topic Re: College Student Building Credit in Credit Card Applications

College Student Building Credit

Anonymous — Mon, 23 Feb 2015 04:04:34 GMT

Hi everyone! I am brand new to the board but I've been a secret reader for months! I am a college student trying to build my credit and maintain a decent score. I currently have two credit cards: a Wells Fargo College Cash Back credit card and the Capital One Secured Mastercard. My total available credit is $1400. My AAoa is around 6 months according to Credit Karma. My score according to CK is 701-705 between Transunion and Equifax. My CreditSesame score is 713. I was wondering how I can continue building credit and what cards should I apply for. I currently have 8 pulls on my Transunion and Equifax but most of them are dropping off this year. I really want to apply for the Chase Freedom card but I don't want to rish a pull and not get it. Any feedback is greatly appreciated!

Re: College Student Building Credit

Aarvard — Mon, 23 Feb 2015 04:39:25 GMT

Maybe you should try EX FICO 7 day trial for $1 to see your EX 08 score? If it's in the low 700 without baddies, I think you should be good to apply for Amex/Discover because they tend to like thin and clean file. Chase is known for preferring 1 year of credit history, so to be safe, apply for Freedom when you reach the 1-year mark.

Re: College Student Building Credit

Anonymous — Mon, 23 Feb 2015 04:43:13 GMT

I applied a few months ago for the Discover IT College Card and they wanted me to have a co-signer. However, that was before I got my WF card... hmm...

Re: College Student Building Credit

Aarvard — Mon, 23 Feb 2015 04:46:49 GMT

@Anonymous wrote:
I applied a few months ago for the Discover IT College Card and they wanted me to have a co-signer. However, that was before I got my WF card... hmm...

Did you get a score in the denial letter?

Re: College Student Building Credit

Anonymous — Mon, 23 Feb 2015 04:48:29 GMT

Aarvard,

I pulled my score like you said to. It's 712 Experian FICO.

Re: College Student Building Credit

Anonymous — Mon, 23 Feb 2015 04:49:59 GMT

To be honest, I don't think so. I tried to recon it and they said that my denial was due to my thin file and my credit inquires.

Re: College Student Building Credit

Aarvard — Mon, 23 Feb 2015 04:54:41 GMT

@Anonymous wrote:
Aarvard,
I pulled my score like you said to. It's 712 Experian FICO.

Already?

Any baddies or blemishes? How many inquiries do you have in EX report?
Have you tried Chase and Amex pre-qual?

Re: College Student Building Credit

Anonymous — Mon, 23 Feb 2015 04:54:59 GMT

@Aarvard wrote:

Already?

Any baddies or blemishes? How many inquiries do you have in EX report?

It's one of those long study nights!

No blemishes or anything negative. I only have one inquiry on my EX report.

Re: College Student Building Credit

Anonymous — Mon, 23 Feb 2015 04:57:23 GMT

@Aarvard wrote:
@Anonymous wrote:
Aarvard,
I pulled my score like you said to. It's 712 Experian FICO.
Already?
Any baddies or blemishes? How many inquiries do you have in EX report?
Have you tried Chase and Amex pre-qual?

Both come back with nothing. The Chase says something about me eithering not opted in to the prequalified offers or I already accepted one. I had a scare with fraud so I sent the bureaus something to place a fraud alert on my social. Maybe that could affect the prequalified offers?

Re: College Student Building Credit

Aarvard — Mon, 23 Feb 2015 05:01:05 GMT

@Anonymous wrote:
@Aarvard wrote:
Already?
Any baddies or blemishes? How many inquiries do you have in EX report?
It's one of those long study nights!
No blemishes or anything negative. I only have one inquiry on my EX report.

That sounds good
Another factor is your income...

Re: College Student Building Credit

Anonymous — Mon, 23 Feb 2015 05:06:13 GMT

@Aarvard wrote:
@Anonymous wrote:
@Aarvard wrote:
Already?
Any baddies or blemishes? How many inquiries do you have in EX report?
It's one of those long study nights!
No blemishes or anything negative. I only have one inquiry on my EX report.

That sounds good
Another factor is your income...

Income wise, I don't know what I would report. I work an internship. My internship doesn't report on my credit so I don't know what to say. Annual income I report around 25k? That's around what I get...

Re: College Student Building Credit

Aarvard — Mon, 23 Feb 2015 05:13:44 GMT

With that income I think you'll get approved. Try Chase/Amex pre-qual to see if you have any offer

Re: College Student Building Credit

Anonymous — Mon, 23 Feb 2015 05:17:16 GMT

@Aarvard wrote:
With that income I think you'll get approved. Try Chase/Amex pre-qual to see if you have any offer

It just tells me that they can't find any exclusive overs for me.
The WF was a gamble too. Luckily, I got that one.

I'm waiting for a few other inquiries to drop off later this year. Should I do it then?

Re: College Student Building Credit

Aarvard — Mon, 23 Feb 2015 05:16:42 GMT

And when did you get the WF and Cap 1 card?

Re: College Student Building Credit

Anonymous — Mon, 23 Feb 2015 05:17:52 GMT

@Aarvard wrote:
And when did you get the WF and Cap 1 card?

The CO card I got exactly a year ago and the WF one I got back in November.

Re: College Student Building Credit

Aarvard — Mon, 23 Feb 2015 05:22:06 GMT

@Anonymous wrote:
@Aarvard wrote:
With that income I think you'll get approved. Try Chase/Amex pre-qual to see if you have any offer
It just tells me that they can't find any exclusive overs for me.
The WF was a gamble too. Luckily, I got that one.
I'm waiting for a few other inquiries to drop off later this year. Should I do it then?

Well if you apply for Amex I think they don't care about your 1 inquiry last year. Chase, on the other hand, may double pull EX/EQ or EX/TU and you have quite a bunch of inq there. But for now you only want Freedom?

Re: College Student Building Credit

Anonymous — Mon, 23 Feb 2015 05:25:35 GMT

@Aarvard wrote:
@Anonymous wrote:
@Aarvard wrote:
With that income I think you'll get approved. Try Chase/Amex pre-qual to see if you have any offer
It just tells me that they can't find any exclusive overs for me.
The WF was a gamble too. Luckily, I got that one.
I'm waiting for a few other inquiries to drop off later this year. Should I do it then?
Well if you apply for Amex I think they don't care about your 1 inquiry last year. Chase, on the other hand, may double pull EX/EQ or EX/TU and you have quite a bunch of inq there. But for now you only want Freedom?

Does Amex strictly pull EX or do they pull from the two others? I thought after reading other approval board messages that the Freedom might be easier to get for me. I also bank with them exclusively too so there goes that. I don't know if that would play any factor.

Re: College Student Building Credit

Aarvard — Mon, 23 Feb 2015 05:26:55 GMT

@Anonymous wrote:
@Aarvard wrote:
@Anonymous wrote:
@Aarvard wrote:
With that income I think you'll get approved. Try Chase/Amex pre-qual to see if you have any offer
It just tells me that they can't find any exclusive overs for me.
The WF was a gamble too. Luckily, I got that one.
I'm waiting for a few other inquiries to drop off later this year. Should I do it then?
Well if you apply for Amex I think they don't care about your 1 inquiry last year. Chase, on the other hand, may double pull EX/EQ or EX/TU and you have quite a bunch of inq there. But for now you only want Freedom?
Does Amex strictly pull EX or do they pull from the two others? I thought after reading other approval board messages that the Freedom might be easier to get for me. I also bank with them exclusively too so there goes that. I don't know if that would play any factor.

Amex will pull EX unless you freeze it. And if you have banking relationship with Chase, go for Freedom!

Re: College Student Building Credit

Anonymous — Mon, 23 Feb 2015 05:30:43 GMT

@Aarvard wrote:
@Anonymous wrote:
@Aarvard wrote:
@Anonymous wrote:
@Aarvard wrote:
With that income I think you'll get approved. Try Chase/Amex pre-qual to see if you have any offer
It just tells me that they can't find any exclusive overs for me.
The WF was a gamble too. Luckily, I got that one.
I'm waiting for a few other inquiries to drop off later this year. Should I do it then?
Well if you apply for Amex I think they don't care about your 1 inquiry last year. Chase, on the other hand, may double pull EX/EQ or EX/TU and you have quite a bunch of inq there. But for now you only want Freedom?
Does Amex strictly pull EX or do they pull from the two others? I thought after reading other approval board messages that the Freedom might be easier to get for me. I also bank with them exclusively too so there goes that. I don't know if that would play any factor.
Amex will pull EX unless you freeze it. And if you have banking relationship with Chase, go for Freedom!

What card should I apply for if I app'd with Amex?

Re: College Student Building Credit

Aarvard — Mon, 23 Feb 2015 05:37:55 GMT

@Anonymous wrote:
@Aarvard wrote:
@Anonymous wrote:
@Aarvard wrote:
@Anonymous wrote:
@Aarvard wrote:
With that income I think you'll get approved. Try Chase/Amex pre-qual to see if you have any offer
It just tells me that they can't find any exclusive overs for me.
The WF was a gamble too. Luckily, I got that one.
I'm waiting for a few other inquiries to drop off later this year. Should I do it then?
Well if you apply for Amex I think they don't care about your 1 inquiry last year. Chase, on the other hand, may double pull EX/EQ or EX/TU and you have quite a bunch of inq there. But for now you only want Freedom?
Does Amex strictly pull EX or do they pull from the two others? I thought after reading other approval board messages that the Freedom might be easier to get for me. I also bank with them exclusively too so there goes that. I don't know if that would play any factor.
Amex will pull EX unless you freeze it. And if you have banking relationship with Chase, go for Freedom!
What card should I apply for if I app'd with Amex?

The easiest Amex revolver is Delta Gold. I was approved for this one when I had 10 months of credit history, and I'm regretting right now 'cause I don't fly Delta much . Everyday card is another good option.