Hi everyone, I've been following the forum for a while now but this is my first post. I'm just so excited with my recon success that I wanted to post about it.
Like many others here, I have a colorful credit background, but I'll jump straight to the details about the recon and then share some more of the backstory. My scores are Exp: 583 Eq: 592 Tu: 605. After following the forums for some time, I knew that my chances were very slim with the Sallie Mae card, but I really liked those benefits and wanted to establish a relationship with Barclays. I thought that even if delinced for that, I might get considered maybe for the rewards card (a tip learned here at myFICO) so I submitted my app last night and got the 7-10 day message. I immediately did the online application check and saw that it was declined.
Here's where I really have to start thanking myFICO forum members. Before reading the boards, I wouldnt' have even known that recon was possible, but I read about some recent successes and found the number I needed. I called this morning and again based on advice from forum members, I tried to gather if the rep would salty or sweet. They picked up after the first ring and I was a little nervous because she sounded a little surly...boy was I wrong! I must have gotten the nicest rep ever. After ID verification, she started with some questions about employment. Then, she asked very briefly about some unfavorable items and finally about how I use my cards. She clearly wanted to try to work with me and offered an approval of $1000. Obviously, not a high limit, but certainly enough for me to get started with the rewards and to build my history with them - I have a positive feeling that they'll allow me to grow with them. The whole thing took about 5 minutes, and I'm fortunate because I must have some of the lowest scores for anyone to get this card.
I know some forum members like to get a little more background color so here's my story. I have a pretty thick credit file (starting to use the forum lingo!). I ran a small business for several years before returning to business school and had multiple cards with high limits. I went back to business school in 2007 and graduated in 2009 (bad timing, ouch); I spent my summer with an investment bank that went into bankruptcy just before I was set to join them fulltime. Two years out of the workforce in school plus almost two years looking for a job made it impossible to keep up and many of my accounts went into collections. I started working again in 2010, and about two years ago I finally landed an "MBA" job with a very solid company. I'm not sure, but I think my profile benefits from fairly high salary. After working for about 6 months (18 months ago from today), I tried to settle all of the accounts that were in collections. This included a Chase card, two BofA cards and a Citi card and they will stay on my report until mid 2017.
Through all this I maintained a business-oriented Citi card and Capital One Card, both of which were kind of interesting. The Citi card doesn't show up on my credit report, although it is definitely in my name. The Capital One card, they actually declined to issue me a new card years ago, but didn't close the account. The limit was only $500 on it so I didn't think anything of it and it stayed that way for 3-4 years. Then, 18 months ago when I started focusing on rebuilding my credit, I called them to ask if they would issue a card, and they agreed...weird. That account started with $500 limit, was that way for like 7 years (4 of which I didn't even have a card), but they raised the limit to $1000, then $1500 recently. Again, I thank the folks of myFico for knowledge that Cap One CLI doesn't result in HP. About 6 months ago my scores were about 30-50 points lower than now, but Capital One approved me for a Quicksilver One card with a $3k limit (I was surprised). I asked for a CLI last night as well but wasn't instantly approved, so I sent an email to the EO (again thanks everyone for that knowledge) - haven't heard anything yet.
So, I really fell like I'm on the path to success and hope to join many of you with some of the prime offerings soon. In addition to getting my scores up to 750+, I have the following goals: get my Cap One card switched to regular Quicksilver; build relationship with Barclays (yay!) to get limit increased; rebuild relationship with Citi and with BofA (I'm pretty sure I'm on their blacklist as I was declined for a secured card).
I have some observations from my time in the CC wilderness. I don't like Chase and will avoid them if possible. I had a Chase card and a Citi card with parallel circumstances and amounts, and while Citi tried to work with me, Chase did just the opposite and was as nasty as possible, including filing a lawsuit (which is now subject of a class action for false info & robo signing or something). I'm sure everyone has different experiences. For BofA, I used to have an extensive relationship with them, including mortgage, business accounts, credit card processing, and multiple credit cards (only loss they had with me was about $2k in CC charge off). I can understand why they have me black listed because they charge offs are fairly recent, but I'd like to work my way back with them. Maybe I should recon the secured card deline?
Anyways, you can probably tell I'm really excited and very grateful for all the members who shared their experiences.
Wow, I mean seriously wow. This is an amazing story so major congrats! I've never seen anyone approved with a TU score like yours. Send that rep a gift basket! Enjoy your card cause its awesome 
CONGRATS on your overall credit journey success!!!
Gardening Until Further Notice
Grats OP... You will grow with them.
I started with the Apple Financing card in Sept 2013... $1200 to $2200 after 6 months. Then December 2014 I was approved for Sallie Mae $4500. Moved the Apple limit over and closed that account... Bam... $6700 Sallie Mae.
BTW, my approval was instant... so yeah, building the relationship definitely helped.
Grats again. 
