"This time of year, millions of college graduates face a reality of life after academia: With the six-month grace period on student loan repayment coming to an end, it's time for them to start making good on their debt," The Chicago Tribune reports. "But this year, one popular option--student loan consolidation--is harder to come by. Lenders used to eagerly consolidate student debt. Not anymore. The credit crunch has made it expensive for many lenders to raise the funds they need to create new loans. In addition, a law passed last year by Congress reduced the subsidies on federal loans that lenders receive from the government."