topic Raised score 160 Points in 4 months and FINALLY got approved for a new credit card! in Credit Card Approvals

Raised score 160 Points in 4 months and FINALLY got approved for a new credit card!

eeandtee — Wed, 21 Jun 2023 05:24:06 GMT

Here is a nearly complete picture of my credit profile:

In 2015 my Citi World Elite Executive Platinum card was charged-off
In 2016 my Amex Platinum was charged-off.
In 2018 I made a deal with Citi and paid that card off in exchange for removing the Charge-Off on my credit report.
In 2020 I was offered the Optima card if I paid in full so I paid in full and got my Optima card in July 2020.
In August 2021 I tried to "graduate" and applied for the AMERICAN EXPRESS CASH MAGNET CARD and was denied.
In November 2021 I applied for a Business Gold Card and was denied.
In February 2023 I applied for a Business Gold Card and was denied.

It was at this point that I started to take things seriously so I ordered my credit reports and scores. I was in the lower 500s because I had a Cap1 charge-off ($285!!!), a couple accounts in collections, and on my TU/EQ reports I had 120+ day delinquencies on a couple hundred thousand in student loans.

So I signed up for Experian and cycled the free upgrade and paid for AMEX CreditSecure as well.
Went a little nuts despite having a secured Self card and Extra card for a couple years I added a Kikoff account, and Cred.ai account. I opened and actively use an AMEX Business Checking account.

It took 4-5 months of work to get to where I am today:

Charge-off paid in full
No collections on reports
Delinquent student loans no longer appear on my credit report
Credit utilization is 16% and under 30% on all accounts
I have 1-2 hard inquiries on each report from the past year
Scores are: EE669 EQ650 TU684
2 weeks ago was the first day any credit bureau (TU) said I have "GOOD" credit
My only blemish over the past few months is a returned payment to my AMEX Optima. Ouch.

All the while I have been running any and every soft-pull pre-qual I could find.

AMEX has no offers for me and will not pre-qual me for a personal loan
Cap1 has me in the doghouse because of the charge-off
Citi does not pre-qualify me
Bank of America says "we recommend" but that doesn't sound to me like a pre-qualification offer
And recently sites like creditcards.com and Experian aggressively market pre-qualified Credit One cards to me but other than that nothing
Discover also denied me time after time and said try again in 8 days over and over until...

I got pre-approved for Discover It Balance Transfer $2000 CL so I submitted the application got approved and received my card a couple days ago!

Re: Raised score 160 Points in 4 months and FINALLY got approved for a new credit card!

Bobby1081 — Wed, 21 Jun 2023 10:48:29 GMT

Congrats! This is an awesome come back story. Keep up the great work!

Re: Raised score 160 Points in 4 months and FINALLY got approved for a new credit card!

JoeRockhead — Wed, 21 Jun 2023 11:30:46 GMT

Congratulations on your efforts to improve your credit, and on the Disco approval!

Re: Raised score 160 Points in 4 months and FINALLY got approved for a new credit card!

Jeffster1 — Wed, 21 Jun 2023 12:17:54 GMT

Congrats!

Re: Raised score 160 Points in 4 months and FINALLY got approved for a new credit card!

alextercero — Wed, 21 Jun 2023 12:28:11 GMT

Congrtas on the approval

Re: Raised score 160 Points in 4 months and FINALLY got approved for a new credit card!

M_Smart007 — Wed, 21 Jun 2023 12:32:24 GMT

Congratulations on your Approval 🎉

Re: Raised score 160 Points in 4 months and FINALLY got approved for a new credit card!

CreditMagic7 — Wed, 21 Jun 2023 13:39:39 GMT

Congrats!

Re: Raised score 160 Points in 4 months and FINALLY got approved for a new credit card!

coreyb80 — Wed, 21 Jun 2023 13:45:08 GMT

Congrats on the great work so far! Keep going and don't stop. Congrats on the approval as well!

Re: Raised score 160 Points in 4 months and FINALLY got approved for a new credit card!

FireMedic1 — Wed, 21 Jun 2023 15:26:58 GMT

Congrats on your approval.

Re: Raised score 160 Points in 4 months and FINALLY got approved for a new credit card!

user979797 — Wed, 21 Jun 2023 19:46:08 GMT

Congrats on getting that first good approval after the rejection....Terrific card and SL and watch it grow

Re: Raised score 160 Points in 4 months and FINALLY got approved for a new credit card!

creditbeast — Wed, 21 Jun 2023 20:11:12 GMT

Congrats! Thats an amazing improvement considering all the shortfalls you've had in the past! Keep up the good work!!

Re: Raised score 160 Points in 4 months and FINALLY got approved for a new credit card!

Creditwiser — Wed, 21 Jun 2023 20:19:40 GMT

Great job sticking with it ! Congrats on your approval and score boost !

Re: Raised score 160 Points in 4 months and FINALLY got approved for a new credit card!

UH_HUH — Wed, 21 Jun 2023 22:28:30 GMT

What a great read @eeandtee

@Very happy for you

Enjoy your success!!

Cheers

Re: Raised score 160 Points in 4 months and FINALLY got approved for a new credit card!

UH_HUH — Wed, 21 Jun 2023 22:30:46 GMT

What a great read @eeandtee

Very happy for you

Enjoy your success!!

Cheers

Re: Raised score 160 Points in 4 months and FINALLY got approved for a new credit card!

coldworld — Thu, 22 Jun 2023 03:29:30 GMT

Congrats! I'm a credit repair journey myself, and these stories let me know there is light at the end of the tunne.l.

Re: Raised score 160 Points in 4 months and FINALLY got approved for a new credit card!

CreditAggie — Thu, 22 Jun 2023 04:32:40 GMT

Congratulations on your Discover approval! I enjoyed you sharing your story and I am sure many of our community members can learn from your experience!

Re: Raised score 160 Points in 4 months and FINALLY got approved for a new credit card!

nytokyobred79 — Thu, 22 Jun 2023 20:34:13 GMT

Superb. Great stuff and congrats to you.