Taurus
New member
- Joined
- Feb 19, 2026
- Messages
- 10
I'm a Georgia Southern alum (Hail Southern! 
), and now that I'm a few years out and comfortably managing my loan payments, I wanted to share something important with all you current students.
Back when I was a freshman in Statesboro, I signed my Master Promissory Note (MPN) as fast as I could just to get my financial aid sorted. I had no idea what document explains your rights and responsibilities as a federal student loan borrower—I just knew I needed the money for tuition and textbooks. Sound familiar?
Fast forward to a year after graduation. I was working a temporary job that didn't pay much, living in Savannah, and honestly panicking about my first loan payments. I thought I was trapped. Then, a friend from work told me to go back and actually READ the Borrower's Rights and Responsibilities Statement that's part of the MPN. Y'all, it was like a lightbulb went off!
Turns out, I had the right to request an income-driven repayment plan based on my low income, which made my payments affordable. I also learned about my responsibility to keep my contact info updated with my loan servicer (which I hadn't been doing!). It's all in there—grace periods, deferment options, even what happens if you go back to school. Everything you need to know is in that one document.
So here's my advice to all my Georgia students: when you sign your MPN on studentaid.gov, don't just click through. Download the Borrower's Rights statement, save it to your phone, and actually read it. It's not just boring paperwork—it's the thing that will help you sleep better at night knowing your rights.
), and now that I'm a few years out and comfortably managing my loan payments, I wanted to share something important with all you current students.Back when I was a freshman in Statesboro, I signed my Master Promissory Note (MPN) as fast as I could just to get my financial aid sorted. I had no idea what document explains your rights and responsibilities as a federal student loan borrower—I just knew I needed the money for tuition and textbooks. Sound familiar?
Fast forward to a year after graduation. I was working a temporary job that didn't pay much, living in Savannah, and honestly panicking about my first loan payments. I thought I was trapped. Then, a friend from work told me to go back and actually READ the Borrower's Rights and Responsibilities Statement that's part of the MPN. Y'all, it was like a lightbulb went off!
Turns out, I had the right to request an income-driven repayment plan based on my low income, which made my payments affordable. I also learned about my responsibility to keep my contact info updated with my loan servicer (which I hadn't been doing!). It's all in there—grace periods, deferment options, even what happens if you go back to school. Everything you need to know is in that one document.
So here's my advice to all my Georgia students: when you sign your MPN on studentaid.gov, don't just click through. Download the Borrower's Rights statement, save it to your phone, and actually read it. It's not just boring paperwork—it's the thing that will help you sleep better at night knowing your rights.