getting "in" with certain lenders

[Anonymous]

hopefully this isn't redundant - couldn't find it anywhere

i see posts from time to time of people getting "in" with amex by getting the delta sky miles card, or getting "in" with citi by getting the home depot card.

do we have evidence (anecdotal even) that this is a real thing?i had bad credit, got a few premier,merrick and capital one cards, and just got an amex prg card, as well as the venture and plat prestige for cap1. scores are right around 680, but will prob take a quick dip once these new cards start reporting. was going to apply for nfl rewards to get into barclay, as well as maybe the delta card real quick before the dip, then garden for 6 months to a year.then i planned to apply for some premium cards like amex revolvers (was just declined),  chase csp, and the marriot card

any thoughts, personal experience or links to past forum posts appreciated.

[TURNERHOOVER]

Only co-branded card I have is Apple Rewards. Wanted to finance a new MacBook and just so happens Barclay issues the card, it's not like I wanted the apple card just get in with Barclays. Just worked out that way. 

[Anonymous]

Some companies moreso than others like the "in."

Barclay, for example, will sometimes let you recon your way into a card you'd rather have but were denied for by way of PC OR splitting your current credit line between the two if you've shown them you can handle yourself with their cards.

Some companies have more of an 'internal scoring' algorithm that will help you get a card you prefer over one that was easier to get in the beginning.  All I have is anecdotal evidence here but I hear Chase is that way.

With AMEX, though, it is less that way - although if you have your 'in' they will only do a soft pull if you are denied a second card from them so that's a perk there. 

Getting an "in" with a more conservative lender by way of a secured card that graduates (example: Discover, FNBO) may prove significantly useful but there isn't enough documented evidence on Discover's side to hear more about that - one guy said he's gotten a CLI with a secured Discover but I'm waiting to hear back if he's graduated or if that was an unsecured CLI on a still secured card, and as of now there are only a handful of reported graduated cards so I couldn't say how many of those people post graduation have had their card grow with them.  FNBO, on the other hand, LOVES loyalty and I've heard that graduated secured cards can grow quite nicely so getting an "in" that way could be useful indeed.  Same with BofA - I've seen several cards that started out as $300 fully secured and $99/$500 partially secured that have now grown into $5000+ cards - which was quite handy indeed when they did PCs but now that they don't it may not be quite as useful (although I'm hearing you can still get the 321 as a secured card so that's a plus).

[Themanwhocan]

It makes absolutely no sense to me.

The companies will approve you for their top of the line cards when you qualify for them. Yes, you can call and provide additional information to a human to hopefully qualify if you were initially declined. But having one of that companies starter cards, maybe their secured card, maybe their card for students, isn't going to get you the secret handshake that overrides your unsatisfactory credit history.

Yes, you can get their starter card, use it well and once you have a better credit history, apply and maybe succeed in getting a 'better card' you wouldn't have gotten before. BUT, you could have gotten a card from some other company and built just as good of a credit history, and now you can obtain that same 'better card'.

Adding dead weight to your credit reports, in the form of sub-standard cards that you don't have a use for, can only be a negative.

PS: To that guy with the secret handshake: You forgot to PM it to me, please resend it.

[TRC_WA]

I got in with Barclays with a $1200 Apple card in 2013.. which led to approval for a $6700 Sallie Mae 16 months later.

I got in with Discover and AmEx with the Delta card at the same time as my Sallie Mae approval.

So yeah... starting small can pay off later.

[ScoreOrBeScored]

Got {{{IN}}} with Barclay with Rewards MC July 2014 SL - $1,300

Auto CLi January of $1,300

App SM Jan 23rd 2015 $5k

Jan 29 - moved Rewards limit over to SM then closed it - $7,600

Feb,9th - SP CLi of $2k via phine call to account specialist - $9,600 ( my highest limit card ) 

March 8th - App for Ring. denied 

March 8th App Chase Freedom off Prequal on the site - $3k I'm {{{IN}}} with Chase now and can't wait for my AARP in a year

nothing wrong with starting with a lender's entry level card. 

[chalupaman]

Never was able to get in with Chase prior to getting the Southwest Airlines card.

Worked with that for a few months, then got the AARP. A few months after, the Ritz was next and CSP and Amazon came right after that. I guess there was something they liked about what I was doing.

Likewise with Amex and getting in with them through the Amex Gold Delta Skymiles card. 

Hasn't really worked out that much with Barclays yet but we'll see. 

[baller4life]

RMC was my in with Barclays. Delta Gold with Amex. Freedom with Chase. Eyeing BCE, AARP and IHG for January app spree. . Sometimes you just gotta get your foot in the door and prove yourself first.

[ScoreOrBeScored]

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@chalupaman wrote:

Never was able to get in with Chase prior to getting the Southwest Airlines card.

Worked with that for a few months, then got the AARP. A few months after, the Ritz was next and CSP and Amazon came right after that. I guess there was something they liked about what I was doing.

Likewise with Amex and getting in with them through the Amex Gold Delta Skymiles card. 

Hasn't really worked out that much with Barclays yet but we'll see. 

If I may ask, EVERYTIME you got a new Chase card, was your SL higher each time ? 

What was your SL for SW airline ? What was your SL for AARP ? What was your SL for Ritz and CSP and Amazon ? 

[joedtx]

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@Themanwhocan wrote:

It makes absolutely no sense to me.

The companies will approve you for their top of the line cards when you qualify for them. Yes, you can call and provide additional information to a human to hopefully qualify if you were initially declined. But having one of that companies starter cards, maybe their secured card, maybe their card for students, isn't going to get you the secret handshake that overrides your unsatisfactory credit history.

Yes, you can get their starter card, use it well and once you have a better credit history, apply and maybe succeed in getting a 'better card' you wouldn't have gotten before. BUT, you could have gotten a card from some other company and built just as good of a credit history, and now you can obtain that same 'better card'.

Adding dead weight to your credit reports, in the form of sub-standard cards that you don't have a use for, can only be a negative.

PS: To that guy with the secret handshake: You forgot to PM it to me, please resend it.

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TMWC +1 well stated I really wish folks would keep that in mind when going on shopping cart popup sprees, excessive store cards etc.