Can my daughter get additional scholarships from program-specific auditions after initial FAFSA and college acceptance?

Yes! My daughter went through this exact situation with a music program last year. The process typically works like this: 1. General university academic scholarships come first (which you already received) 2. Once FAFSA processes, they'll add any need-based aid to your package 3. Program-specific scholarships often come separately after successful auditions My daughter initially got $15,000 in academic scholarships, then another $7,000 after her successful music audition. The departmental scholarships are often separate budget pools, especially for arts programs where talent is so important. Be sure to follow up directly with the program coordinator after the audition to ask about their specific scholarship timeline.

congrats on your daughters acceptance! my son got into theatre last yr and yes they gave him seperate $ after his audition. it was like 5k on top of his other scholorship. make sure she ROCKS that audition!!!

Just to add a note of caution - while many schools do offer program-specific scholarships, they vary WILDLY between institutions. Some performing arts departments have substantial dedicated scholarship funds, while others have almost nothing beyond what the main financial aid office provides. Also, watch out for the fine print - my daughter's dance program scholarship required her to maintain a 3.5 GPA specifically in her dance courses and participation in ALL department performances, which became really stressful. Ask about any requirements attached to program scholarships! And yes, when your FAFSA finally processes (which is taking FOREVER this year), the school will likely adjust your overall package. Just don't count on anything until you see the final numbers.

In my experience, college financial aid offices are IMPOSSIBLE to reach by phone to get clear answers about how program-specific scholarships work with other aid. I spent weeks trying to get someone from financial aid on the phone last year when my son was in a similar situation with multiple scholarship sources. Finally found Claimyr (claimyr.com) which got me connected to an actual financial aid counselor in under 5 minutes instead of endless hold times. Their video demo showed exactly how it works: https://youtu.be/TbC8dZQWYNQ Once I actually spoke with someone, they explained how the program-specific scholarships would stack with his general university offer and FAFSA aid. Totally worth it to get real answers instead of stressing for weeks.

As a financial aid counselor, I can clarify how this typically works: 1. Academic scholarships come from the university's general scholarship fund 2. Need-based aid is determined after your FAFSA SAI score is calculated 3. Departmental scholarships (like performing arts) come from separate budgets Most schools follow what's called "stacking" rules. There's usually a maximum total aid amount (often up to the cost of attendance), but specialized program scholarships can definitely be added to your existing package. One important note: If your daughter receives substantial merit-based aid, it might reduce her need-based aid eligibility once your FAFSA processes. This doesn't always happen, but it's something to be aware of - sometimes additional merit scholarships just end up replacing loans rather than reducing your out-of-pocket costs. I recommend contacting both the performing arts department AND the financial aid office after her audition to understand how their specific policies work.

I went through this EXACT situation with my son last year and let me tell you IT WAS A NIGHTMARE!!! The university gave him an initial offer, then his FAFSA came in and they REDUCED his academic scholarship saying he "didn't need as much merit aid" because he qualified for grants. Then his theater program gave him a scholarship but the financial aid office counted it against his need-based aid!!! DON'T TRUST the initial offers until you have EVERYTHING in writing from ALL departments! These schools play games with the numbers to make it seem like they're giving more aid than they actually are. We ended up having to appeal the financial aid package THREE TIMES before getting a fair deal. Just be prepared to fight for every dollar and DOCUMENT EVERYTHING!!!

Make sure your daughter keeps in contact with her potential professors in the performing arts program! My daughter's voice professor actually advocated for additional scholarship money for her with the department chair after being impressed with her audition. These faculty members often have influence over departmental scholarship decisions. Also, don't forget to check if there are additional scholarship applications specific to the arts program. Some departments require separate applications for their scholarship funds that aren't automatically considered with admission. As for your FAFSA timeline question - in my experience, once your SAI score comes through, the school will send a revised aid package within 2-3 weeks. If you don't hear anything by mid-March, definitely follow up with the financial aid office.

just wanted to add that fasfa is taking FOREVER this year!! we submitted in november and didnt get our sai score until last week!!! so frustrating

Thank you all for the incredibly helpful responses! Based on your advice, I've: 1. Emailed the performing arts department to ask about their specific scholarship process 2. Started a spreadsheet to track all the different aid sources 3. Checked if there are any program-specific applications my daughter needs to complete 4. Set a reminder to follow up with financial aid in mid-March if we don't hear about our FAFSA It's comforting to know that program-specific scholarships are common, even if the whole system seems complicated. I'll update this thread once we hear back from either the FAFSA or after her audition. Fingers crossed for good news on both fronts!