Is the NYS Excelsior available for transfers? Is your daughter on board with the idea of transferring out of Dream School if money is not forthcoming later on? Does she really understand that this could be a possibility? If she is planning on a career in theater then you might want to save the cash to support her in low income work for a while post grad - and she may want/need grad school too.
We couldn’t afford our EFC and daughter took the merit scholarship at a large southern state school which we would never have considered is not for the $… she is getting a great education, is having a good time and we have spare cash to assist with study abroad, internships and other programs.