ACT Prep
for TOPS
TOPS, Louisiana's college scholarship, looks at a student's ACT Composite. Since September 2025 that Composite is the average of three sections: English, math and reading. Science and writing are optional and do not change it.
The scores TOPS asks for
| Award | ACT Composite |
|---|---|
| TOPS Tech | 17 |
| TOPS Opportunity | 20 |
| TOPS Performance | 23 |
| TOPS Honors | 27 |
| TOPS Excellence | 31 |
For students graduating from eligible Louisiana high schools in 2026. TOPS uses one sitting's Composite, not a superscore, and the score must come by the national ACT test date in April of senior year (May through July still counts, for one semester less of the award). Excellence is the newest level, for students who enroll at a Louisiana public college or university. The Opportunity minimum can change each year.
Sources: LOSFA TOPS Q&A on the ACT, SAT and CLT (revised April 23, 2026) · Board of Regents 2025 TOPS Report (Excellence, Act 347 of 2025). Always check mylosfa.la.gov for your graduating year.
The three sections
English
50 questions · 35 minutes
- Production of Writing: topic, focus, organization and flow
- Knowledge of Language: clear, concise wording and consistent style and tone
- Conventions of Standard English: sentence structure, usage and punctuation
Practice sets for each skill: being written now.
Math
45 questions · 50 minutes
- Preparing for Higher Math: number and quantity, algebra, functions, geometry, statistics and probability
- Integrating Essential Skills: rates, percents, proportions, area and volume, averages
- Modeling: choosing and using a model for a real situation
Practice sets for each skill: being written now.
Reading
36 questions · 40 minutes
- Key Ideas and Details: central ideas, themes, sequence and inference
- Craft and Structure: word meaning, purpose and point of view
- Integration of Knowledge and Ideas: arguments, evidence, and comparing texts
Practice sets for each skill: being written now.
Section lengths and the Composite: ACT, the ACT test and ACT enhancements FAQ. Skill groups follow ACT's reporting categories.