"The student-lending market has taken two dramatic blows in the past year," Fortune reports. "First, amid the subprime mortgage crisis, funding for all kinds of loans has dried up. At the same time the College Cost Reduction and Access Act of 2007 cut government subsidies to issuers of federal student loans, further squeezing the market. What does that mean for borrowers? A few simple rules can help families navigate this tougher market."