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The 2020 census is vital for the well-being of Montana. Of note, the census determines funds allocation for federal student loans and grants. As a first-year student at the University of Montana, I depend on the federal government for student loans and grants.

It’s no secret that private student loans are practically evil. Their interest rates are ridiculous, with them going as high as 12%, compared to the 4.53% interest rate for 2019-2020 federal student loans. This is why the census is so important to me.

According to the Tax Policy Center, federal direct student loans was the second-largest federal program guided by census data in 2016; Pell grants, a grant that I fiercely depend on, were also the sixth-largest federal program guided by census data. My dependence on federal student loans is also not just anecdotal. According to College Factual, 49% of undergraduate students at the University of Montana take out federal student loans to pay for college.

Filling out the 2020 census is important. With up-to-date and accurate numbers, I and thousands of other Montana students will be able to opt for the safer federal loans. The future of education rides on the line.

Justice Restuccio,

Butte

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