TOPS Performance Award

The TOPS Performance Award is the middle tier of Louisiana's TOPS merit program. It pays the same TOPS Award Amount as the Opportunity Award, based on 2016-17 tuition at the student's institution unless the Legislature raises it, plus an annual stipend of $400. Students at private LAICU colleges receive the weighted average amount plus the stipend. Starting with the class of 2022, students need a 3.25 GPA on the 19-unit TOPS core curriculum and an ACT composite of at least 23, with no superscoring. Home study and out-of-state graduates have alternative test-score routes. As with all TOPS awards, the student must enroll full time as a first-time freshman by the first semester after the first anniversary of high school graduation. To keep the award, recipients need a 3.00 cumulative GPA at the end of each academic year, 24 earned hours and continuous full-time enrollment. A recipient whose GPA drops below 3.00 but stays within Opportunity limits continues on the Opportunity Award without the stipend.