Looking back, based on the clothes, the flashback's from Chapter 1. Also, re-reading it again made me realize her financial situation must be real serious. And the quips from Tao about how plain Dango's clothes must stem from her finances.
So yes, she really is a broke student.
The time she said she might have to drop must be after that career talk with the faculty must be before she talked with her friends about dropping out.
There's also that extra about Dango being intent on quitting if she didnt win the contest mentioned in ch 1.