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WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Sallie Mae (SLM.N), the largest U.S. student loan company, on Thursday affirmed its 2008 profit forecast, but warned of a "train wreck" in the $85 billion education financing market without urgent government intervention.

The company said it still expected "core" earnings of $1.70 to $1.80 a share for the year.

But Chief Executive Al Lord told analysts on a conference call: "We've been predicting something of a train wreck" in mid-2008 without prompt changes in a market hit by fallout from the subprime mortgage crisis and cuts last year in federal subsidies to student lenders.

As a result, Lord said Sallie Mae's new loans for the most part would lose money.

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