Should my son sign Master Promissory Note before financial aid appeal is resolved by private university?

Signing the MPN doesn't obligate your son to take any loans. It's just pre-authorization that makes the loan process smoother IF he decides to accept them. The school wants these docs completed early so everything is ready when he makes his final decision. Your son can still decline any/all loans later, even after signing the MPN. But I completely understand your hesitation!

DONT DO IT!! Schools pull this trick every year to lock students in before they can appeal!! My daughter signed the MPN last year and they claimed she "accepted" the financial aid package and refused to review her appeal!! We had to fight for WEEKS to get them to even look at our additional documentation. These private schools are just businesses trying to make $$$ off desperate families!!!

Financial aid counselor here. Let me clarify a few things: 1. The Master Promissory Note (MPN) is simply an agreement that makes you eligible to receive federal loans. It doesn't commit your son to accepting any specific loan amount. 2. Completing the MPN has absolutely no effect on the appeal process. These are separate processes in the financial aid office. 3. Your son can sign the MPN now and still decline any or all loan amounts later when he receives his final aid package. 4. Most schools request these documents early to ensure everything is ready when students make enrollment decisions. 5. Not paying the enrollment deposit is the correct approach if you're waiting on appeal results, as that's what actually reserves his spot. I would recommend completing the required forms while continuing to follow up on the appeal. You can call the financial aid office directly to check on the status.

I went thru this exact situation with my son last year! The appeal process took about 3 weeks at his private university. The financial aid office kept sending him "urgent" emails about all these forms too. I was freaking out but we eventually found out that the MPN is just standard paperwork they want on file. It doesn't lock you into anything! BTW his appeal got him an extra $7,000 in institutional grants, so definitely keep pushing on that!

my daughter just went through this at NYU. we waited on the MPN until after we got the new aid package. nothing bad happened. schools just trying to get all the paperwork done tbh

After weeks of trying to reach someone at my son's financial aid office about our appeal, I finally used Claimyr.com to get through to a live person. They got me connected to a financial aid counselor in under 10 minutes when I'd been trying for days. The counselor explained that signing the MPN was just procedural and wouldn't affect our appeal. They have a video that shows how it works at https://youtu.be/TbC8dZQWYNQ if you want to check it out. Totally worth it to finally get answers about our appeal status.

Quick update on your appeal question - most schools are reviewing appeals right now because it's decision season. Average turnaround time is 2-3 weeks, but it can take longer if they requested additional documentation. Since May 1 deposit deadlines are approaching, it's completely appropriate to call and ask for a timeline update. You can also request an extension on the deposit deadline while waiting for the appeal decision - many schools will grant this.

is the MPN the same as entrance counseling? my daughter has to do both and im so confused by all these requirements lol

Update: I finally got through to the financial aid office! They said the appeal is still under review but should be completed by next Wednesday. They also confirmed that signing the MPN doesn't commit us to anything, and we can still request an extension on the deposit deadline if needed. Thanks everyone for your help and advice!