WillTurner
New member
- Joined
- Feb 19, 2026
- Messages
- 8
I'm from the Rio Grande Valley, and I just got my acceptance letter to UT Austin for the fall—hook 'em! 
I'm beyond excited, but also a little nervous about the financial side of things. I've been at community college for two years and managed to avoid loans so far by working part-time and living at home. But now that I'm transferring to a four-year university in a bigger city, I know I'm going to need to take out some federal loans to make it work.
My financial aid portal is asking me to complete something called "Entrance Counseling" and sign a "Master Promissory Note" (MPN). I've heard those words thrown around, but honestly, I'm not totally sure what they mean. What document explains your rights and responsibilities as a federal student loan borrower? Is it the MPN itself, or is there a separate paper I need to hunt down on the website?
I'm a first-gen student, so my parents can't really guide me through this. I want to be smart about borrowing and not get myself into trouble down the road. I've heard stories about people being surprised by their payments after graduation, and I really don't want that to be me! If any fellow Texans have been through this, especially other transfer students, I'd love to hear what I should pay closest attention to. What questions should I be asking? What do you wish you'd known back when you first signed? Thanks so much, y'all!
I'm beyond excited, but also a little nervous about the financial side of things. I've been at community college for two years and managed to avoid loans so far by working part-time and living at home. But now that I'm transferring to a four-year university in a bigger city, I know I'm going to need to take out some federal loans to make it work.My financial aid portal is asking me to complete something called "Entrance Counseling" and sign a "Master Promissory Note" (MPN). I've heard those words thrown around, but honestly, I'm not totally sure what they mean. What document explains your rights and responsibilities as a federal student loan borrower? Is it the MPN itself, or is there a separate paper I need to hunt down on the website?
I'm a first-gen student, so my parents can't really guide me through this. I want to be smart about borrowing and not get myself into trouble down the road. I've heard stories about people being surprised by their payments after graduation, and I really don't want that to be me! If any fellow Texans have been through this, especially other transfer students, I'd love to hear what I should pay closest attention to. What questions should I be asking? What do you wish you'd known back when you first signed? Thanks so much, y'all!