Changing TOPS

A new report says Louisiana spends too much on college tuition through the TOPS program for students who can afford college tuition and short-changes those who can't.

The report about the program was released by the Louisiana Budget Project. It recommends strengthening the academic requirements for TOPS and capping the program.

The $139-million-a-year program pays full tuition at state schools for any Louisiana resident, regardless of income, who has a 2.5 high school grade-point average and scores 20 or above on the ACT college aptitude test.

The report says Louisiana's standards are lower than similar programs in other states - and have resulted in millions of tax dollars subsidizing mediocre students from wealthy families who would pay for their children's education if TOPS weren't available.

What do you think about the proposed changes for TOPS?

 

Comments

[kyle]

Well I would like to see the return on our money before we start crying poor little under privleged probably minority child.If we were talking about a white child not getting the money there would be nothing said and KPLC wouldn't have put this as a blog topic. How many kids that we as taxpayers pay for school drop out in the first two years? I bet alot. I really think putting money into a kids college fund who made a 1.7 average in high school is a waste of money. Never in our countries history has every child gone and got a college degree. If it was that important to the child and his parents they should have started on the grades long before ACT time.

[Yo Boy]

Haven't we heard, forever, The poor under privelaged children are the ones that do not have parents to do their home work with? Is it not those same ones that are the Largest number of DROP OUTS from elementary to 12 grade? The same ,turn out to be the largest number of Criminals? Do we want to waste money on trying to get these, Kids Degrees? There are a lot of want an education people that want and can prosper from the MONEY, Lets use some common sense on this Subject.

[Kc]

So, I'm glad you people think tops only goes for a poor person..Both of my parents were killed in a wreck, my senior year of high school...How do you think I could afford to pay for my college? You think I could work a minimum wage job and pay for it along with my living expenses?? If it werent for tops, I wouldn't get an education...You people need to stop and think before you open your mouths and realize not everyone is lazy and is waiting for the government for a hand out..

[Cindy]

Having a child that graduated in 2008, I am fully aware of how many scholarships and grants are only available to financially needy students. Believe me, it's most of them. My family doesn't qualify for these so TOPS is a great help. My child has to work for extra funds for college expenses. I believe needy children get enough help. Stop taking away from middle income students. They deserve help too.

[Wayne]

So another program that will see deserving people cut because they make too much money. Should a child suffer because his parents make too much? What about a student whos parents will not pay for college? When are we going to stop rewarding people for for doing nothing and penalizing those who work hard to better themselves. Don't we already give enough to low income families? Shouldn't the students be judged on an indavidual basis and not for their parents make?

[Jenn]

The goal of the program is to a) provide extra assistance to students that cannot afford tuition and b) keep high achieving students in Louisiana. I think the program accomplishes this in statistics. However, I would like to see the state reform the "free" TOPS money into "earned" TOPS money. Now, students simply lose the award if they fall below required GPA and attendance standards or leave school. Instead the money received should be altered into a student loan. There would then be more incentive for these students to graduate. This would theoretically fix the TOPS overspending issue and Louisiana college graduation rates would improve.

[Carolyn C]

Thank God for TOPS. Kids work very hard to keep their grades up to be eligible. There are many programs to help people at or below the poverty level. This is the only program for those who have a little too much to receive other grants but are by no means wealthy.

[DA GARDNER FOR MAYOR]

TOPS should have an income level say 50K you make more then that on your adjusted gross income then you do not get TOPS also a 2.5 GPA come on man that;s what a C+ 3.5 or higher, if I am paying for your college I want you to at least have some brains. Also I like the student loan idea, the TOPS candidate should have to pay back the money over a course of time this way the TOPS fund is never truly depleted.
If you come from a middle class family and you do not get to go to college that's OK WE need non minority car washers, fast food workers, gardeners wal-mart workers.....
There is also the Job Corps program, military and the peace corps.

[steve]

When I was in high school I worked very hard to get my grades and ACT score up so I would have some help paying for college. Alot of middle class famlies can't afford to pay for their children's college. Even if they aren't considered poor or underprivileged. I think we should up the requirements and if you don't graduate in about 5 years or at least get an associates degree the TOPS payment becomes a loan.

[Renee Richard]

I am very thankful for TOPS. We are a family of 6 with both parents working and by no means are we RICH. Our children can not even work on campus because of the FAFSA we are required to complete each year. Until a student is 24 the FAFSA goes on the income of the parents in order to receive any grants, unless the students gets married or has a baby. If I am wrong please enlight me. As far as scholarships, the are few and far between. We have applied for many and apply every year. So far we received one. Now 3 of our children are in college and have worked extremly hard for their GPA, taken the required classes and made a certain ACT score to qualify for this program. Also while in college students have to maintain a certain number of hours, attend classes and make a certain GPA to continue to receive TOPS. As parents we do help out, pay for books, regristration fees, and still support their children while in college. Without TOPS they would have huge student loans to repay. TOPS is a blessing to our family. They plan to receive students loans for graduate school!

[Lodnirgs]

To save the system, I suggest this. Leave the requirements as they are and have the student take out college loans to pay their tuition with the understanding that TOPS will pay those loans in full upon the students graduation if school is completed within five years of beginning semester. As it is, the citizens of LA are having their money taken away as taxes and given to far too many students who are simply experimenting with the college scene. They have no commitment to completion of their studies. For them it is a stalling act to growing up or getting a job.
With what I propose, the student really has a commitment to completion and if "Life Happens" and they do not finish their last years, it is us tax payers who have lost.

[Mom]

Increase the requirements. The average composite ACT score - in 2009 - was 21.1 so make the minimum requirement 21. We also need to bump the GPA to 3.0.

I like the tuition loan that gets paid in full there are a few hiccups though. To start with TOPS pays for tuition and under some circumstances books...what doesn't get paid for is everything else. When you apply for a loan you are approved for X amount of dollars and nothing more than that...for example: Tuition = $1900/sem Books = $500/sem Misc Fees = $100/sem; if a student is approved for a loan of $4500/yr that breaks down to 2250 a semester - not enough to pay for college.

Would also like to comment on the base this on income -- this program was passed by the voters because it was not punishing the middle class kids while expecting their parents to support a poor kid. I say if you want to setup yet ANOTHER freebie program for the poor then the poor need to subsidize it and leave the middle class alone. This idea wreaks of DISCRIMINATION against the middle class AGAIN!!!

[Sarah]

I am all for raising the academic requirements for the initial award of TOPS as well as for maintaining TOPS. It should be for above-average students. Not all middle-class parents can or do pay for their kids college. Most college students start at 18 years old - legal adults. Why is the income of their parents important any more? Tops paid for my most of my education - I was able to work on campus and my parents were able to help me out some to get through what TOPS didn't cover. I worked hard through all 4 years of high school and all for 4 years of college to keep my grades up, fulfill the requirements of the program and graduate on time. I knew that TOPS only paid for my 4 years and based my plan on that time line.

Why are people so excited about having college graduates start out their lives in debt by taking student loans? Raising TOPS requirements would get rid of some people who will most likely not make it through to get their college degree.

[Josh]

I agree with raising the requirements, as far as GPA is concerned. I know far too many people that started out college with TOPS, only to drop out after a year or two. However, I also know some people that, while they had good grades all throughout high school, are not good standardized test takers. I believe that the GPA should go up to 3.0, but raising the ACT score would only hurt those that have problems with standardized tests.

Another way of diminishing the lost returns of the TOPS program, is to require those that drop out to repay the money that was granted to them for school.

Basing this on parental income is ridiculous though. It is not the parent going to school, it is the kid. If his/her parents are going to pay for school, then so be it. But don't base the program off of the parents.

[annie]

The TOPS program is fine like it is. That study is a farce to justify an already predetermined end dreamed up by our pathetic governor jindal. Please explain the line “short-changes those who can't.” How is anyone short changed? The program is doing what it was designed to do, increase the number of our kids enrolling in college. This state has the funds to afford TOPS. Stop listening to that nut job jindal. Jindal came into office with a surplus waiting for him. What happened to the money? Jindal has bragged about the low unemployment rate in LA, so there is no excuse for state money woes. Changing the academic requirements will put us right back where we were before TOPS, only the exceptional students receiving money to attend college. And as we know, being an exceptional student does not necessarily mean you are more worthy of anything than anyone else.
What you need to complain about is to tell Jindal to stop crying wolf and destroying our state.

[Jake LeBrun]

I don't really approve of the largess that TOPS entails. Just free money? No strings? No requirements? No penalty for spending it then dropping out? Keep the TOPS entitlements like they are and turn them into loans. Enrollment would be unlikely to drop much, after all most teens and young adults regard loans much the same as free money anyway. Those who are committed to success will appreciate the front-money and those who drop out will not have wasted our taxes. I paid for both my degrees with military service, multiple jobs and (limited) loans. I hardly feel it too harsh to ask the same of today's students.

[just saying]

LEAVE TOPS ALONE,its an investment in our States future.If the kids dont make the grades they are out of Tops

[Zombie Kid]

I like turtles.