| Important Changes in TOPS Criteria
There are important changes, effective for the Class of 2008, in the criteria for the two highest TOPS awards:
Performance Award: 3.0 GPA and 23 ACT (If a student meets the criteria for this award, he is eligible for tuition at a public university plus $400 per year.)
Honors Award: 3.0 GPA and 27 ACT (If a student meets the criteria for this award, he is eligible for tuition at a public university plus $800 per year.) Both the Performance and Honors Awards formerly required a TOPS GPA of 3.5.
The criteria for the basic TOPS Opportunity Award has not changed: 2.5 GPA and 20 ACT (If a student meets the criteria for this award, he is eligible for tuition at a public university.) Another change in TOPS effective for the Class of 2008 is that the required courses on which the TOPS GPA is calculated have increased from 16.5 to 17.5 Units, inclusive of an additional math or science course.
Financial Aid Information
TOPS: Louisiana's Tuition Opportunity Program for Students
TOPS only applies to colleges and universities in the state of Louisiana. The priority deadline to apply for TOPS by submitting the FAFSA, which must include a Louisiana post-secondary school, is May 1, 2008. The final deadline without penalty is July 1, 2008.
To apply for TOPS, students must complete the FAFSA, the Free Application For Federal Student Aid, and include a Louisiana post-secondary school in Step Six of the FAFSA.
Although the FAFSA is the general application for financial aid, it becomes the application for TOPS when a Louisiana post-secondary school is included in Step Six. The same FAFSA form can be used to apply for both general financial aid and TOPS. TOPS is an acronym for Louisiana's Tuition Opportunity Program for Students.
Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA)
Your FAFSA form opens the door to the financial aid process. To apply for financial aid at any university, you must complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA).
Go to the FAFSA Web site to find answers to your questions and to fill out your FAFSA online. The priority deadlines to submit the FAFSA that are posted by the colleges and universities vary. However it is advisable to submit the FAFSA by mid-February.
College Scholarship Service Profile (CSS Profile)
Depending upon the college or university you are applying to, you may have to complete the College Scholarship Service Profile (CSS Profile) to apply for financial aid.
The CSS Profile web site offers a list of universities that require the CSS Profile.
More Web Sites About Financial Aid.
For additional links about applying for financial aid, visit the "Helpful Web Sites For College" page and scroll down to "Financial Aid."
Louisiana American-Italian Sports Hall of Fame Honors Two Blue Jays with Scholarship Awards
Senior Tim Lala
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Senior Gerard Suhor
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Congratulations to seniors Tim Lala and Gerard Suhor, who are two of six local high school student-athletes to receive a $1,000 scholarship from the Louisiana American-Italian Sports Hall of Fame.
Tim and Gerard received their awards at the Annual Hall of Fame Induction Banquet on Saturday, January 10 at the New Orleans Hilton Riverside and Towers. |
Senior Wins Global Junior Achievement Scholarship 
Senior Ryan Gupta
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Senior Ryan Gupta, already winner of the 2008 Regional Junior Achievement Essay Scholarship, has now won the Global Junior Achievement Careers with a Purpose Essay Competition.
Ryan wrote his essay on resilience, inspired by the words of President Franklin D. Roosevelt.
For his efforts, Ryan has earned
a $250 regional scholarship and a $1,500 "global" scholarship for finishing first at both competitive levels.Ryan will receive his scholarship at the next New Orleans Junior Achievement board of governors meeting slated for January 13. |
Blue Jay Wins National Youth Leader of the Year Award 
Congratulations to senior Kanwal Matharu for his selection by the National Council on Youth Leadership as its National Youth Leader of the Year at a convention held in St. Louis, Missouri. Kanwal was awarded the Paul W. Brandel $1,000 Scholarship “based on qualities exhibited as a student leader, an excellent student,
and someone who cares about the community in which he lives.”
Above, Kanwal is pictured with Jesuit senior counselor Derek Mitchell.
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College Fair Night Provides Seniors and Juniors with Close First Encounters with 85 Universities
As twilight descends on the Traditions Courtyard on Sunday evening,
the Student Commons is bustling with College Fair Night, an annual event
that provides juniors and seniors, along with their parents, opportunities
to discover what some of the best universities in the nation have
to offer Blue Jays. More than 85 colleges and universities
participated in College Fair Night.
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2008 College Fair Night Photo Gallery Any students or parents with questions about applying to a university should contact one of Jesuit’s college counselors, Merrick Lyons (lyons@jesuitnola.org) or
Sean Higgins (higginss@jesuitnola.org). |
Blue Jay Named Presidential Scholar 
Matthew Levy
2008 Presidential Scholar
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Read about Jesuit’s Presidential Scholar
from The Times-Picayune. Congratulations to senior Matthew Levy for being selected as a 2008 Presidential Scholar. Matthew is the son of Dr. and Mrs. Gary T. Levy of Metairie. He is Jesuit’s third Presidential Scholar in six years following Perry Tsai ’03 and Michael Puente ’06. Matthew was chosen as the male representative from Louisiana. Each year, some 2,600 candidates are identified based on exceptional academic and artistic abilities. Matthew has been invited to National Recognition Week in Washington, D.C., in June, where he will attend a special Presidential Scholars Award Ceremony sponsored by the White House. |
Blue Jays Recognized For Leadership by the Greater New Orleans Council 
Juniors Ryan Gupta (left) and Kanwal Matharu are joined by their junior class counselor Derek Mitchell, who coordinated the scholarship competition for Jesuit.
Youth Salute is a scholarship program sponsored by the Greater New Orleans Council on Youth Leadership. This program recognizes academically-gifted juniors who display leadership in their school and civic communities. Jesuit submitted ten students for consideration to compete against applicants from the best schools in the metropolitan area. Jesuit congratulates junior Ryan Gupta for being named 2008 Youth Salute Outstanding Male Youth Leader of the Year. For his efforts, Ryan has earned a $1,000 scholarship and will participate at the Town Meeting on Tomorrow, to be held later this year at Washington University in St. Louis. Also, junior Kanwal Matharu has been awarded a $250 scholarship in recognition for being selected as an alternate to attend the Town Meeting in St. Louis. Congratulations to Ryan, Kanwal, and all the Blue Jays who participated in this year’s competition. |
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