class of 2022 senior information night
TRANSCRIPT
CLASS OF 2022
SENIOR
INFORMATION
NIGHT
AGENDA
❖TOPS
❖FAFSA
❖COLLEGE ADMISSIONS
TOPS AWARDL O U I S I A N A ’ S T A Y L O R O P P O R T U N I T Y P R O G R A M
F O R S T U D E N T S
❖ Create a LOFSA student hub account using the 10 digit SASID
number on your transcript.
❖ LEX - receive general information and answers to frequently
asked questions 24/7.
❖ Contact LOFSA at [email protected] or 800-259-5626.
TOPS GPA & ACT
R E QUIR E ME NT S
❖TOPS Opportunity – 20/2.5
❖ TOPS Performance – 23/3.25 ($400 stipend)
❖ TOPS Honors – 27/3.5 ($800 stipend)
(GPA computed on TOPS core courses only & not
rounded up)
HOW IS T HE ACT SCOR E
R E PORT E D TO LOFSA ?
❖ LOFSA has an agreement with ACT that allows them to automatically
receive scores for students who took the test in Louisiana during 11th &12th grades.
❖ If you take the ACT outside Louisiana and do not include code 1595 on the list
of institutions or if you want to report a score that was received prior to 11th grade,
you should contact ACT, Inc. to request that your scores be submitted.
❖ If you are testing in June or July, you should report scores using the 1595 code
to avoid delay.
❖ If you have a higher score than what is listed in the TOPS tracker, contact ACT.
W H A T I S T H E D E A D L I N E F O R TA K I N G
T H E A C T T O Q UA L I F Y F O R T O P S ?
❖ Students must have a qualifying ACT score by the APRIL 2
test date to qualify for the full tops amount.
❖ Students can use a qualifying score from the June 11 or July
16 test to qualify or upgrade award but the award will be
reduced by one semester or two quarters!!- use 1595
ACT FEE WAIVERS
❖ 4 fee waivers for students who have free/reduced lunch.
❖ October 23rd
❖ December 11th
❖ February 12th
❖ April 2nd
❖ June 11 & July 16
TOPS ELIGIBILITY
GENERAL REQUIREMENTS
❖ U.S. Citizenship or permanent resident
❖ Meet TOPS Louisiana Residency requirements - 24 months prior
to graduation- no later than April 2020 (Residency must match on
FAFSA & school records.)
❖ No Final Criminal convictions
❖ Complete the TOPS core curriculum requirements.
TOPS PROCESSING
NOTE: Be sure that the name that you use on the ACT exactly matches your
name on file with your high school (JPAMS) and the name you use on the
FAFSA.
For example, if your high school records state that 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. Your
date of birth, home address, and email address must also be the same.
TOPS PROCESSING
❖ Tops processing can NOT occur unless the data from FAFSA,
ACT & STS all MATCH.
❖ Tops processing starts the beginning of June. Notifications of
eligibility go through the tops tracker student hub account or the
email used on the FAFSA. LOFSA runs eligibility M-F, and
notifications are sent out on Fridays.
❖ Any student who does not receive notification by mid July, should
contact LOFSA.
FAFSA
FREE APPLICATION FOR FEDERAL STUDENT AID
Use the 2020 tax information to complete the 2022-2023 FAFSA.
Applications Open : OCTOBER 1ST
Lofsa Priority Deadline: FEBRUARY 1ST
WHY SHOULD I
COMPLETE THE FAFSA?
LOUISIANA REQUIRES PUBLIC SCHOOL STUDENTS TO
SUBMIT ONE OF THE FOLLOWING:
❖ Submit the FAFSA
❖ Complete the TOPS application
❖ Submit an opt-out Parental Non-Participation Form
Resource: Louisiana Department of Education www.louisianabelieves.com
WHY SHOULD I
COMPLETE THE FAFSA?
❖ By completing the FAFSA, you are considered for the federal Pell Grant,
student loans, Work Study as well as the state-based TOPS program.
❖ Even if you don’t think you’ll need a loan, it can’t hurt to have a backup plan in
place.
❖ It’s how the government and colleges decide your financial need and award
institutional aid in some cases for all income levels. Establishes EFC (Expected
Family Contribution)
❖ The FAFSA takes approximately 20-30 minutes to complete if the student and
parent have all of the required information at hand.
❖ This is used to electronically sign the FAFSA and allows the use of
the IRS retrieval tool.
❖ The student & parent must use different phone #’s & emails.
❖ Parents only need one FSA ID for multiple children.
SUBMITTED VS.
SUCCESSFULLY PROCESSED
❖ Once you submit the FAFSA you will receive an email stating it
was “successfully submitted”.
❖ Once the FAFSA is processed without errors then you will receive
an email stating it was “successfully processed”.
A copy of the “successfully processed” email should be
turned into the counseling office.
APPLYING TO COLLEGE
❖ Go to the college websites-make a list of the application, testing
& financial aid requirements & deadlines for each college.
❖ Either apply on the website or use an application service such as
the common application.
❖ Visit college campuses.
❖ Visit with college admission representatives during lunch or sign
up for an app session.
TRANSCRIPTS
❖ Transcripts are uploaded electronically through the common
application. A permission form must be signed by a parent.
❖ In state, public universities have access to transcripts on the state
transcript system.
❖ Transcripts to private or out of state schools must be mailed.
Complete a transcript request form and pay $2 per transcript. This is
turned in to Ms. Suzie in the front office.
COLLEGE CREDIT
❖ Transcripts showing dual enrollment credit should be requested
from the college that issued the credit. Contact the college.
❖ AP and CLEP scores should be sent to the college using the
college board account if needed.
❖ Check with your college of interest regarding their DE,
CLEP and AP policies.
LETTERS OF
RECOMMENDATION
❖ Recommendations should be requested by the student, not
the parent. Students should request the letter 3-6 weeks in
advance if possible.
❖ Teacher recommendation letters- Students should ask a teacher
who knows them well to write the letter. Follow up with the teacher a
week before the letter is due.
❖ Counselor recommendation letters- students should turn in a
recommendation packet to the counselor. See website.
SCHOLARSHIPS
❖ Ask the college if there is a separate scholarship application and
inquire about scholarship requirements & deadlines.
❖ Check the NHS counseling website for scholarship opportunities
and apply!!
SCHOLARSHIPS
❖ Turn in all scholarship offers to the counseling office. (letter
or email that shows the scholarship amount, not including federal aid
or tops) We track all offers, even if they are not accepted. We total all
offers for the class of 2022. We like to brag about our students!!
Students can also choose to receive recognition at awards night for
their scholarship offers. The top earners will also be recognized.
TEST OPTIONAL
❖ What? Applicants will have the choice to select if they wish to have
their ACT or SAT scores considered when applications are reviewed for
admission and/or university-administered scholarships.
❖ Why? Students are more than a test score, many schools are moving to
a more holistic approach, taking into consideration rigor of coursework,
grade trends, grades in courses related to major interest, a letter of
recommendation, optional essay, activities & awards. Some schools have
temporarily moved to test optional because of less availability of tests and
the stress and anxiety of testing during a pandemic.
TEST OPTIONAL
❖ Should?
❖ Does your test score and GPA meet or exceed the average of the
college?
❖ Does the GPA meet the average but the test score does not?
❖ Does the student feel their test score is representative of their
performance or will be a benefit to their application?
❖ ACT SUPER SCORE
COLLEGE ADMISSIONS
VOCABULARY
EARLY ACTION- An option to submit your application before the regular deadline and get an admissions decision earlier. It is NOT binding, meaning you do not have to enroll if accepted.
EARLY DECISION- An option to submit your application to your first choice college and get an admissions decision earlier. ED is binding. If accepted then you agree to enroll in the college immediately if they offer a financial aid package that meets your needs and withdraw all other applications.
ROLLING ADMISSION- Applications are considered as soon as all required information is received.
COLLEGE ADMISSIONS
VOCABULARY
❖ NEED-BLIND DECISION- Admission decisions are made
without consideration of financial circumstances of the applicant.
❖ OPEN ADMISSION- All HS graduates are accepted as long as
there is space.
❖ LEGACY APPLICANT- An applicant with a relative who
attended the college.
COLLEGE ADMISSIONS
VOCABULARY
❖ PRIORITY DATE OR DEADLINE- The date at which the
application (admission, financial aid, housing) must be received to be
given the strongest consideration.
❖ WAITLIST- Students on this list may be admitted if space
becomes available.
GRADUATION SUPPLIES
❖ Herff Jones Supply Meeting on Wednesday, Oct. 27th
❖ Order and pay on time to avoid extra fees.
❖ Take care of all outstanding fees & paperwork in order to receive
the cap and gown in a timely manner.
END OF THE YEAR
❖ Finish Strong academically! Colleges like to see that students have
maintained their GPA & finished strong without dropping the rigor of
courses.
❖ Rank is not determined until graduation and is not announced until
graduation practice. The ranking policy can be found in the course description
guide.
❖ Final transcript request forms should be turned in at graduation practice
with $3. Students must notify the counselor if they need a final transcript
uploaded to an electronic portal.
❖ Questions about class dues- contact senior class sponsors
Questions about Florida Fling- contact Ms. Miller at
GRADUATION REQUIREMENTS
HELPFUL LINKS
❖ For Tops questions: email- [email protected] or call 225-219-
1012. Phone assistance is available M-Th, 8-4:30pm.
❖ For FAFSA help: Call the FAFSA HELPline at (844) GO FAFSA
or (844) 463-2372. or email- [email protected]. Federal Student Aid
Information Center (FSAIC) 1-800-433-3243. Email LOFSA at
❖ FAFSA application: www.studentaid.gov or www.fafsa.gov.
HELPFUL LINKS
❖ College Board (AP, Clep, SAT, PSAT, college planning tools):
https://www.collegeboard.org
❖ ACT: www.act.org
❖ The Common Application: www.commonapp.org
❖ NHS Counseling page:
http://northshorehigh.stpsb.org/portal/counseling.html
❖ Graduation Requirements: https://www.louisianabelieves.com/
THANKS
FOR
COMING