Taylor Opportunity Program for Students

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The Taylor Opportunity Program for Students, abbreviated TOPS, is a scholarship program available to prospective college students in the state of Louisiana in the United States. Specifically, the program is available to students who attend a public college or university in Louisiana, an institution that is part of the Louisiana Community and Technical College System, or one that is a part of the Louisiana Association of Independent Colleges and Universities. [1] Four tiers of TOPS scholarships are awarded: the TOPS Opportunity Award, the TOPS Performance Award, the TOPS Honor Award and the TOPS Tech Award. [2]

Louisiana southern state in the United States of America

Louisiana is a state in the Deep South region of the South Central United States. It is the 31st most extensive and the 25th most populous of the 50 United States. Louisiana is bordered by the state of Texas to the west, Arkansas to the north, Mississippi to the east, and the Gulf of Mexico to the south. A large part of its eastern boundary is demarcated by the Mississippi River. Louisiana is the only U.S. state with political subdivisions termed parishes, which are equivalent to counties. The state's capital is Baton Rouge, and its largest city is New Orleans.

United States Federal republic in North America

The United States of America (USA), commonly known as the United States or America, is a country comprising 50 states, a federal district, five major self-governing territories, and various possessions. At 3.8 million square miles, the United States is the world's third or fourth largest country by total area and is slightly smaller than the entire continent of Europe. With a population of over 327 million people, the U.S. is the third most populous country. The capital is Washington, D.C., and the most populous city is New York City. Most of the country is located contiguously in North America between Canada and Mexico.

The Louisiana Community and Technical College System manages all of the thirteen public 2-year institutions in the state of Louisiana. It is headquartered in Baton Rouge, and is located on the campus of Baton Rouge Community College. The chair of the Board of Supervisors is Vincent St. Blanc III, and the President is Dr. Joe D. May.

Contents

History

Sources differ about when the Taylor Opportunity Program for Students began: according to The Daily Advertiser , "Some say TOPS began in 1989 as the Louisiana College Tuition Plan when Gov. Buddy Roemer signed ACT 789 into law." This plan was inspired by businessman Patrick F. Taylor and his commitment to investing in educational opportunities. In 1997, House Bill 2154 was signed into law by Governor Mike Foster; this bill created TOPS, which was then known as the Tuition Opportunity Program for Students. The bill also eliminated all previous scholarship programs. The first students to receive grants from TOPS started their freshman year of college in the fall of 1998. In 2008, the program was renamed the Taylor Opportunity Program for Students in honor of Taylor, after Governor Bobby Jindal signed Act 352. [3]

<i>The Daily Advertiser</i> (Lafayette, Louisiana) daily newspaper based in Lafayette, Louisiana, United States

The Daily Advertiser is a Gannett daily newspaper based in Lafayette, Louisiana. The Daily Advertiser covers international, national, state, and local news in the six parishes of Lafayette, Acadia, Iberia, St. Landry, St. Martin, and Vermilion. The publication circulates 28,400 copies on weekdays. Its ranks 234 out of 1,410 newspapers in the United States.

Buddy Roemer American politician

Charles Elson "Buddy" Roemer III is an American politician, investor, and banker who served as the 52nd Governor of Louisiana from 1988 to 1992, and as a member of the United States House of Representatives from 1981 to 1988.

Patrick F. Taylor Independent Oil and Gas Businessman

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Eligibility

Initially, to be eligible for TOPS, students had to have a grade point average of 2.5 or higher in their high school curriculum, as well as a score on the ACT that was at least as high as the national average. As of 2017, these criteria had not changed significantly in the two decades since then. [3] The eligibility criteria are now a 2.5 GPA or higher on the TOPS core high school curriculum, a score of 20 or higher on the composite ACT, and completion of the Free Application for Federal Student Aid application. In addition, students must have graduated from a high school in Louisiana, and their parents must live in the state. [4] When Governor Roemer signed the Louisiana College Tuition Plan into law in 1989, it included an income cap; this provision was eliminated when the TOPS bill was signed into law in 1997, making the program available to all students in the state with sufficient academic performance. [3] [2]

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References

  1. ↑ "TOPS (Taylor Opportunity Program for Students)". Louisiana Office of Student Financial Assistance. Retrieved 2019-10-25.
  2. 1 2 "TOPS explained". Shreveport Times . 2016-02-03. Retrieved 2019-10-25.
  3. 1 2 3 Guidry, Leigh (2017-05-30). "TOPS is turning 20; what now?". The Daily Advertiser . Retrieved 2019-10-25.
  4. ↑ "Louisiana TOPS Program". Office of Scholarships. 2015-08-21. Retrieved 2019-10-25.
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