Kaycee Cuaira

Achieving a good credit score isn’t a mystery, but if you do not have an established credit history, you may not know where to start.  Your credit score is built over time.  Although it can take a number of years to build an excellent credit score, the sooner you get started, the better.

My first introduction to the fact that there are 3 different credit bureaus and they give different scores was a rude awakening: I was getting a loan, and the lender used the lowest of my three credit ratings to determine the interest rate they offered me. I was surprised to hear I had three different credit scores and to find out that most lenders have a preferred credit bureau when they are pulling scores. But the truth is stranger—you could have hundreds of credit scores!  Find out why each score is different and which are the most important ones.

If you left college with a bunch of debt hanging over your head, you are not alone. Many students end up borrowing to put themselves through degrees they want. But with an uncertain job market and the standard 10-year repayment term of federal student loans, that debt can majorly impede your financial goals.

So what can be done?  One option you have is to consolidate your loans. Keep reading to learn about the pros and cons of student loan consolidation to see if this is the right financial decision for you.