Louisiana TOPS Awards: ACT and SAT Qualifying Scores and Eligibility Requirements, Slides of Quantitative Techniques

Download Louisiana TOPS Awards: ACT and SAT Qualifying Scores and Eligibility Requirements and more Slides Quantitative Techniques in PDF only on Docsity! 1 ACT and SAT Q-1. What is the minimum ACT score for 2022 high school graduates and does the score change every year? A. The ACT qualifying scores for students graduating from eligible Louisiana high schools in 2022 are: TOPS Tech – 17 or the silver level score on the assessments of the ACT WorkKeys system TOPS Opportunity – 20 TOPS Performance - 23 TOPS Honors - 27 The minimum qualifying score for the Opportunity Award is determined annually based on the state's average composite ACT score reported for the prior year (the average for last year was 18.8), truncated to the nearest whole number. The minimum score may never be less than 20 and is currently 20. *NOTE: The ACT scores above are TOPS requirements. The achievement of these scores does not necessarily mean that you will meet the admissions standards of the college of your choice since some schools require minimum ACT sub-scores for admission. You should contact the admissions office for the colleges to which you will apply to verify the ACT admission requirements for those schools. Q-2. What is the minimum ACT score for students completing a BESE approved home study program for 2022? A. The ACT qualifying scores for home study students for 2022 are: TOPS Tech – 19 TOPS Opportunity – 22 TOPS Performance – 24* TOPS Honors – 28* *NOTE: The ACT scores above are TOPS requirements. The achievement of these scores does not necessarily mean that you will meet the admission standards of the college of your choice since some schools require minimum ACT sub-scores for admission. You should contact the admissions office for the colleges to which you will apply to verify the ACT admission requirements for those schools. Q-3. What is the minimum ACT score for 2022 graduates of out-of-state and out-of-country high schools*? A. The ACT qualifying scores for these 2022 graduates are: TOPS Tech – 20 TOPS Opportunity – 23 TOPS Performance – 26* 2 TOPS Honors – 30* *NOTE: The ACT scores above are TOPS requirements. The achievement of these scores does not necessarily mean that you will meet the admission standards of the college of your choice since some schools require minimum ACT sub-scores for admission. You should contact the admissions office for the colleges to which you will apply to verify the ACT admission requirements for those schools. Q-4. What is the deadline for taking the ACT/SAT? A. You must achieve a qualifying score on or before the ACT national test date in April in the academic year you graduate from high school. If you have not previously achieved a qualifying score, you may qualify after the ACT national test date in April in the academic year you graduate from high school. Beginning with graduates of 2021, you may qualify on a test taken after the ACT national test date in April , but prior to August 1, by using May, June, and/or July test scores, including scores from a special ACT or SAT, but your period of eligibility for the award will be reduced by one semester or two quarters. You can qualify for a higher award using a score achieved after the national ACT test date in April and before July 1. See Question 16 for important information regarding upgrading a TOPS Award with a late ACT score. In very limited circumstances, the Board of Regents may grant an exception to the April deadline IF it determines that the applicant had registered for a test prior to August 1 but was prevented from taking the test prior to August 1 of the year of graduation due to circumstances beyond the immediate control of the student AND attributable to the administration of the test. If it makes this determination, a student will not be penalized one semester or two quarters. Scores earned on an ACT/SAT taken after August 1 but before September 30 immediately following high school graduation may be accepted on a very limited basis. The Board of Regents must grant an exception to the August 1 deadline because it determines that the applicant was prevented from taking the test prior to August 1 of the year of graduation due to circumstances beyond the immediate control of the student AND attributable to the administration of the test. Illnesses, lack of transportation, death in the family, and similar circumstances are not attributable to the administration of the test and will not support an exception to the ACT deadline. Q-5. Will a score from a special ACT or SAT taken after the official April test date but before August 1 be accepted? A. Yes. You may use a first time qualifying score achieved on a special ACT or SAT test after the official April test date and before the August 1 deadline, but your eligibility will be reduced by one semester or two quarters. 6. Is any type of ACT or SAT test acceptable? 5 When registering for the SAT, you must indicate the “TOPS-Taylor Opportunity Program For Students” code as a recipient of the score by entering code “9019” as one of the institutions to receive a score report. If you take the SAT outside Louisiana and do not include code “9019” on the list of institutions to receive test scores, you should send a copy of the official SAT Score Report (write your date of birth on the report) to LOSFA by mail or by fax to (225) 612-6508 or by email to custserv@la.gov. Q-16. Can I increase the level of my TOPS Award if I take the June ACT or SAT? A. Yes. You may qualify for a higher award based on the ACT or SAT score achieved on the June ACT or SAT. Because the test is taken after the April national ACT test date, your eligibility for the award will be reduced by one semester or two quarters. The TOPS Tech Award provides students with two years of TOPS funding. If you qualify for the Opportunity Award with a June ACT or SAT, you will be eligible to receive 7 semesters of TOPS funding. The TOPS Opportunity, Performance and Honors Awards provide TOPS funding for 8 full time semesters. If you qualify for a higher award with a May, June, or July ACT or SAT score, you are required by the TOPS statutes to accept the higher award, and your period of TOPS eligibility will be reduced by one semester or two terms. Examples: TOPS Tech to TOPS Opportunity Award: Jane earned a 19 on the ACT in February of her senior year in high school. Assuming all other initial eligibility criteria are met, she will qualify for the TOPS Tech Award, which provides two full years of TOPS funding to be used for enrollment in certain programs of study aligned to workforce priorities as determined by the Board of Regents and the Workforce Investment Council. Jane retakes the ACT in June of her senior year, and she scores a 21. Jane’s TOPS award will be upgraded to the TOPS Opportunity Award, and she will be eligible for 7 full time semesters of TOPS funding to be used for enrollment in a program of study of her choosing. TOPS Opportunity Award to TOPS Performance Award: John earned a 22 on the ACT in April of his junior year in high school. Assuming all other initial eligibility criteria are met, he will qualify for the TOPS Opportunity Award, which provides 8 full time semesters of TOPS funding to be used in a program of study of his choice. John takes the ACT again in June immediately after he graduates from high school, and he scores a 24 on the ACT. John’s TOPS Award will be upgraded to the TOPS Performance Award, and he will be eligible for 7 full time semesters of TOPS funding plus a $200 stipend per semester to be used for enrollment in a program of study of his choosing. Depending upon the college John plans to attend, the upgrade to a TOPS Performance Award could result in him being eligible to receive less funding for his postsecondary education. 6 The TOPS Award Amount is based upon the tuition charged during the 2016-2017 academic year. For the fall semester of 2020, the award amount per semester at LSU is $3,731.49. If John had continued to be eligible for the TOPS Opportunity Award, he would receive $29,851.92 ($3,731.49 x 8) over a period of 8 semesters, assuming that he maintains his TOPS eligibility throughout his college career. Since John’s award was upgraded to TOPS Performance with his June ACT score, he will receive a total of $27,520.43 (($3,731.49 x 7) + ($200 x 7)) over a period of 7 semesters, assuming that he maintains his eligibility for the TOPS Performance Award throughout his college career. It is important to remember that if John does not maintain at least a 3.00 cumulative GPA on all courses taken at the end of each academic year, his TOPS Award will be redesignated as the TOPS Opportunity Award, and the one semester penalty that was applied remains. Under this scenario, John’s TOPS funding will be reduced even further. For example, John enrolls full time in the fall semester of 2022 and the spring semester of 2023, and his TOPS Award was paid for both semesters. After the spring semester of 2023, LSU reports to LOSFA that John earned 30 hours during the academic year with a cumulative GPA of 2.95. John does not enroll in summer school, so his cumulative GPA at the end of the 2022-2023 academic year is 2.95. The TOPS statutes require that his award revert to the TOPS Opportunity Award for the remaining 5 semesters of his eligibility. As a result, John will receive 2 semesters of TOPS funding with a stipend of $200 per semester, totaling $7,862.98 (($3,731.49 x 2) + ($200 x 2)). The remaining five semesters of funding total $18,657.45 ($3,731.49 x 5). Thus, the total TOPS funding for which John would be eligible is $26,520.43. TOPS Performance Award to TOPS Honors Award: John earned a 26 on the ACT in October of his senior year in high school. Assuming all other initial eligibility criteria are met, he will qualify for the TOPS Performance Award, which provides 8 full time semesters of TOPS funding to be used in a program of study of his choice. John takes the ACT again in June immediately after he graduates from high school, and he scores a 28 on the ACT. John’s TOPS Award will be upgraded to the TOPS Honors Award, and he will be eligible for 7 full time semesters of TOPS funding plus a $400 stipend per semester to be used for enrollment in a program of study of his choosing. Depending upon the college John plans to attend, the upgrade to a TOPS Honors Award could result in him being eligible to receive less funding for his postsecondary education. The TOPS Award Amount is based upon the tuition charged during the 2016-2017 academic year. For the fall semester of 2020, the award amount per semester at LSU is $3,731.49. If John had continued to be eligible for the TOPS Performance Award, he would receive $31,451.92 (($3,731.49 x 8) + ($200 x 8) over a period of 8 semesters, assuming that he maintains his eligibility for the TOPS Performance Award throughout his college career. Since John’s award was upgraded to TOPS Honors with his June ACT score, he will receive a total of $28,920.43 (($3,731.49 x 7) + ($400 x 7)) over a period of 7 semesters, assuming that he maintains his eligibility for the TOPS Honors Award throughout his college career. It is important to remember that if John does not maintain at least a 3.00 cumulative GPA on all courses taken at the end of each academic year, his TOPS Award will be redesignated as the TOPS 7 Opportunity Award, and the one semester penalty that was applied remains. Under this scenario, John’s TOPS funding will be reduced even further. For example, John enrolls full time in the fall semester of 2022 and the spring semester of 2023, and his TOPS Award was paid for both semesters. After the spring semester of 2022, LSU reports to LOSFA that John earned 30 hours during the academic year with a cumulative GPA of 2.95. John does not enroll in summer school, so his cumulative GPA at the end of the 2022-2023 academic year is 2.95. The TOPS statutes require that his award revert to the TOPS Opportunity Award for the remaining 5 semesters of his eligibility. As a result, John will receive 2 semesters of TOPS funding with a stipend of $400 per semester, totaling $8,262.98 (($3,731.49 x 2) + ($400 x 2)). The remaining five semesters of funding total $18,657.45 ($3,731.49 x 5). Thus, the total TOPS funding for which John would be eligible is $26,920.43. ***NOTE that the examples provided are based on current award amounts and are illustrative only. Other scenarios are possible, and even likely. Before deciding whether to attempt to upgrade your TOPS Award with a June ACT score, you should determine whether the award upgrade will provide a financial benefit to you utilizing the TOPS Award Amount at the school you plan to attend. The TOPS Award amounts, by school, can be found here. Q-17. After I graduated from high school, I was awarded the TOPS Opportunity Award. My only qualifying ACT score was canceled during my second semester of college attendance. Am I still eligible for TOPS? How long will my TOPS award be paid? A. You are no longer eligible for a TOPS award, and no further payments will be paid. You will not be required to repay any TOPS award amounts that have already been paid. The date LOSFA received notification of the ACT score being canceled will determine whether you will receive one more payment of your TOPS award. For more information, you should email LOSFA at custserv@la.gov. Q-18. If I discover that I used an incorrect social security number on either the ACT or SAT test, what can I do to correct this? A. You are not required to provide a social security number on either the ACT or the SAT. Be sure that the name that you use on the ACT or SAT and the FAFSA exactly matches your name on file with your high school or the Louisiana Department of Education. For example, if your school records indicate your name is John Q. Smith, your ACT and your FAFSA should use the name John Q. Smith, not John Smith, not John Quincy Smith, and not Quincy Smith. If your name differs in the slightest way in any of these documents, the determination of your eligibility for TOPS will be delayed because matching your records will require manual intervention by LOSFA staff.