scores needed for Discover More card (changing AU to joint)

[haulingthescoreup]

Hey, everyone--I never knew that Discover was such a hard card to get! I just thought it was this dorky former Sears-ish thing that wasn't accepted many places. Times do change.

I have been added as an AU (not joint) to DH's 20-year-old, perfect history, $14K CL Discover More card. (He's never bother to get the CL raised.) My AU status just hit my EX report (no others yet), and I'm credited with the history and perfection, thank goodness. With the AU status being dropped from scoring in the next x number of months, I'm working on getting up my scores to apply for joint status in December, although the Discover phone rep didn't seem to believe that they have joint status. So two questions:

--What kind of scores are needed for a Discover More card? and is it any easier to qualify for joint rather than a completely new, independent account?

--If they do switch me to joint status, as opposed to an independent account, will the history go with it as it did for AU? Doesn't seem fair that it would, but if it's there, I sure could use it. (Former stay-at-home mom, now working two jobs, dealing with financial realities.) thanks

[Anonymous]

Please list all your scores, accounts, baddies, etc. entire profile so the mods can tell you where to go from here.

I got my Discover Miles in the 670's but others have been turned down w/ higher scores.

Again, post your credit background and the others will tell you what you need to work on versus directly apping w/o seeing your whole picture. Might want to do it under General Credit Forum.

[haulingthescoreup]

What's better--here or General Credit? Either's fine with me, although I don't know how to move a thread. I started here, because this forum seems to have lots of members who have been working on this so much.

[Anonymous]

Only the mods can move a thread. Post your general credit profile and ask for advice under General Credit issues- all info, scores, baddies, collections, BK- (I am not saying you have these just need to give the whole picture) and then once you get advice on your profile- come back here and discuss getting a Discover.

Again- I got my Discover Miles in the 670's but  I know for a fact others were turned down w/ higher scores.

That is why I suggest you post your entire credit background and the others will let you know where you stand and from that point if you are looking to get a loan or a card you will know at which level you should apply.

[fused]

At Your Service...

[haulingthescoreup]

I'll do it here--don't need any more confusion, I'm afraid:

open:
Countrywide (1st mortgage, joint)--11/2002 regular, fixed, thank God--$91K bal
USAA HELOC--9/2007 brand new, $50K limit, straight to sock drawer for disaster $
EdFinancial (student loan)--6/2006 $1650 bal
EdFinancial (student loan)--6/2006 $450 bal
USAA AmEX--12/2006 $4500 CL/ $0-200 bal
USAA MC--10/2004 $7K CL/ $0 - 350 bal
J Crew--12/2004 just re-started $500 CL/ $250 bal will pay to $35 Friday (payday!) 3+1+2 lates sep 05-jun 06
Sears--12/2006 $750 CL/ $40 bal 1 30d mar 07
Discover--just added as AU 1987 $14K CL/ $600 bal--will try to convert to joint user in December

closed:
First Horizon Home Loan (mortgage, joint)--6/1995-2/2002
Proffitt's (CC, dept store)--11/2000-6/2002 1 30d
Honda (car lease, joint)--6/2001-3/2003
Citi/ Shell (was Texaco--gas card, joint)--8/1987-4/2004 1 30d apr 04 (on experian only)
1st Tenn (gym membership paid as bank CC--never again!)--2/03-2/06 5 30d--10/04,5/05,8/05 --listed under diff lender name by Experian, but same numbers
Wells Fargo (personal loan)--1/2006-11/2006

Other than converting the Discover to joint user, I have no plans to apply for anything else. My baddies are the lates--none over $50, all paid off, stupid, stupid sloppiness--and lack of age that I hope to address with the Discover, plus tincture of time.

The student loans will be paid off in the next several months, so it was nice to find the pre-approval for the HELOC sitting in my laptop to take up the installment slack. USAA says it's supposed to be counted as a mortgage, but I think I've read that one or two CRA's count them as revolving, so that should provide some entertainment in the scores and naughtiness warnings.

Message Edited by haulingthescoreup on 09-22-2007 07:42 AM

[haulingthescoreup]

Well, crap, guess the scores would help. These are all FICO:

EQ (9/10) 637
EX (9/11) 674
TU (9/11) 668

None of these show the new AU status on Discover. None show the HELOC. Something posted between the 9/10 and 9/11 pulls--I think it was re-starting J.Crew and a payment. Nothing huge.

Experian FICO started in low 600's in April. TU and EX were somewhere in low-mid $600's, didn't print the scores, oh well. Didn't get serious about "working the program" until about 6 weeks ago. Haven't started the GW process yet--that's next.

[Anonymous]

Just stay here. Fused will answer you soon I think. You need to GW the lates. See Credit Scoring 101 and GW thread in Gen credit issues. Don't need to move your info now. Ok- just be patient. Fused will answer you.

[fused]

I'm going to leave here...the questions are appropriate.

[Anonymous]

haulingthescroeup:

Please go to : http://cardratings.com  and select card reports at the top of the page.  By the card you select, they will let you know what credit rating you need to get the card.  Click on the rating and it will give you the score.  Look at my post about credit and cards for more help.

MsQB