Building and maintaining credit should be important financial goals for college students. On-time bill payment, as well as avoiding bounced checks or overdrafts, will help build a student’s credit. A good credit history will open up financial options to students after they graduate, such as obtaining auto or home loans with favorable interest rates.
Credit reports and credit scores provide students with the capability of monitoring their credit. Your credit report details important information about your employment history, personal information, and credit accounts. Your credit score is comprised of payment history, amount of debt, length of history, number of new credit inquiries, and types of credit accounts. Lenders use your credit score to decide whether to lend you money and what interest rate to charge you. Employers and insurance companies may also check your credit score.
Free credit reports (not credit scores) are available at .