Advice on cards for upcoming app spree

[Anonymous]

A long time forum lurker, I have decided to finally register and be a part of the community. I'm trying to get some advice from members here on how to move forward in building my credit profile. Plan on doing a little app spree next month and then heading back into the garden.

First, a little bit of backstory:
Freshly in the doors of college, I got my first card offer from Capital One. Woohoo. $300 limit, nothing special. Despite my good intentions, it eventually wound up maxed out and charged off. Kind of gave up on credit at that point, seeing as how I wasnt responsible enough to handle it. Three years after, I thought I'd try it again. Got a secured card from my local credit union and did just fine. Two years later, I got a pre-approved offer for the Best Buy Mastercard (HSBC). Thought it was a good idea since I shopped there often enough. Again, $300 limit. Not the best, especially considering the AF, but figured that it would go up over time. Wrong. Eventually got an auto-CLI of a whopping $20, but that's it.

Fast forward to present day.
Between then and now, I've had a few medical bills go into collections, but all have been paid/satisfied. No current active collections or derogs on my report.

Current score is 650-670 between the 3 bureaus.
AAOA is 2 yrs, with oldest account being 7 years.
1 new account in last 6 months.
5 or fewer inquiries on each bureau in last 12 months.Utilization is about 19%, but that is a little swayed by the CareCredit limit. Most of the cards are at ~10%, with two of them at ~35%. I'm aiming to have most paid off completely prior to next statement reporting, with only 1 or 2 around 10-15%. Hoping once they are paid off/down, I'll hit the 700 club, at least on EX since it's my highest.

I've been getting a *ton* of AmEx invitations to apply for the Green charge and the Delta Gold revolver. I checked the prequal tool online, and it's showing the Green and Gold charge cards, plus the Delta Gold revolver as "pre-screened" options that I am invited to apply for. It has the opt-out text and set APR rates, so it seems good enough.

I've also been getting Discover iT letters, but when I run the prequal tool online, it doesn't give me a firm APR (10-22%) or the opt-out text.

Got one pre-screened letter from Barclay's for the reward card, and the prequal tool confirmed the same offer.

Have checking and savings through Chase, but not getting any prequalified offers when I run their tool online.

I'm really wanting to app for:
- AmEx Delta Gold or Blue Cash Everyday (to get membership started with them)
- Discover iT (for the free FICO/portfolio mix)
- Chase Freedom (for the rewards)


What do you think I should have my util percentage at prior to apping? Any other cards I might have a good shot at?

[OHWWCB]

I would think you'd have a good shot at Chase Freedom because you have a banking relationship with Chase. Good luck!

[MT936]

Try the chase freedom and discover it for now I think you have a good shot at those

[Creditaddict]

I would apply for all 3 of these right in this order:

I'm really wanting to app for:
- AmEx Delta Gold or Blue Cash Everyday (to get membership started with them)
- Discover iT (for the free FICO/portfolio mix)
- Chase Freedom (for the rewards)

[Anonymous]

Thanks for the opionions, everyone.  Makes me feel a little more confident about it.  I've always been hesitant and not wanting to burn inqs since I got shotgunned by a dealer last year trying to get a car loan that never panned out.

Should I try outright for the Blue Cash Everyday, or just go with the Delta Gold since I keep getting the mailers for it?  I don't really travel all that much, but figured it would be better than apping for the BCE and chancing a denial.  From eveything I've read, it seems the Delta is the easiest revolver to get.  Wasn't sure that my scores would be in line with the results I am seeing on WhoGaveMeCredit and the "credit results database that shall not be named".   

I've heard mixed reviews about PCing from the Delta Gold to BCE... anyone have any experience with that?

[CreditDunce]

Get you util down to one card with <10% and all of the rest to 0%.  Then see what your scores are.   I suspoect you will be good to apply for all three at once then.  If it takes a few months to get the util down, so be it. 

I haven't tried, but I don't believe you can PC from a Amex charge card to a  Amex credit card.   If you can get your scores up a little, I would try for the BCE first.  If not then fall back on the charge card.

Edit: Not sure what I was thinking.  The Delta card is a credit card.

[Closingracer99]

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@OHWWCB wrote:

I would think you'd have a good shot at Chase Freedom because you have a banking relationship with Chase. Good luck!

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If he wants the Discover it card and Chase Freedom I would say Discover 100% considering he wants the free Fico score + the rewards which are similar between cards. 

[leegreen]

I was shocked when I got my BCE in May, I thought for sure I would be denied, anyways at the time I had util around 3% and experian of 696, with baddies. I think if OP is in the high 600's a BCE should be doable.