FAFSA MPN timing question - sign before or after accepting loans on college portal?

It dosnt really matter which order u do it tbh. I accepted my loans on my school portal first and then did the MPN later and everything went thru fine. Just make sure u do both b4 ur schools disbursement deadline!!

While it technically doesn't matter which order you complete these steps, I'd recommend doing the MPN first. Here's why: the MPN is required by Federal Student Aid before any loans can be disbursed, so completing it early ensures there are no last-minute delays. Once the MPN is on file with FSA, it's valid for up to 10 years for future loans (though you'll still need to complete the annual FAFSA). Also, make sure you complete entrance counseling if this is your first time receiving federal student loans!

I DID EVERYTHING WRONG LAST SEMESTER AND IT WAS A NIGHTMARE!!!! I accepted the loans but waited too long to do the MPN and my tuition payment was late. Got hit with a $250 late fee that financial aid wouldn't cover!!!! DO THE MPN FIRST!!!! Don't be like me lol

When I was trying to complete my MPN last month, the studentaid.gov website kept crashing on me. I spent HOURS trying to get through to anyone at Federal Student Aid with no luck. Finally used Claimyr (claimyr.com) and got connected to an actual human at FSA in about 15 minutes who helped me complete my MPN over the phone. They have a video showing how it works: https://youtu.be/TbC8dZQWYNQ. Totally worth it when you're up against deadlines and can't get through the regular channels.

The important part nobody mentioned yet is that there are DIFFERENT MPNs depending on what type of loans you're accepting! If you're getting both Direct Subsidized/Unsubsidized loans AND Parent PLUS loans, you need to complete TWO separate MPNs. My parents had to do their own MPN for the PLUS loan, which was different from my MPN for my direct loans. Just something to keep in mind depending on your aid package.

For the 2025-2026 aid year, I would definitely recommend completing your MPN first since schools are still adjusting to the FAFSA Simplification changes. Your SAI score affects loan eligibility, and having the MPN already on file makes the processing smoother on the school's end. The technical order doesn't matter in the system, but practically speaking, having the MPN completed first means your school can process your accepted loans faster. Many schools are experiencing delays with the new FAFSA system, so anything you can do ahead of time helps. Just ensure both steps are completed before your school's disbursement deadline.

I just went through this last month! Signing the MPN was super easy for me but I had to get my FSA ID reset first which took forever. Make sure your FSA ID is working before you try to do the MPN!!! That was the biggest headache for me. My school actually told me they prefer students accept the loans first, then do the MPN, but idk if that's the same everywhere.

when i was in school 3 years ago we had to do the mpn first before we could even see the loans in our account. maybe its different at every school? also make sure your parents fill out their mpn too if your getting parent plus. my mom didnt realize she needed her own fsa id for the parent mpn and that caused a huge delay for us.

Just wanted to add my experience - I completed my MPN about a week before accepting my loans on my school portal and it worked out perfectly. The whole process was much smoother than I expected! One thing I'd recommend is double-checking that all your personal info (name, SSN, address) matches exactly between your FAFSA, school records, and what you put on the MPN. I had a small discrepancy with my middle initial that caused a minor delay, but once that was corrected everything processed quickly. Also, keep screenshots or save confirmation numbers from both the MPN completion and when you accept loans on your school portal - just in case you need to reference them later!

I just went through this process last week and wanted to share what worked for me! I did the MPN first on studentaid.gov, then accepted my loans on my school's portal the next day. The MPN took about 20 minutes to complete and I got a confirmation email right away. When I accepted the loans on my school portal, everything went through smoothly - no delays or issues. I think doing the MPN first is definitely the safer approach since it's required before any disbursement can happen anyway. Plus, if there are any technical issues with the studentaid.gov site (which seems to happen fairly often based on what I've read), you'll have more time to work through them without stressing about missing deadlines. Good luck with your process!

Hey! As someone who just went through this exact same confusion a few months ago, I'd definitely recommend doing the MPN first. I made the mistake of accepting my loans on my school portal first and then procrastinated on the MPN for a couple weeks - big mistake! Even though technically both need to be done regardless of order, having the MPN completed first just gives you peace of mind that the federal requirements are handled. The MPN process itself is pretty straightforward once you get started - just make sure you have your FSA ID ready and set aside about 30 minutes to complete it without rushing. Also, pro tip: do it on a computer rather than your phone if possible, the mobile version can be glitchy. Once you have that confirmation email from completing the MPN, you'll feel much more confident accepting those loans on your school portal!

As someone who works in financial aid, I can confirm that the MPN should definitely be completed first! Here's the technical reason why: when you accept loans on your school portal, that triggers the school to request funds from the Department of Education. If your MPN isn't already on file, it creates a processing delay that can push back your disbursement date. The MPN establishes your legal agreement to repay the loans, so it's a prerequisite for fund disbursement. Also, make sure to complete entrance counseling if you haven't already - that's the other federal requirement that must be done before first-time borrowers can receive loan funds. Most schools have their disbursement schedules pretty tight, so having both the MPN and entrance counseling completed ahead of time keeps everything moving smoothly!

I just completed my MPN yesterday and wanted to add one more tip that helped me - if you're doing the MPN for the first time, make sure you have all your references' contact information ready before you start! The form requires you to provide contact details for two references (people who have known you for at least 3 years), and I got halfway through the MPN before realizing I didn't have my aunt's current phone number. Had to pause the whole process to track down her info. Also, double-check that your driver's license information is current if you're using that for identity verification. The whole thing really does only take about 20-30 minutes once you have everything ready, but gathering the required info beforehand saves you from having to stop mid-process. Good luck getting everything sorted before your deadline!

Just wanted to chime in as someone who literally just finished this whole process last week! After reading through all these responses, I'm definitely in the "do the MPN first" camp. I completed my MPN on a Tuesday morning (took about 25 minutes), got the confirmation email, and then accepted my loans on my school portal that same afternoon. Everything processed super smoothly and my disbursement is already scheduled for next week. One thing I'd add that I haven't seen mentioned yet - make sure you're logged into the correct FSA ID account when you do the MPN! I know it sounds obvious, but my roommate accidentally used her mom's FSA ID (they share a computer) and had to start the whole thing over again. Also, if you're planning to do this over the weekend like you mentioned, just be aware that the studentaid.gov site sometimes does maintenance on Sunday evenings, so maybe aim for Saturday or early Sunday to be safe!