Frequently Asked Questions

What should I do first: audition or apply?
It is not required that you complete your application to SMU prior to scheduling an audition or submitting your portfolio, but a complete application must be on file before we will notify you of your admission to the Meadows School. All Meadows admissions are contingent upon successful admission to the University.

When will I know about my SMU admission?
Only students who wish to major in Dance, Music, Theatre, or Art are required to complete an audition/submit a portfolio. If you don’t plan to major in these areas, you shouldn’t list them as your first-choice major on your SMU application. If you do complete an audition/portfolio and apply to SMU, it’s possible that you will hear about your SMU admission before receiving your admission result for the Meadows School. Typically, both steps must be completed before you will receive either result.

When will I know about my Meadows admission?
Students auditioning for Dance and Theatre typically receive an audition result within 3 weeks of their audition. Students auditioning in Music typically receive their audition result in early March. Students submitting a portfolio to Studio Art typically receive a result within 4 weeks of their submission.

When will I know about my scholarship package?
Students who have been admitted to Dance, Theatre, Music, or Art, or have been selected for the Meadows Scholars program, typically receive their scholarship packages between the end of March and early April. May 1 is the national response deadline to accept or decline awards and admission to SMU.

What’s the FAFSA/CSS Profile?
Your first step in funding college is to complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) and the CSS Profile. You cannot apply for, or receive, any financial aid from SMU without completing both these forms. Don't wait to be accepted to complete them - apply early, while you are submitting your applications. The U.S. Department of Education runs a variety of student financial assistance programs, which include grants and loans. Your eligibility for aid is determined by the information that you provide in the FAFSA and the CSS Profile. SMU will also use your FAFSA to determine your eligibility for scholarships, grants, and institutional aid. These forms are not required of international applicants.

Learn more about the FAFSA and apply at: http://www.fafsa.ed.gov/index.htm
Learn more about the CSS Profile and apply at: http://profileonline.collegeboard.com

The FAFSA and the CSS/Profile deadline is February 15. For both forms, list SMU as a college choice. The SMU codes are 003613(FAFSA) and 6660 (CSS/Profile). Both the FAFSA and the CSS/Profile must be filed each year for continued consideration of SMU, federal, and state funding.

If you do not wish to complete the FAFSA and CSS Profile because you don’t anticipate qualifying for aid, please complete the FAFSA waiver form. The Meadows School cannot offer you a scholarship without a completed FAFSA and CSS Profile or waiver form.