Important Information for High School Students to Qualify for TOPS

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.

All high school students should be reminded:

• ACT scores from a "residual" test are not official and will not be considered for determining TOPS eligibility. Only scores achieved on a test which was scheduled and officially administered by ACT prior to the date the applicant graduated from high school will be considered.

• In order to qualify for the TOPS, all course grades not on a 4.00 scale must be converted to a 4.00 scale, including honors courses which have a maximum credit value of more than 4.00.

• For TOPS, the cumulative high school grade point average is the final cumulative high school grade point average calculated on a 4.00 scale for all courses attempted. For those high schools that utilize other than the 4.00 scale, all grade values must be converted to a 4.00 scale utilizing the following formula:

Quality Points* Awarded for the Course = X (Converted Quality Points)
Maximum Points Possible for the Course 4.00 (Maximum Scale)**

3.00   =    X
  5.00     4.00

By cross multiplying, 5X = 12

X = 2.40

*Quality points = Credit for course multiplied by the value assigned to the letter grade.
**4.00 Maximum Scale grade values: A = 4, B = 3, C = 2 , D = 1, F = 0

• High school graduating classes through the year 2000 may be granted exemptions to core curriculum requirements if a course is not available to the student at the school attended. Starting with the graduating class of the year 2001, no exceptions to the core curriculum requirements are permitted. At that point, all students must complete the core curriculum requirements to be eligible for TOPS.
  

1999 high school graduates should be reminded of the following TOPS requirements:

• The minimum ACT score required to qualify for the Opportunity Award will go up to 20.

• The Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) must be filed by April 15, 1999. This deadline must be met so that applicants may be informed as early as possible of their TOPS eligibility.

• The social security number entered on the FAFSA must be correct and agree with that entered on the form used to register for the ACT test.

• All core course requirements must be met, including two units in the same foreign language. Exceptions will apply only if courses are not available to the student at the school attended.

Please remind all students registering to take the American College Test (ACT) that they must :

• Ensure their social security number is correct and that it agrees with that entered on the FAFSA.

• Include their correct high school code. Students who complete high school in a home-study program should enter the special code provided by ACT identifying them as such.

• Ensure their high school graduation date is correct and entered on the form used to register for the ACT test.

• Have test results sent to their high school, unless the student completed high school in a home-study program.

• If they change high schools after taking the ACT, they must furnish the name of the school from which they will graduate to the Office of Student Financial Assistance not later than May 1, 1999.