September 15, 2008 by Mara Strom The news has been doom and gloom all year for would-be student borrowers.  From private loan companies folding to their insurers going under, it seemed that finding an affordable student loan for the ‘08-09 school year was going to be impossible. Well, lo and behold, according to recent articles in the Wall Street Journal, Chicago’s Daily Herald and a survey conducted by the New England Board of Higher Education, it turns out the bark of the financial aid crisis may have been worse than its bite. So what gives? Well, here are a few factors that may have eased the crisis: * Congress raised the cap on its unsubsidized Stafford loans by around $2,000 a year. Unsubsidized loans don’t require applicants to demonstrate financial need.  In ...