Search the Community

I've been wanting to get a Chase Freedom, but I have no credit history at all (AFAIK -- CreditKarma said it couldn't find anything for me). The plus side is that I am about to start a job making ~$160k/yr gross income. How likely is it that they'll approve me? More details: - 24 years old - I've been a student up until now, and never needed a credit card or any kind of credit before. I only recently realized that I've been missing out on cash back & bonuses, and also building a credit history. - Since I was a student with not much income, I have virtually no money saved up (only less than $5k). I called a Chase rep using the number on their website, but she avoided my questions and said I would need to apply to be considered. I'm worried about applying because of the hard pull, especially since they might reject me for having no credit history. I'm considering applying anyway, and then going through a reconsideration (based on this thread: http://ficoforums.myfico.com/t5/Credit-Cards/Chase-Freedom-card-reconsideration/td-p/2501207 which is somewhat similar to my situation), but I really have no experience with this so I don't know what to expect. One of the things I'm wondering, too, is if they will ask for proof of income of some kind? Because as of now, I've signed the job offer, but I haven't started work yet, so I don't have any kind of payroll record. Any help/recommended courses of action would be much appreciated.

Wanting to transfer my balance from Credit One to Chase Freedom (when it gets here and activated) and close out Credit One. They do offer 0% for 15 months on Balance transfers, but is it that easy to do?

Don't know what I expected, but it wasn't 15K, highest card to date is 10 Visa Plat from my CU, although hoping my Amex Surpass triples to 10500 in a couple of weeks... Mendelssohn's CSP post is what I blame the app on! he posted, I went looking and 'accidently' applied... Thanks Mendelssohn! I appreciate it! ;-)

Double posted, not sure how, someone delete thsi one please?

Hi, guys, So my CRs are all newly clean, and I decided to pull the trigger and apply for Chase Freedom today. My file is thin – one Cap1 secured w/$351 limit reporting since November; 1 DCU Visa with $7500 limit reporting since last month; one DCU car loan, also new; and my Chase auto loan that was just paid off. One inquiry on my EX in the last year. That’s it. No negatives on my file. I just had two awful public records removed and I'm happy about that. I checked my FICO EX before the app and it was 738 so I felt good about my chances. I app and get the dreaded 10-day wait message. Is that a likely denial? Should I wait until I hear from them to try reconning? I called their application status number right after and the woman I talked with told me they had up to 30 days to respond to me so I decided not to push. I’m a little disappointed ‘cause I thought this would be a great card to help me rebuild and relatively easy to get, but I guess that’s not the case. Any advice? Thanks.

First post. Really enjoy reading the forum. I made a lot of mistakes with my credit and it has finally been 7 years since my last mistake. I have 36k in student loans that have established enough credit to pick up some cards. I started with a cap1 secured (200) in April and went for the pre approved platinum offer in May (1000). I also got an amazon store card (400 in May then CLI to 1900 this month). My first big score came with getting in with NFCU because of my brother's service and getting there signature cash rewards visa with 17k limit in June. It definitely felt great. My Exp FICO was 735 in my acceptance letter from Navy. Nothing has changed besides their inquiry and new account. My util is 1%, all on Navy, rest have no balance reporting. My income is 60k. My student loans age back from 2005 as the oldest account, with new consolidated loans turning 2 years old next month. My AAOA is 13 months because of all the new cards, plus a $500 secured loan I took out in April that I am paying off to establish credit and get in with my local CU. My Eq has an old BOA account started in 1999 reporting as closed by creditor. I payed it off after much duress in 2006. No negatives reporting, 100% on time payment history. My goals are to get an auto loan in about 1 year then getting a mortgage in 4 to 5. I would love to get in with Amex at some point to take advantage of their backdating and bonus offers in between. I am getting some targeted offers (none from amex yet) and the $200 plus 14 mo no interest on a chase freedom is the most tempting yet. I am leaning toward going for it, but I was wondering if I had any chance of getting an amex bce/bcp or costco card first. I only have a few months of revolving history, which seems a little weak for an amex. I see people with similar scores on credit pulls getting bce, but they may be more established. Plus I have quite a few new accounts and 3 inquiries on exp, 4 on TU. I don't travel, so the easier delta card is not very useful. I don't want a $100 AF or more on a charge card when I can get several hundred worth of rewards on a Chase Freedom or Amex BCE/BCP in a few months. So here are my options: take Chase and garden for however long it takes to get Amex pre approvals, go for BCE/BCP or costco (or maybe both) then garden until I'm ready for a new car, or go on a spree and get amex and hope Chase still wants me. I'm concerned that the inquiry from a failed amex app may kill the deal with Chase. Also should I apply now or wait for the accounts to turn 2, or even garden for a while instead of getting anything else now? I spend plenty of money at costco and grocery stores to make the amex a good deal. I also plan to use amazon for Christmas shopping, the Freedom 4Q 5% plus no interest would be nice as well. Aside, of the 3 amex, are they similar requirements? I see higher scores for preferred approvals. We do enough grocery shopping to make it worth the AF, but I'd prefer a safer bet. Thanks so much for any advice or similar stories and sorry for the lengthiness.

Applied today for the Chase Freedom and got the "yea I'll get back with you on that" message. Called the backdoor and 1st u/w told me I was declined due to bk even though she can see that I clearly have re-established my credit that she can't open an account right now. Try back in about two years. Now I IIB Chase and I thought if anything that I would be blacklisted, but no not a peep about that. Anyway I sat here and stewed on this by having me a few drinks. And when I realized that had I not only got one HP on TU, but they pulled EX too I was said oh no I have got to call back.....drunk or not. I called about 4 hours later and a guy answered and before he could finish saying hello I was all over him. Listen Joe, I have a bk that is 6 years old. I have paid my debt through the bk and I have also successfully re-established my credit. I said I want to build a relationship with a local bank and I chose Chase and I want that Freedom card. He put me on hold and came back and said "ma'am you are approved with a $5K limit and it should be in your account now. I logged into my checking account and Bam! The CC is there!! Like I can't believe I went from a "No you are declined due to bk" to "ma'am you're approved for $5K". This is proof that it pays not to take no for an answer and to call back and recon as many times as you can. It is all about who you get on the other end of that phone that matters.