LOUISIANA STUDENT FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE COMMISSION
OFFICE OF STUDENT FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE
Tuition Opportunity Program for Students (TOPS) Bulletin
TOPS BULLETIN NUMBER: T2000-31
DATE ISSUED: December 14, 2000
EFFECTIVE DATE: As Indicated
DISTRIBUTION: Louisiana High School Principals and Counselors, City and Parish School Board Presidents, School Board Superintendents, College and University, Technical College and LAICU Chancellors, Financial Aid Offices, Business Offices, Registrars and Auditors, System Governance, Board of Regents, Department of Education, Louisiana Officials, Louisiana Legislators, and Commission Members
TOPIC: LOSFA Advisory on Fee Based Financial Aid Services

To assure that your Scholarship and Grant Policy and Procedure Manual remains current, please record this document on your TOPS Bulletin index and retain it with your manual.

It has come to our attention that there currently exist Internet services that charge a substantial fee to "counsel" students and to complete their Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). In addition to federal aid, the FAFSA is completed each year by thousands of students as their application for a TOPS Scholarship. The websites, www.fafsa.com and www.sfas.com are NOT endorsed by the U.S. Department of Education nor our agency. We encourage students to use the U.S. Department of Education's website at http://www.fafsa.ed.gov specifically for the purpose of applying for state and federal student aid.

Also, be advised of many letters and invitations that your students will receive offering services for a fee that will guarantee 100% of their college financing. These should be scrutinized carefully before enrolling. Free information and scholarship searches, as well as financial aid guidance, is available on our website at http://www.osfa.state.la.us/linksto.htm.

Our Public Information and Communications staff will gladly assist any student with questions regarding the FAFSA or other aspects of federal and/or state aid, free of charge. Students may call our toll free number at 1-800-259-5626, ext. 1012 or e-mail us at custserv@osfa.state.la.us. As with all fee based services which solicit to students, please advise your students to consider all available free assistance before paying for any service.

 

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