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Building credit early is one of the highest-leverage money moves you can make — good credit makes renting, borrowing, and even some jobs easier for years. Here's how credit works and how to start building it responsibly as a student.
Start now, pay on time, keep balances low
You don't need to carry debt to build credit — you need to use a little credit responsibly and pay it off. Start with one card or authorized-user status, pay on time every month, keep your balance well under the limit, and your score climbs. The earlier you start, the stronger your credit is when it really counts.
Keep going: build a college budget, learn student banking basics, and understand student taxes.