Louisiana’s First Choice for College Access

1. Louisiana’s First Choice for College Access

2. Welcome! LOSFA Professional School Counselor Workshop 2012 www.osfa.la.gov

3. LOSFA Administered Programs and Presentation Topics TOPS START Saving Program TOPS Tech Early Start Program Chafee Educational Training Voucher (ETV) Program Volunteer Firemen’s Tuition Reimbursement (Promotion Only) FLY – Financial Literacy for You FLY Tour 2013 www.osfa.la.gov

4. LOSFA Administered Programs College Knowledge Go Grant Rockefeller State Wildlife Scholarship Health Care Educator Loan Forgiveness John R Justice Student Loan Repayment Program www.osfa.la.gov

5. LOSFA Social Media Sites http://www.facebook.com/LOSFA http://www.twitter.com/LOSFA http://www.youtube.com/ LOSFA1000 http://www.Flickr.com/LOSFA www.osfa.la.gov

6. Legislative and Program Updates www.osfa.la.gov

7. TOPS – Military Extension • A qualified student who enlists and enters on active duty in the Armed Forces within one year of graduation from high school must enroll in an eligible college no later than the semester, quarter or term following the one year anniversary of separation from active duty. • The veteran must not have been discharged with an undesirable, bad conduct or dishonorable discharge. • A student who meets these requirements and did not previously apply, must file a FAFSA within one year of separation from active duty. www.osfa.la.gov

8. TOPS - ACT • A qualifying score achieved on a National, International, Military, or Special ACT or equivalent SAT taken no later than April 30 and a first time qualifying scores on test taken after April 30 but before July 1 of the year of high school graduation will be accepted. • Scores on tests taken after June of the year of high school graduation will not be accepted unless the student is granted an exception for a score earned on a test taken before September 30 of the year of high school graduation based on proof that the student was prevented from taking the test prior to July 1 due to circumstances beyond the control of the student and attributable to the administration of the test. www.osfa.la.gov

9. TOPS – Academic Year • On March 19, 2012, the Louisiana Student Financial Assistance Commission amended the Scholarship and Grant Program Rules to provide that the definition of the academic year includes the Summer Session and Summer-Fall Intersession. Beginning with the 2011-12 academic year and thereafter, the academic year begins with the fall term of the award year and concludes immediately before the next fall term commences. www.osfa.la.gov

10. TOPS – Academic Year • As a result of this amendment, the hours a student earns during a summer session or during the summer-fall intersession will be included in determining whether a student has met the requirement to earn 24 hours during the academic year. Students are not required to enroll for the summer session or in any intersession. • TOPS will not automatically pay for a summer session. • An award made for summer school expends one semester or term of TOPS eligibility for those students who qualify. www.osfa.la.gov

11. Federal Student Aid Eligibility Change • Students who enroll in college for the first time on or after July 1, 2012 must have a high school diploma or GED, or have been home schooled, to be eligible for federal student aid (federal grants including Pell, loans and work study). Students who were enrolled before July 1, 2012 are not affected by this change. www.osfa.la.gov

12. Change to Pell Grant Eligibility • Pell Grants are need based federal grants available to both full-time and part-time undergraduate students. They do not need to be repaid. For the 2012-13 award year, the maximum Pell Grant remains at $5,500. • The maximum number of equivalent full-time semesters a student is eligible to receive a Pell Grant will drop from 18 to 12 semesters for all students, including those close to completion. www.osfa.la.gov

13. TOPS Processing Cycle • Processing cannot begin until we can match your FAFSA data, STS data and ACT data • This data is matched by SOCIAL SECURITY NUMBER • IF YOU DO NOT INCLUDE YOUR SOCIAL SECURITY NUMBER ON YOUR ACT REGISTRATION, YOUR TOPS PROCESSING WILL BE DELAYED www.osfa.la.gov

14. LOSFA: College Access and Outreach www.osfa.la.gov

15. Program Presentations • All LOSFA presentations can be personalized to fit the needs of a specific audience • TOPS • FAFSA • What is Financial Aid? – An overview of financial aid • State Aid Programs including TOPS • FAFSA • Federal Aid (Grant & Loan Programs) • Institutional Aid • Private Aid www.osfa.la.gov

16. Program Presentations • College Knowledge • FLY: Financial Literacy for You • FLY Tour 2013 • START Saving Program www.osfa.la.gov

17. On-line Publications • LOSFA Loop Online Newsletter • TOPS Brochure (Opportunity, Performance & Honors Awards) • TOPS Tech Brochure • Don’t Blow Your TOPS Flyer • Don’t Blow Your TOPS Renewal Flyer • Surfing the Web Flyer • TOPS Core Curriculum Fact Sheet www.osfa.la.gov

18. On-Line Publications • TOPS Core Curriculum for Graduates of 2014 and thereafter Fact Sheet • LOSFA Social Media Sites Flyer • STARTing Line Online Newsletter Printed Publications • START Brochure • START Depositor’s Agreement Packets www.osfa.la.gov

19. How Do I Schedule A Presentation? • Call or e-mail Jerri Mack • jerri.mack@la.gov • (800) 259-5626 • (225) 219-1012 • LOSFA Representatives are available for day, night and weekend presentations • Request your date as early as possible • Please plan for adequate time for the presentation • Scheduling an event with LACRAO does not include LOSFA. Feel free to invite LOSFA to your LACRAO event. twww.osfa.la.gov

20. PowerPoint Presentations • You may request copies of LOSFA PowerPoint presentations to use at your school • E-mail Jerri Mack • jerri.mack@la.gov www.osfa.la.gov

21. STS Training • Times and Dates To Be Determined www.osfa.la.gov

22. Financial Aid Call In Night • Monday, February 18, 2013 • Public Information Representatives will be available from 6 p.m. – 9 p.m. • (800) 259-5626 or (225) 219-1012 • Facebook Chat www.osfa.la.gov

23. www.osfa.la.gov

24. Why do I need a Trailblazer? • Trailblazers receive the first program updates after the legislative session • Trailblazers can assist counselors with informing students on TOPS requirements • Trailblazers can serve as Peer Counselors on financial aid • Trailblazers are trained on all types and sources of financial aid www.osfa.la.gov

25. What makes a good Trailblazer? • Leadership skills • Communication skills • Outgoing personality • Service oriented www.osfa.la.gov

26. Earn a Trailblazer Letter of Achievement/ Recommendation • Complete a series of twelve tasks • Have your Counselor certify that you have done so • Receive your letter of Achievement/Recognition in early 2013

27. Earn a Trailblazer Letter of Achievement/ Recommendation July 2012 • “Like” the LOSFA Facebook page • “Join” the LOSFA Trailblazers Facebook group page • Sign up as a College Goal Sunday Volunteer

28. Earn a Trailblazer Letter of Achievement/ Recommendation August 2012 • Meet with your Counselor upon return to school in August and share your Trailblazer manual and other information learned at the camp. • Work with your Counselor to develop and execute a plan to get all students at your high school to activate their Louisiana Connect accounts. • Work with your Counselor to develop and execute a plan to encourage parents of your fellow students to activate their Louisiana Connect accounts.

29. Earn a Trailblazer Letter of Achievement/ Recommendation September 2012 • Write a short essay on what you learned at Trailblazer Camp and have your Counselor Email it to LOSFA (custserv@osfa.la.gov). • Invite all your Facebook friends to “like” LOSFA on Facebook by sharing our direct Facebook link in a message. • Make sure that your school Web site has links to LOSFA’s Web site and to the Louisiana Connect portal.

30. Earn a Trailblazer Letter of Achievement/ Recommendation October 2012 • Work with your Counselor to schedule a College Day/Career Night/LOSFA presentation event at your school.

31. Earn a Trailblazer Letter of Achievement/ Recommendation November 2012 • Recommend to your Counselor a current Junior at your school to be a 2013-2014 Trailblazer. • Write a short essay detailing the activities you initiated, organized and/or executed to increase knowledge of financial aid opportunities at your school and have your Counselor Email it to LOSFA (custserv@osfa.la.gov). The final deadline for receipt is November 30.

32. Earn a Trailblazer Letter of Achievement/ Recommendation February 24, 2013 • Attend College Goal Sunday at the location for which you volunteered • Assist the LOSFA representative and the Site Coordinator as needed • (This activity represents final completion of the task you received credit for when you volunteered during Trailblazer Camp last July. Fulfillment of this task will be on the honor system as we want to get your letters of Achievement/Recognition to you by mid-December so that you can include them in college admissions application packages.)

33. Trailblazers 2013 Northwestern State University Natchitoches July 14 - 16, 2013 Nicholls State University Thibodaux July 21 - 23, 2013 www.osfa.la.gov