topic Re: Yes, you too can join PSECU and find out your EX FICO score! in Credit Cards

Yes, you too can join PSECU and find out your EX FICO score! --well, maybe

haulingthescoreup — Tue, 14 Jun 2011 20:51:38 GMT

edit to add: as of 06/01/2011, the PRPS membership only works if you're a resident of Pennsylvania.

Another organization has popped up that might work. You can skip to screen 43 (or later) to learn about this latest twist.

edited 6/10/2011

OK, now that one's a dud. Looks like this CU will wind up being pretty much restricted to Pennsylvania residents in most cases. Skip to this post.

Edited again 6/14/2011

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

PSECU has added a new qualifying organization. And I think it must be in response to all those who want to join to access their EX score, because it's a separate category on their site.

Go to www.psecu.org, click Join PSECU, click again on join PSECU (this time it's an option on a page), and click "Launch Application."

Enter your social and DOB.

I can't go farther, since I've already joined, but there is now a separate category called something like "Friend of Pennsylvania Recreation and Park Society or interested in joining." Click that, and sign up. It costs $20, and it says that your membership won't start until 1/1/2011, but it seems to be enough to do the job for PSECU membership. I think I clicked that I was interested in trails or something, but my category is "friend." I entered my out-of-state home and work addresses.

Then go back to the PSECU site and do the same as above, and this time enter that you're a member of PRPS. Sign up for share (you have to do this; it's how credit unions work) and checking <--you need checking or a credit product to see your score! I also signed up for online account access. You have to authorize a $6 pull from your bank ($5 for the share/ savings account and $1 for checking) There's a hard inq (don't know which, and I don't care), and you wait, and boom, you're in.

Oh, and when it asks if you want to print out your app or have them mail it to you, write down your new membership number first, because you won't be able to get back to it. I'll have to call in the morning.

It took for-absolutely-ever for me to go through the whole process, because I'm away from home and using a hotel internet access, but I suspect also that they're already bogged down from those who've discovered this.

Just a general plea to all: after all the posts I've read over the last three (wow, three, really??) years about joining frenzies for Justice FCU and CCCU and PenFed and Alliant and all the others: things will bog down. It will take time. Be patient. Be kind to the CSR's who probably don't know what's about to hit them. Don't call and pester and beg about CC's and auto loans and whatever. Let them process all the apps through and get to you when they can. They're just chumps like you and I, making $10.50 an hour or whatever, and they don't need a bunch of hysterical phone calls. Give it time!

As long as we can FINALLY!!! see our EX FICO's again, I can certainly wait for any additional goodies.

Thumbs up to both PSECU and to Pennsylvania Recreation and Parks, who now has a handy income stream to keep their no-doubt-wonderful state park system going. Hey, California tried to legalize pot, just so they could tax it and keep the budget afloat, so it's not the oddest source of funding ever known.

And many thanks to my pm buddy who clued me in on this!

edited to fix name of qualifying org, which is Recreation and Park, not Park and Recreation.

edited again to clarify the importance of signing up for checking (or applying for credit, which didn't come up on my application process) to see your EX FICO score. Thanks to gbishere for pointing this out!

Re: Yes, you too can join PSECU and find out your EX FICO score!

haulingthescoreup — Fri, 05 Nov 2010 03:00:47 GMT

OK, they harded me on Experian, which makes sense. (just checked via my USAA CreditCheckMonitoring service)

And no, I've no idea what they want in terms of membership application, and I'm a long ways away from deciding whether I want a CC or any other PSECU credit product. I'm in it for the EX score, plain and simple.

* drools *

Re: Yes, you too can join PSECU and find out your EX FICO score!

MarineVietVet — Fri, 05 Nov 2010 03:40:33 GMT

Thanks for the info HTSU but I'm not sure if I want to spend $26 to find out what my EX score is. It was just fine a year ago and I don't believe it's gotten any worse.

But I'm a cheapskate.

From a BK years ago to:
EX - 9/09 pulled by lender 802, EQ - 10/10-813, TU - 10/10-774

"Some people spend an entire lifetime wondering if they've made a difference. The Marines don't have that problem".

Re: Yes, you too can join PSECU and find out your EX FICO score!

Anonymous — Fri, 05 Nov 2010 03:53:10 GMT

My signed application is already in the mail :-) for two days now.

My only mistake was I only signed up for a savings. You need a checkings or credit product from them in order to see your Experian fico. I will not be able to apply for a credit card from them for 3-6 months so that sort of stinks. But I'm not sure if they will open up a checkings without another hard pull. I might try that.

Just a heads up to everyone. I also completely agree to be patient. They are going to get an abnormal amount of applications and they might start to get a little irritated after a week of it. So lets give them all the respect and patience that we can.

Re: Yes, you too can join PSECU and find out your EX FICO score!

Anonymous — Fri, 05 Nov 2010 03:58:26 GMT

@marinevietvet --

You get your EX score every month. This might be the cheapest credit score monitoring service that you'll ever signup for.

Re: Yes, you too can join PSECU and find out your EX FICO score!

MarineVietVet — Fri, 05 Nov 2010 04:09:05 GMT

@Anonymous wrote:
@MarineVietVet --

You get your EX score every month. This might be the cheapest credit score monitoring service that you'll ever signup for.

Oh I understand what you're saying and it really is a good deal but I'm just not interested. My TU and EQ scores are high enough and I'm confident my EX score has not declined in the last year. As long as I continue to do the right things my scores will do just fine and I will only check them perhaps twice a year or so.

Re: Yes, you too can join PSECU and find out your EX FICO score!

Anonymous — Fri, 05 Nov 2010 04:11:34 GMT

@marinevietvet --

I'm in the same position as you, though I am a little interested in seeing where DW stands.

Now, I'm going to research to see if they would be a good match for her.

Re: Yes, you too can join PSECU and find out your EX FICO score!

haulingthescoreup — Fri, 05 Nov 2010 04:14:26 GMT

@Anonymous wrote:
My signed application is already in the mail :-) for two days now.

My only mistake was I only signed up for a savings. You need a checkings or credit product from them in order to see your Experian fico. I will not be able to apply for a credit card from them for 3-6 months so that sort of stinks. But I'm not sure if they will open up a checkings without another hard pull. I might try that.

Just a heads up to everyone. I also completely agree to be patient. They are going to get an abnormal amount of applications and they might start to get a little irritated after a week of it. So lets give them all the respect and patience that we can.

Thanks for reminding us of this! I went back and edited my original post in an attempt to emphasize this.

Everyone, go ahead and click the I-want-checking option. They'll only pull $1 to fund your checking account. I didn't even get an option to make it more, although I was ready to throw $100 at them.

Re: Yes, you too can join PSECU and find out your EX FICO score!

Red1Blue — Fri, 05 Nov 2010 04:14:53 GMT

I am out of this credit building business madness and let experian say what ever it want to say about my scores. I learned good principles at this forum. Keep debt low, keep good limits, pay ontime and have good life. I came long way from where I was to where I am now. Thank you FicoForums for all your help and advice.

Re: Yes, you too can join PSECU and find out your EX FICO score!

haulingthescoreup — Fri, 05 Nov 2010 04:19:16 GMT

@MarineVietVet wrote:
@Anonymous wrote:
@MarineVietVet --

You get your EX score every month. This might be the cheapest credit score monitoring service that you'll ever signup for.
Oh I understand what you're saying and it really is a good deal but I'm just not interested. My TU and EQ scores are high enough and I'm confident my EX score has not declined in the last year. As long as I continue to do the right things my scores will do just fine and I will only check them perhaps twice a year or so.

I hear ya on this! But you weren't around (at least, I don't think) in the old days, when we could see all our FICO scores, and we pulled TrueCredit daily to update our reports, and an astonishing number of members whined and groused about having to wait 24 hours + 1 minute to refresh their reports so they had a second monitoring service so they could pull all three twice every day, and we posted and argued and obsessed about every change on every report and in every score for the slightest update. All I can say is, I'm sure that we were pariahs in any neighborhood cocktail parties.

I thought I was over all this, but like an old fire department horse, once I smelled smoke, I started kicking the walls of my stall.

By golly, I have an EX FICO score, and I want to see it!

Re: Yes, you too can join PSECU and find out your EX FICO score!

MarineVietVet — Fri, 05 Nov 2010 04:25:32 GMT

@haulingthescoreup wrote:

I hear ya on this! But you weren't around (at least, I don't think) in the old days, when we could see all our FICO scores, and we pulled TrueCredit daily to update our reports, and an astonishing number of members whined and groused about having to wait 24 hours + 1 minute to refresh their reports so they had a second monitoring service so they could pull all three twice every day, and we posted and argued and obsessed about every change on every report and in every score for the slightest update. All I can say is, I'm sure that we were pariahs in any neighborhood cocktail parties.

I thought I was over all this, but like an old fire department horse, once I smelled smoke, I started kicking the walls of my stall.

By golly, I have an EX FICO score, and I want to see it!

LOL. I've read plenty of old threads so I am familiar with those crazy and hectic times. Go for it!!!

I guess I'm also unique in the sense that I don't care how high my scores can go. I don't want to see if I can get that magical "850". My scores will get me the best rates for any type of loan if I need the credit and that's all I care about.

Re: Yes, you too can join PSECU and find out your EX FICO score!

Anonymous — Fri, 05 Nov 2010 04:54:17 GMT

@haulingthescoreup wrote:

@Anonymous wrote:
My signed application is already in the mail :-) for two days now.

My only mistake was I only signed up for a savings. You need a checkings or credit product from them in order to see your Experian fico. I will not be able to apply for a credit card from them for 3-6 months so that sort of stinks. But I'm not sure if they will open up a checkings without another hard pull. I might try that.

Just a heads up to everyone. I also completely agree to be patient. They are going to get an abnormal amount of applications and they might start to get a little irritated after a week of it. So lets give them all the respect and patience that we can.

Thanks for reminding us of this! I went back and edited my original post in an attempt to emphasize this.

Everyone, go ahead and click the I-want-checking option. They'll only pull $1 to fund your checking account. I didn't even get an option to make it more, although I was ready to throw $100 at them.

Sure NP! Just wish I did it myself. I am soo in a pickle since I just got approved for zync or I would app right away for a credit card so I can see my score. Mhmm do you think zync will mind one new sister account opening up same time as them? lol

Re: Yes, you too can join PSECU and find out your EX FICO score!

Anonymous — Fri, 05 Nov 2010 13:56:43 GMT

D'oh!

I just signed up and I closed the window that gave the mailing address for the app before I wrote it on the envelope! Anyone happen to want to post it here after they go through the app so I don't have to call them and look like an idiot? :-)

Thanks!

Re: Yes, you too can join PSECU and find out your EX FICO score!

Anonymous — Fri, 05 Nov 2010 16:04:51 GMT

Wow that does stink! Doh! Especially since they are going to be so very busy lately.

The print out was your information and unique to you.... Maybe your application is not finished since you didnt complete either, anyway to try and continue it?

Re: Yes, you too can join PSECU and find out your EX FICO score!

haulingthescoreup — Fri, 05 Nov 2010 16:13:05 GMT

I called to try to find out my member number, and after some checking around, the CSR told me that they couldn't tell me over the phone, which is fine, and makes sense. Since I couldn't print out my app anyway, they're having to mail it to me, and the member number will be on that.

They'll need your member number and PIN for anything you do, so those with calmer heads might want to make a note of them when they apply.

And I'm sorry, I meant to ask for the mailing address for your app, and I spaced. But their CSR's seemed very nice, and they were braced for the onslaught of noobs.

Anyway, a useful reminder that many credit unions are a bit more traditional in how they do things, including a reliance on snail mail and so forth. For instance, every one of my CCC's let me change my ~~phone~~ last name over the phone, except PenFed, which wanted a copy of the divorce decree specifiying the new name, my new driver's license, etc etc. Not the end of the world, although startling now that we've gotten so accustomed to doing things in the space of about 90 seconds.

edited to correct error resulting from caffeine insufficiency

Re: Yes, you too can join PSECU and find out your EX FICO score!

TangMeister — Fri, 05 Nov 2010 18:13:18 GMT

@haulingthescoreup wrote:
I called to try to find out my member number, and after some checking around, the CSR told me that they couldn't tell me over the phone, which is fine, and makes sense. Since I couldn't print out my app anyway, they're having to mail it to me, and the member number will be on that.

They'll need your member number and PIN for anything you do, so those with calmer heads might want to make a note of them when they apply.

And I'm sorry, I meant to ask for the mailing address for your app, and I spaced. But their CSR's seemed very nice, and they were braced for the onslaught of noobs.

Anyway, a useful reminder that many credit unions are a bit more traditional in how they do things, including a reliance on snail mail and so forth. For instance, every one of my CCC's let me change my ~~phone~~ last name over the phone, except PenFed, which wanted a copy of the divorce decree specifiying the new name, my new driver's license, etc etc. Not the end of the world, although startling now that we've gotten so accustomed to doing things in the space of about 90 seconds.

edited to correct error resulting from caffeine insufficiency

I think they're prepared by now. We've been stampeding them from over at the "other" big board since we found an "artistic" way to legitimately qualify a few months ago. But this is so much more straightforward from what I see. I *should* be in with them this time. It's been interesting to say the least. And some of the new app CSRs are not overly friendly, so be prepared. I am courteous regardless...I know their job must be tough, so I give 'em the benefit of the doubt.

Re: Yes, you too can join PSECU and find out your EX FICO score!

MsKarmaNYC — Fri, 12 Nov 2010 16:17:00 GMT

Hi all,

Does anyone know if they eligibility requirements for family, I have a cousin by blood that attends Penn State and she lives in Mt. Pocono, Pa. I live in another state. I am not sure if she can because some CU want it to be immediate family, living in the same household, and not extended. I can get her to join either by school qualification or via the Parks method. I tried pulling eligibility but the school didn't come up not sure how its listed. I don't want to waste any inquiry. Thanks!

Re: Yes, you too can join PSECU and find out your EX FICO score!

MarineVietVet — Fri, 12 Nov 2010 16:17:36 GMT

@MsKarmaNYC wrote:
Hi all,

Does anyone know if they eligibility requirements for family, I have a cousin by blood that attends Penn State and she lives in Mt. Pocono, Pa. I live in another state. I am not sure if she can because some CU want it to be immediate family, living in the same household, and not extended. I don't want to waste any inquiry. Thanks!

Hello.

You can go to the page that shows eligibilty here: http://www.psecu.com/apply/?elig=1

Re: Yes, you too can join PSECU and find out your EX FICO score!

MsKarmaNYC — Fri, 12 Nov 2010 16:21:41 GMT

I did, I edited my post to add that part. It doesn't bring up Penn State just school districts. Is it listed a particular way?

Re: Yes, you too can join PSECU and find out your EX FICO score!

Anonymous — Fri, 12 Nov 2010 16:31:15 GMT

I would just call and speak with a CSR.