<p>The school is trying to figure out how to optimally allocate its limited scholarship money. If getting a few extra $$$'s helps tip the balance, then they want to know. If they are low on the pecking list, then they will give the money to someone else.</p>
<p>So, you need to figure out how you want to game the school [game in the sense that they are playing a game with all the kids, and you are playing it back]. My suggestions are:</p>
<p>1) For a top choice school: Tell them the school is a top choice, but financial considerations will be significant in your decision on which school to attend. That tells them if they pony up enough money, you will go, and if they don't, they risk loosing her to a lower ranked school that offers more money. After one of my son's auditions at a top school, one of the profs we met with (outside of the audition) emailed us to let us know the faculty was very impressed. We responded that the visit impressed my son, but financial considerations would be significant. That was our not so subtle way of saying: If you really want my son, you better shapen your pencil.</p>
<p>2) For a mid ranked school: Tell them she is very interested in the school but has also applied to a "reach" school. She anticipates scholarship money will be difficult to come by, and if she makes it into both schools, it will probably come down to which school is most financially feasible to attend. This tells the school that they have a chance if they can come up with a good package - the Reach school is likely not to be as generous with financial aid. It still gives them incentive to maximize their offer because tie goes to the other school.</p>
<p>3) For a safety school, that is tough. Oddly enough, my son's safety school is the one he would be happiest to attend (all his friends are going there for non-music degrees). In his case, he has already received a full tuition waiver for that specific school from an outside source. So, the school knows that if they can come up with a departmental award to cover room/board/books/fees, that it will be virtually free for him to attend. They know it is unlikely he will get a full ride from a top music school, so they have a lot of incentive to make the economics very compelling for him to attend.</p>