which scores are people using?

[Anonymous]

On this board when people speak of their scores are they speaking of the credit card scores or fico8? Im assuming credit card. If that is the case what would I need for Barclay's? And I cant find a prequalify site for them.

[AverageJoesCredit]

Normally, their scores are the Fico 8 scores in regards to credit cards though there are many different scores for various things like a house/mortgage or a car. If you list your scores, preferably Fico 8 , im sure you can get some nice recommendations for Barclays. I think they like to pull TU, so the higher your score the better. Also they maybe new account sensitive. Best of luck

[Anonymous]

Last I checked about 6 weeks ago. TU 667 Ex 647 E648    

9 year old BK  

Cap 1 CO due to fall off in next couple months

Student loan 1 30 day 2 and half years ago

2 car loans 2 yrs old no lates 

3 store cards 2 yrs old no lates.

2 inquiries last May for mortgage but ended up being outbid on house so didn't follow through with mortgage.

Should I just stick with Cap 1 when looking for general credit card?

[SouthJamaica]

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@Anonymous wrote:

Last I checked about 6 weeks ago. TU 667 Ex 647 E648    

9 year old BK  

Cap 1 CO due to fall off in next couple months

Student loan 1 30 day 2 and half years ago

2 car loans 2 yrs old no lates 

3 store cards 2 yrs old no lates.

2 inquiries last May for mortgage but ended up being outbid on house so didn't follow through with mortgage.

Should I just stick with Cap 1 when looking for general credit card?

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1. Mostly we talk about the FICO 8 scores because those are the most readily available, but we also talk about other score models.

2. Barclays usually pulls TU. I believe it uses the TU FICO 8 score when you apply for a credit card.

3. My score was around 650 when I got the Barclay Rewards card.

[Anonymous]

My comments in blue below.

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@Anonymous wrote:

On this board when people speak of their scores are they speaking of the credit card scores or fico8?

Not sure what you mean by "credit card scores."  Do you mean....

      * scores that people get for free with their credit cards?

      * the FICO 8 Bankcard Enhanced model (as opposed to the FICO 8 Classic model)?  Both are used for CC approvals (so are other models too).

      * something else?

Im assuming credit card. If that is the case what would I need for Barclay's?

Barclays issues many different credit cards.  As with any big issuer (Citi, Chase, Cap One, etc.) some of its cards require much higher credit scores than others.

And I cant find a prequalify site for them.

I couldn't either.  I just checked the DoC site which has a nice page listing links for many of the the big CC companies' pre-qual sites.  According to the DoC page, the Barclays site seems to no longer be up.

http://www.doctorofcredit.com/view-personalized-credit-card-offers/

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[Anonymous]

For credit cards, most use FICO 08 with the exception of some credit unions.  Also, don't rely heavily on the score as most lenders also use their own internal scoring model to approve customers.

[Anonymous]

My fico account list fico 8 & also credit card scores. Barclays was suggested to me at one time & thats why I asked about it. Not sure which card Id app for yet

[Anonymous]

OK.  So by "credit card score" you probably meant the scores that are listed on your myFICO account as Bankcard Enhanced.

As some of the other commenters mentioned, when people on the forums talk about their "scores" they are mostly likely to mean the FICO 8 classic score.  If they mean the Bankcard Enhanced, or the Auto Enhanced, or the Mortgage scores, they will typically say that.

Fixing first on a particular issuer probably isn't the wisest choice.  Rather you should look at cards from a number of issuers that might be within your range of possibility.  Then choose the one that you like best.

Actually, before you do that, it would be good to get your score as high as it can be (given your current profile).  Of your three credit cards, do you have two reporting a $0 balance with the remaining card reporting a small positive balance?  (Maybe $10 or so?)  This will give you the best score you could get until more of your derogs fall off.

[Anonymous]

Yes. That is how my card balances are. Ive been reading these forums thank goodness

[Anonymous]

Awesome.  Good for you, pal!  Then there is a few routes you could go.

Before we get to those, let's first get one side issue out of the way.  Namely, the convenience of having a card with a VISA or MC logo on it to make purchases.  Since all you have is store cards, I think that is a great idea.  But... as you probably realize... that does not need to be a credit card.  Your bank will almost certainly give a debit card with a VISA or MC logo on it.  (If not, get a bank that will.) 

I just want to dispense with that so that you aren't thinking that you need to apply for a credit card now for the convenience of being able to make purchases with a widely used logo.  You can do that much with a debit card.

OK, now on to your choices.  You can either

(1) apply now for a card.  To do that you'll need to find one that people with lower credit scores can still get.  People on this thread may be able to advise you (SouthJ is like the God of Credit Card App-ing... smile) or you can go to the credit card sub-forum or you can just use goodle and other kinds of online research to make your choice.  In this scenario, you have done what you can to make your score as high as it will go, so you just pull the trigger and apply.

(2)  Wait for a little while.  You say that you have a collection that is about to fall off, for example, in just a couple months.  That may help your score a good bit.  We don't know what your AAoA is, but if it is close to a whole number (for example an AAoA of 1.8 is close to the number 2) then you may also get a score boost by waiting till that AAoA has crossed over to your next whole number.

(3) Wait for a year or so.  If you do that, then your inquiries and your BK will be gone and your 30-day late will be even further in the past.  (You might by that time have succeeded in getting the 30-day late removed through goodwill letters.)

There is no right choice.  Depends on how intent you are at having a credit card now.  My own advice is to wait for a few months and see if you can get a score boost that way.  (Telling us what your current AAoA is will help us advise you there.)  That boost may be enough to get a nice entry card like a Chase Freedom.  Otherwise wait for a year and then apply for anything you want.