Loan programs

U.S. data show proposed change in student loan default calculation would send rates higher, troubling for-profit colleges.

Lenders are feeling the pain. But as federal officials and traditional colleges minimize impact on students, career college backers bemoan effects and predict damage will spread.

Even as aides play down seriousness of credit crunch now, Kennedy hatches plan to give Congress flexibility to raise limits later on students' federal borrowing.

At House hearing on "credit crunch," partisan bickering obscures general consensus that federal intervention would be premature.

U.S. report on trends in student borrowing shows sizable uptick in who borrows and finds increases are heftiest among costlier unsubsidized loans.

A handful of colleges have left the guaranteed student loan program for direct lending. Whether many others follow may largely depend on how many more lenders bolt the market.

A growing number of colleges are offering seminars on how to manage money, deal with debt and pay for education.

As another leading lender leaves the federal program, lawmakers propose mix of increased Pell Grants, raised limits on federal loans, and offer of U.S. support for lenders struggling to raise capital.

Acknowledging little impact so far on students or colleges, Congressional committee takes first steps to help lenders and protect borrowers if capital markets constrict further.

Panelists before the Senate Banking Committee stop short of calling it a crisis, but they settle on a few policy options to avert one just in case.