"The private loan market has become tighter and more regulated; many in the industry acknowledge that. But there is disagreement over how much of a gap, if any, now exists between college costs and loan availability," the Iowa City Press Citizen reports. "The University of Iowa Community Credit Union, which is not affiliated with the University of Iowa, reports the gap is growing. With tuition and other costs increasing, there is a $30,000 shortfall for students attending a public university for four years and $100,000 for private schools, according to the credit union. ... Credit union officials say private loans had filled that gap, but with many lenders leaving the market after the credit crash students are having difficulty finding private loans."