 TITLE: Your Guide to Getting a Student Credit Card CONTENT: What if I Get Denied?\n---------------------\nIf your application for a student credit card was denied, a likely reason is that you don't have sufficient credit history. You can find out for sure, though, by asking the issuer for an adverse action letter, which explains why the company declined to extend you credit.\nNext, take a look at your credit report and make sure there aren't any inaccuracies, like accounts opened in your name that you didn't apply for. Also, if anything changed since you applied for the card—you took on a new, higher-paying job, for instance—you can request the issuer reevaluate the application. Avoid applying for multiple cards that you're unlikely to qualify for, since lots of hard credit inquiries, which occur when you apply for credit cards, can hurt your score.\nIf getting a student credit card isn't possible for you right now, consider a secured credit card instead, which requires a cash deposit that becomes your credit limit. It's designed to help those new to credit build their file. Use it responsibly, and the issuer could upgrade you to a traditional card eventually.\nAn additional option is to ask a parent or another financially responsible person in your life to add you as an authorized user to their credit card. You won't be responsible for payment, but the length of their credit history and experience making on-time payments could help build your credit. Make sure the credit card company reports authorized user activity to the credit bureaus. END