Q:I just graduated from high school. What is the deadline to apply for TOPS if I want to be funded for Fall 2010 semester?

A:Graduates of 2010 must have filed an application no later than July 1, 2010 to receive TOPS funding beginning with the upcoming college academic year, 2010-2011.

Applications received between July 2, 2010 and July 1, 2011 will not be funded until the subsequent college academic year, 2011-2012.

In addition, applications that are received after July 1, 2011 will be assessed the following penalties:

•  1 semester penalty for applications received July 2, 2011 through August 30, 2011
•  2 semester penalty for applications received August 31, 2011 through October 29, 2011

Initial applications received after October 29, 2011 will not be considered for TOPS.

The preferred application for TOPS is the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) which also is used to determine eligibility for various types of federal aid including Pell Grants, federal Work Study programs and William D. Ford direct federal loans. Many institutional (campus-based) scholarships, as well as the state Go Grant program, also require completion of the FAFSA.

For those students who can demonstrate that they do not qualify for federal grant aid and who are not interested in any other type of aid beyond TOPS, the TOPS online application may be completed in lieu of the FAFSA. The TOPS online application is located on the LOSFA Web site. However, if there is ever a shortfall in TOPS funding, those students who completed the TOPS online application instead of the FAFSA will be the first to be eliminated.

Q:I'm a 2010 high school graduate. I have applied for TOPS. When will I be notified if I qualify?

A:LOSFA has begun processing for the 2010-2011 academic year. We will be sending award notifications to qualifying students weekly throughout the summer. Applications cannot be processed until LOSFA has received: 1) The qualifying ACT or SAT score information from ACT or SAT. ; 2) a completed application (FAFSA or TOPS online application); and 3) the student's TOPS core g.p.a. and notification of successful completion of the TOPS core curriculum from the Louisiana Department of Education (after high school graduation and once final transcripts are sent in to the Department of Education). Once students are determined eligible, an award letter is mailed to the address that was provided on their application. TOPS processing runs every Thursday evening and award letters are mailed on Friday.

If you would like, you may go to our Web site www.osfa.la.gov to create a TOPS Portal Account. Once established, students can track their initial eligibility now and their renewal status throughout their college career. Simply click on LOSFA Programs, then TOPS, then TOPS Portal. Once there select "student logon" at the top of the page and it will walk you through the steps for creating an account.

If you have any trouble please contact our agency to speak with a representative: 800-259-5626 ext. 1012.

Q:A friend of mine recently completed the FAFSA online and was charged a fee. Isn't FAFSA supposed to be a FREE application?

A:Yes, FAFSA stands for "Free Application for Federal Student Aid." Families should go directly to the official U. S. Department of Education FAFSA Web site at www.fafsa.ed.gov to complete the application. For additional information regarding FAFSA you may call them directly at 1-800-433-3243.

Families should beware of other Web sites, such as FAFSA.com, that charge a fee to complete the FREE Application for Federal Student Aid. If a student paid to have their application completed it is recommended that they contact the company and request a cancellation of their application and retract the charges and/or payment.