Who completes the MPN for Parent PLUS loan - parent or student?

Thank you so much for the clear explanation! That makes sense that I need to use my FSA ID since I'm taking on the loan. I was getting confused because we had to use her FSA ID for so many other parts of the financial aid process. Will I need her FSA ID at any point during the Parent PLUS application?

Thanks for confirming! Did you have any issues with the credit check part? I'm a bit nervous about that step too.

That's really helpful information about the 10-year validity! I didn't realize there were three different types of MPNs. No wonder I was confused. For reference, does my daughter still need to fill out her own MPN for her Direct loans separately?

Exactly! The switching back and forth between whose FSA ID to use is what threw me off. Glad to know I'm not alone in the confusion!

Oh no! Thanks for the warning. Is the credit check done through studentaid.gov too? Or do I need to go somewhere else for that?

This is right - always do the credit check/application first, then the MPN. And if anyone's having trouble getting through to a human at Federal Student Aid with questions about the Parent PLUS process, I had a great experience using Claimyr (claimyr.com). They got me through to a live agent in about 15 minutes when I was getting nowhere on my own. They have a video demo at https://youtu.be/TbC8dZQWYNQ that shows how it works. Totally worth it when I was stuck in the Parent PLUS loan approval limbo and needed answers fast.

While the system can definitely be frustrating to navigate, Federal loans like Parent PLUS almost always offer better protections and often better interest rates than private loans. They include options like income-contingent repayment plans and potential loan forgiveness that private loans don't offer. It's worth pushing through the confusion for these benefits.

Congrats! It's such a good feeling when you finally get all that paperwork sorted out. One piece of advice as someone who's been through this - save copies of EVERYTHING. I take screenshots of all confirmations and save them in a folder. You never know when the school will claim they didn't receive something!

@Landon Flounder That s'excellent advice about saving everything! I learned that the hard way during my own college years. Also, @Khalil Urso - congratulations on getting through the process! For future reference, you can always check the status of your Parent PLUS loan application and MPN completion by logging into your FSA account at studentaid.gov. It s really'helpful to bookmark that page since you ll probably'need to reference it again throughout the school year.

So glad you got it all sorted out! As a newcomer to this whole process, I found this thread incredibly helpful. My own daughter is just starting her junior year of high school, so I'm trying to get ahead of the curve on understanding all these financial aid requirements. Reading through everyone's experiences here has already saved me from what would have been the same confusion about whose FSA ID to use for what. Thanks to everyone who shared their knowledge - this community is such a valuable resource for parents navigating this complex system!

@Javier Morales You re'so smart to start researching this early! I wish I had done that instead of scrambling at the last minute. One tip that might help when your daughter s'time comes - create your own FSA ID well before you need it. The verification process can take a few days, and you don t'want to be stuck waiting when deadlines are approaching. Also, if you haven t'already, start having conversations with your daughter about college costs and what your family can realistically contribute. Having those discussions early makes the whole financial aid process much less stressful for everyone involved.

@Hannah Flores That s'really solid advice about creating the FSA ID early! I m'actually just starting to navigate this whole process myself - my son is a high school senior and we re'in the thick of college applications right now. This entire thread has been incredibly enlightening. I had no idea there were different types of MPNs or that the Parent PLUS process was so separate from the student loans. @Khalil Urso, thanks for asking the question that so many of us parents probably have but are too embarrassed to ask! It s'reassuring to know that even when the process seems confusing, there are knowledgeable people in this community willing to help guide us through it.

@Justin Chang You re'definitely not alone in feeling overwhelmed by this process! I m'also new to navigating financial aid - my daughter is a high school junior and I m'trying to get ahead of the game. This thread has been a goldmine of information. @Khalil Urso, thank you for asking the exact question I would have asked! It s'such a relief to see that experienced parents like @Myles Regis and @Jacinda Yu are willing to share their knowledge. I m definitely taking'notes on creating FSA IDs early and keeping careful records of everything. The tip about Claimyr from @Ally Tailer is also something I m bookmarking for when'I inevitably get stuck somewhere in the process. This community really makes the whole financial aid journey feel less daunting!

@Khalil Urso Congratulations on getting everything sorted out! As someone who s'completely new to this process my (daughter is only a sophomore in high school ,)this entire thread has been incredibly educational. I had no idea that parents and students use separate FSA IDs for different parts of the financial aid process - that seems like such an obvious source of confusion! Reading through everyone s'experiences here has given me a much better understanding of what to expect when our time comes. I m'definitely going to follow @Hannah Flores advice about' creating our FSA IDs early and @Landon Flounder s tip about'saving screenshots of everything. Thank you for asking the question that I m sure many'of us parents would have, and thanks to everyone who shared their knowledge. This community is such a valuable resource!