Chase Freedom- first card, have history as an authorized user.

[Anonymous]

Hello, I am a college freshman and I have no credit cards myself but I am an authorized user on three of my mom's cards. The Discover It, Chase Southwest Rapid Rewards, and the Barclaycard with Apple Rewards. I also work a full time job and have a decent salary and savings account. We both use the three cards and always pay them in full each month. I've been an authorized user on the Discover It since December 2014, the Barclaycard since August 2015, and the Chase Southwest since December 2015. I'm looking to apply for my own card and I'm really interested in the Chase Freedom or the Chase Southwest Card. I'd adventually like to build my credit up to get a car loan and a Chase Sapphire Prefered. My question is has being an authorized user for a decent time period on multiple cards make that big of a contribution to my credit score/credit history? Is there a chance I'd get approved for the Freedom or do I need to start with a secured or student card? 

[Anonymous]

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@Anonymous wrote:

Hello, I am a college freshman and I have no credit cards myself but I am an authorized user on three of my mom's cards. The Discover It, Chase Southwest Rapid Rewards, and the Barclaycard with Apple Rewards. I also work a full time job and have a decent salary and savings account. We both use the three cards and always pay them in full each month. I've been an authorized user on the Discover It since December 2014, the Barclaycard since August 2015, and the Chase Southwest since December 2015. I'm looking to apply for my own card and I'm really interested in the Chase Freedom or the Chase Southwest Card. I'd adventually like to build my credit up to get a car loan and a Chase Sapphire Prefered. My question is has being an authorized user for a decent time period on multiple cards make that big of a contribution to my credit score/credit history? Is there a chance I'd get approved for the Freedom or do I need to start with a secured or student card? 

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Welcome to MyFico.

Its possible that you could be approved for the Freedom.  Do you know what your Fico credit scores are?  Also, check Chase's pre approval page to see what, if anything, shows up there.

[Anonymous]

Definitely possible. A user on here (Mongolot) is only 18 and has tons of great cards (Freedom included) and he started with just AU accounts.

Freedom was my first card when I was 18 as well, and I had no credit history or score whatsoever (but had been banking with them for ~2 years).

And correct me if I'm wrong, but you can't get pre-approvals/quals until you're 21? As he/she is a college freshmen, that's unlikely.

[Anonymous]

Welcome! Chase usually doesn't like being first, but that could change since you are AU. If they did let you on at all, it'd be with Freedom

I like Capital One a lot for a first card. Room to grow and decent cards. Start with their starter card, wait 6 months, then cold app for a Freedom?

[kdong1996]

There is chance of getting approved, as many others, myself included have been successful in getting Chase cards with only AU accounts. YMMV though

If you're considering any other CCCs, I'd recommend trying Amex as well. I added my friend who just got their SSN to three of my cards and within 2 months his EX was at 770. Cold apped for the BC and got instant approved for 14k. You can get your EX score from Experian for $1 using their 7 day trial.

[Anonymous]

I applied for the Chase Amazon Rewards Visa and got declined with one year AU. But then again, YMMV. 

I recon'ed and they said they needed 1 year of personal history before they'd consider me.

Also, if you end up applying for an amex, let me know because im eyeing one!!

[red259]

While the Freedom is a good card I don't know if you want to go for it as a first card. The reason is the limit they give you will likely be low and it is kinda hard to grow that card. I suppose you could open a second chase card later and then move credit line over. With cap 1 even though they pull all three credit agencies you can do SP CLIs and build it up within a reasonable time, which will give you more leverage when applying for other cards. Maybe pick up the cap 1 and then in six months after getting CLI from cap 1 go for freedom and then at one year mark go for CSP?