increased TOPS Core Curriculum GPAs required to qualify for a TOPS Performance or Honors Award. Beginning with the graduating class of 2021, students would have to achieve a 3.25 to qualify for a Performance Award or a 3.50 to qualify for an Honors Award. Act 346 delays the implementation until 2022.

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TOPS: WHEN AND HOW TO APPLY

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In order to qualify for a TOPS scholarship, without penalty, a student must maintain a 2.5 or higher cumulative grade point average on the TOPS 19 core curriculum units. Students must earn a 20 or higher on the ACT (this number fluctuates each year and is not set year to year) by the April test date of their senior year without a penalty. If a student earns the 20 on the ACT on the June/July test date following graduation, he/she will still be eligible for TOPS but will only qualify for seven semesters of eligibility instead of the eight normally awarded. You can qualify up to the fall test of your freshman year and the penalty is losing one year of payment.

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  • To qualify for the TOPS Performance award a student will need the TOPS GPA of 3.25

  • To qualify for the TOPS Honors a student will need a TOPS GPA of 3.50.

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Don't forget that a TOPS GPA is not the same as the high school overall GPA. TOPS bases its GPA off the TOPS University Core Curriculum. Below is a copy of the TOPS University Courses

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                                                                    FAFSA FACTS

You can now fill out your FAFSA for the 2021-2022 academic year! Not sure what to do? This video below can help! Federal Student Aid #GEAUXtoCollege #LAProspers #GEAUXtoCollege #LAProspers

https://www.facebook.com/LOSFA/videos/1064263700634298/

 

FAFSA Completion Guide: Flip through the official guide for tips and information needed to complete your FAFSA.   https://lela.org/fafsa_completion_guide/

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FAFSA CHEAT SHEETS: Print these to stay organized!

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Helpline Numbers: Open til 8am weekdays and til 5pm on Saturdays. 

1-800-433-3243  1-844-463-2372

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FAFSA CHANGES FOR GRADUATES OF 2019 AND BEYOND: COMPLETION OF THE FAFSA FORM IS A GRADUATION REQUIREMENT.

A parental nonparticipation form is required for any student and parent who choose not to fill out the FAFSA. FAFSA forms are available online only at www.fafsa.ed.gov. This is a free application. Only go to this website to fill out the FAFSA because there are other applications for FAFSA that are scams and require you to pay a fee. A FAFSA completion night will be held for seniors and their parents both in the fall and the spring to assist with this process. Flyers will be sent home announcing the date and process to sign up.

FAFSA Completion Dates Based on Year Beginning College:

  • If your student is beginning college in the summer of 2019 you may need to use an earlier tax document

  • Students entering college in the Fall of 19’ will use the 2016 tax records. If you feel it doesn’t properly represent your current situation (death of spouse, divorce, loss of job) you will file a grievance with the college your student is attending

 

FAFSA Helpful Tips

  • Only use www.fafsa.ed.gov to apply for the FAFSA

  • All parents and students will need the FSD ID to complete the FAFSA, apply for the number 3 days prior to filling out the FAFSA  (parent will need the ID to sign the FAFSA     https://fsaid.ed.gov/npas/index.htm

  • The student must have their own email address and phone number

  • Student name must match their security card

  • ALL information must match your TAX DOCUMENTS! Ex. Street address (St or Dr). The system is extremely picky and it will not go through.

  • WRITE DOWN EVERTHING ON PROVIDED WORKSHEET AND SAVE IT

  • Non-citizens may not create a FSD ID, they must manually print and sign the FAFSA

  • Your passwords expire every 18 months, your username never expires

  • If you provide 3 incorrect answers to security questions you will be locked out

  • If you have to go to security to retrieve information there is a 30 minute wait period

  • If the FAFSA is not completed and signed within 45 days it is purged

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Print out this FAFSA Cheat Sheet to save all information in one place: 

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STEPS TO FILLING OUT THE FAFSA (Oct. 1st of or after graduating year)

 

  • Only use this website for FAFSA-Never pay! https://fafsa.ed.gov/

  • Fill out between Oct. 1st, 2021 and June 30th, 2022

  • GET A FSA ID-Create a username and password combination that allows you to sign your FAFSA electronically (Must be done 3 days prior to filling out FAFSA)

  • Gather the documents needed to apply Social security numbers for student and parents:

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  1. Social Security numbers for student and parents

  2. Driver’s license number (if you have one)

  3. Federal tax information (1040, 1040A, 1040EZ) (year of 2020)

  4. Records for untaxed income for parent(s) (child support, interest income)

  5. Information on cash; savings and checking accounts balances; investments

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  • Get help if needed-Go to College Goal Sunday or a local Financial Aid Night offered at local libraries

  • Start your FAFSA and provide your basic personal information

  • List colleges and/or career schools-you can list up to 10 schools

  • Determine your dependency status-you will be asked a series of questions that determines if you are a dependent or independent student.

  • Report parents’ information-if you are a dependent student, you must report your parent(s) financial information

  • Providing financial information –use income records for the prior tax year

  • Sign and submit the FAFSA

  • Print out the verification form and email for your records

 

WHAT HAPPENS AFTER YOUR FAFSA IS SUBMITTED

  • If you supplied a valid e-mail address, you will receive an e-mail, within 3 to 5 days, with instructions on how to access an online copy of your Student Aid Report (SAR).

  • If you did not supply a valid e-mail address, your SAR will be mailed to you via postal mail within 7 to 10 days.

  • The colleges that you listed on your FAFSA will have access to your information electronically one day after it is processed. However, depending on their own process and workload, they might not retrieve your information immediately.

  • If your application is complete, an Expected Family Contribution (EFC) will display on your SAR.  If your application is incomplete, your SAR will not include an EFC, but it will display text that specifies any issues that need to be resolved.

  • If your application is incomplete, make corrections to your FAFSA online, add or correct information on your paper SAR, sign it, and mail it to the address provided.

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Lela is Louisiana's Non-Profit Resource for College

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Lela is a division of the Louisiana Public Facilities Authority (LPFA), a non-profit public trust established to bring financing assistance and advantages to the people of Louisiana.  Lela's mission is to serve the students of Louisiana by providing resources for college planning and statewide outreach initiatives to insure student's success on their path to and during college.

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