 TITLE: How to Build Good Credit in College CONTENT: What Is a Good Credit Score for College Students?\n-------------------------------------------------\nAccording to FICO, the most commonly used credit scoring model, a good credit score is 670 or higher on an 850-point scale. A fair credit score is 580 to 669, and a poor credit score is 300 to 579. That's true for everyone, whether or not you're a college student.\nIt's unlikely you'll have a credit score at the top of the range at first, since a score in the 800s takes time to develop. But it's a good idea for college students to aim for a score of 700 or higher to get access to the lowest interest rates and the most sought-after financial products.\nIf your score is on the lower end, you may have to use a cosigner to get loans and you'll pay more interest on any loans you do get. You may also be disqualified from credit cards that can provide valuable benefits like cash back and travel rewards.\nTo build a good credit score, you'll first have to open your own credit accounts or join an existing account (more on that later). Then, you'll need to demonstrate you can appropriately manage the account by making all monthly payments by the due date and avoiding taking on more debt than you can handle.\nThe factors that most affect your credit score are:\n*   Payment history, or how often you pay your bills on time\n*   Credit utilization, or the amount of your available credit limit you use\n*   Credit history length, or the amount of time you've managed your own credit accounts\nAdditional contributors to your credit score include your credit mix, meaning the different types of credit accounts you have, and how often you open new credit accounts. Limiting requests for new credit shows lenders that you can responsibly handle your finances without needing new lines of credit frequently to afford your expenses. END