Good Credit Is Important For Students
College students that are starting out with credit cards should be aware at how important good credit is, as it will shape their financial planning for the rest of their lives.
Credit is important for all consumers, because it affects housing and car purchases. Without a strong history, many of these options will not be available, or will come with extremely high interest rates.
"If they want to build credit history, they have to take out a loan and make payments on time," said Bryon Geddes, business professor at Dixie State College of Utah, according to The Dixie Sun. "If you qualify for a credit card, which is an easy thing to do as a student, you don't build history unless you buy something and make a payment on it."
The Credit Card Accountability, Responsibility and Disclosure Act of 2009 restricted the ability for issuers to give cards to students on campuses, and also prevented students under 21 to get a card, unless they have a co-signer. This was done in order to curb the increasing amount of young people who are mired in credit card debt.