Congratulations on graduating! You've earned your degree, and now you're ready to tackle the real world. But there's one challenge you might not have expected: you need credit to rent an apartment, finance a car, or even land certain jobs, yet building credit requires having credit in the first place. It's the ultimate catch-22.
If you're one of the millions of recent graduates starting from zero, here's the good news: building credit from scratch is absolutely achievable, and you can start seeing results within weeks, not years. Let this be your guide.
The Reality for Recent Graduates: You're Not Alone
More than 80% of 18- and 19-year-olds have either no credit history or insufficient credit history to generate a credit score, according to the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau. Even among 20- to 24-year-olds, nearly 40% fall into this "credit invisible" category.
Nationwide, approximately 26 million American adults have no credit history at all with the three major credit bureaus (Experian, Equifax, and TransUnion). An additional 19 million have credit files so thin or outdated that they can't be scored using standard credit models. That's 45 million people, or roughly one in seven adults, living without credit scores.
For recent college graduates, this creates immediate challenges:
Housing: Many landlords require credit checks and minimum credit scores (often 620+). Without credit history, you might face higher security deposits, need a co-signer, or be denied altogether.
Employment: Some employers check credit reports as part of background checks, particularly for positions involving financial responsibility.
Car financing: Need reliable transportation for your new job? Without credit, you'll face higher interest rates or might not qualify for financing at all.
Insurance rates: Credit-based insurance scores affect your premiums. No credit history often means higher costs.
Financial products: Credit cards with rewards, personal loans for emergencies, even cell phone contracts, all become harder to access without established credit.
The labor market data makes this even more urgent. Recent college graduates ages 23-27 are experiencing unemployment rates of 4.59% in 2025, up from 3.25% in 2019, according to the Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis. When you do land that job, you want to be ready to rent an apartment, commute reliably, and manage your finances independently. That requires credit.
Understanding What You're Building: Credit Scores 101
Before you start building, it helps to understand what you're creating. Your credit score is a three-digit number (typically 300-850) that represents your creditworthiness…essentially, how likely you are to repay borrowed money on time.
Credit scores are calculated based on five main factors:
Payment History (35%): This is the most important factor. Have you paid your bills on time? Even one late payment can significantly hurt your score, while consistent on-time payments build it steadily.
Amounts Owed/Credit Utilization (30%): How much of your available credit are you using? Experts recommend keeping this under 30%, ideally under 10%. If you have a $1,000 credit limit, try to keep your balance below $300.
Length of Credit History (15%): How long have your accounts been open? This is where recent graduates face a natural disadvantage because you simply haven't had time to build history yet.
Credit Mix (10%): Do you responsibly manage different types of credit, like credit cards (revolving credit) and loans (installment credit)?
New Credit (10%): How many new accounts have you opened recently? Too many applications in a short time can temporarily lower your score.
The key insight for graduates: you can't change your length of credit history overnight, but you absolutely can nail payment history and credit utilization from day one. Those two factors alone make up 65% of your score.
Why "No Credit" Is Better Than "Bad Credit"
Here's something encouraging: having no credit history is actually easier to fix than having bad credit. With no credit, you're starting fresh. There are no late payments to overcome, no collections to dispute, no defaults weighing you down.
Think of it like this: you have a blank canvas rather than one covered in paint that needs removing. While it might feel frustrating to start from zero, you're actually in a strong position to build credit the right way from the beginning.
How to Build Credit from Scratch: Proven Strategies That Work
Let's get to the practical strategies. These methods have helped millions of graduates establish credit, and they can work for you too.
Start with a Credit Builder Product
Credit builder products are specifically designed for people with no credit history. Unlike traditional credit cards or loans, they're built to help you prove you can handle credit responsibly without requiring existing credit.
Credit Builder Cards: These work differently than regular credit cards. With Ava's Credit Builder Mastercard, you don't need a credit check or deposit to get started.5 You link the card to your bank account and use it for subscriptions and recurring payments you're already making like Netflix, Spotify, your phone bill, or gym membership. Every payment gets reported to all three major credit bureaus, building your credit automatically.8
What makes this particularly effective is that you're not changing your spending habits or taking on new debt. You're simply getting credit for payments you're making anyway. And unlike most credit products that report monthly, Ava reports within a week, which means you can start seeing credit score improvements in as little as 7 days. In fact, 74% of Ava members see score improvements within their first week.1
Credit Builder Loans: These unique loans help you save while building credit. Here's how they work: you make small monthly payments (often $25-$100) that go into a savings account. The lender reports these payments to the credit bureaus as loan payments. After completing the term (usually 12 months), you receive your money back.
With Ava's Save & Build Credit Account, you pay just $25 per month for 12 months and receive $300 at the end of the term. Every payment is reported to Experian, Equifax, and TransUnion, steadily building your credit file. It's essentially a forced savings plan that also builds credit. Two financial goals accomplished simultaneously.
Become an Authorized User (But Choose Carefully)
If you have a parent or family member with good credit and a long history of on-time payments, ask about becoming an authorized user on their credit card. When added as an authorized user, that account's history typically appears on your credit report.
The key benefits:
- You inherit the account's positive payment history
- The account age boosts your length of credit history
- You don't need to use the card to benefit (though having access can help you learn credit management)
Important considerations:
- Only do this with someone you absolutely trust
- Make sure they have excellent payment history because their late payments could hurt your credit too
- Confirm the card issuer reports authorized users to all three bureaus (not all do)
- Set clear expectations about whether you'll actually use the card
This strategy can give you an immediate boost, but it shouldn't be your only approach. You still want your own accounts that show you can independently manage credit.
Get a Secured Credit Card (If Needed)
Secured credit cards require a refundable security deposit (typically $200-$500) that becomes your credit limit. Because the deposit protects the lender from risk, these cards are easier to get approved for with no credit history.
What to look for in a secured card:
- No annual fee (or a very low one)
- Reports to all three credit bureaus (this is essential, always confirm)
- Path to upgrade: Some cards automatically review your account after 6-12 months and upgrade you to an unsecured card, returning your deposit
- Reasonable fees: Avoid cards with excessive processing fees or high interest rates (even if you plan to pay in full)
How to use it effectively:
- Make small purchases monthly (even just $10-20)
- Pay the full balance before the due date every single month
- Keep utilization below 30% of your limit
- Set up automatic payments to never miss a due date
Pro tip: You don't need to carry a balance or pay interest to build credit. This is a common myth. Paying in full every month still reports positive payment history and saves you money on interest charges.
Report Rent and Utility Payments
Many recent graduates don't realize that rent and utility payments, which they're already making, can help build credit. These payments traditionally haven't been reported to credit bureaus, but services now exist to change that.
Several rent reporting services can add your rent payment history to your credit reports:
- Some report retroactively, adding past on-time payments
- Monthly reporting keeps your credit file active
- This is particularly helpful for graduates who aren't ready for a credit card yet
Similarly, some utility companies now report payments, or you can use services that do this for you. While there may be fees involved, the credit-building benefit can be worth it, especially when combined with other strategies.
Apply for a Student Credit Card (If Still Available)
If you recently graduated and are under 21, you might still qualify for student credit cards designed for limited credit histories. These typically feature:
- Lower credit limits (often $500-$1,500)
- Easier approval standards
- Student-friendly perks (cash back on categories like dining, gas, or streaming)
- Educational resources about credit management
Even if you've graduated, some issuers extend student card eligibility for a period after graduation. Check with major banks to see if you qualify.
Use Your Job and Income Strategically
Your income doesn't directly affect your credit score, but it does affect credit card approvals. As a recent graduate with a new job, highlight your income and employment when applying for credit products.
Even if you're earning an entry-level salary, having verifiable income makes you less risky to lenders. Include all income sources on applications:
- Your main job salary
- Side gig or freelance income
- Part-time work
- Regular allowances (if applicable and legally permissible)
Having documented income can be the difference between approval and denial when you're building credit from scratch.
The Timeline: How Fast Can You Build Credit?
One of the most common questions from graduates: "How long will this take?"
Here's the realistic timeline:
3-6 months: With consistent on-time payments, you can generate your first credit score. It typically takes at least 3 months of reported credit activity for credit scoring models to calculate a score.
6-12 months: You can build a "fair" credit score (620-679) with responsible use of one or two credit accounts, assuming perfect payment history and low credit utilization.
12-24 months: With continued responsible use, you can reach a "good" credit score (680-739), which qualifies you for most mainstream credit products with reasonable terms.
2+ years: Your credit history length starts working in your favor, and you can achieve "very good" or "excellent" scores (740+) assuming you've maintained perfect payment habits.
With tools like Ava that report more often than monthly, some graduates see initial improvements even faster, often within 7-10 days of their first reported payment.
The Most Important Habits for Building Credit
Success in credit building comes down to consistent habits, not complex strategies. Focus on these fundamentals:
Pay Every Bill On Time, Every Time
This cannot be emphasized enough: payment history is 35% of your credit score. One 30-day late payment can drop your score by 90-110 points, especially when you're just starting out.
Strategies to never miss a payment:
- Set up automatic payments for at least the minimum due
- Use calendar reminders set 3-5 days before due dates
- Link accounts to banking apps with payment alerts
- Consider consolidating due dates to make tracking easier
If you're worried about autopay overdrawing your account, set it for just the minimum payment and pay the rest manually. The key is ensuring something gets paid by the due date.
Keep Credit Utilization Low
Even with a small credit limit, aim to use no more than 30% at any given time. If you have a $500 limit, that means keeping your balance below $150.
Better yet, aim for under 10% utilization. With that same $500 limit, staying under $50 in charges shows you're not desperate for credit, which scoring models reward.
Practical tactics:
- Make multiple payments throughout the month, not just once
- Use your card for small, regular purchases rather than big expenses
- Request credit limit increases after 6-12 months of perfect payment history (this instantly lowers your utilization percentage)
Avoid Opening Too Many Accounts Too Quickly
When you're eager to build credit, it's tempting to open multiple accounts. Resist this urge. Each credit application typically generates a "hard inquiry" that can temporarily lower your score by a few points. Multiple inquiries in a short period raise red flags.
A better approach:
- Start with one credit building account
- After 3-6 months, consider adding a second account
- Space applications at least 3-6 months apart
- Only apply when you're confident you'll be approved
Keep Accounts Open
Length of credit history matters, so even as you outgrow your first credit accounts, keep them open (as long as there's no annual fee). The longer your accounts stay active, the better.
A common mistake: graduates get a starter card, then close it once they qualify for a better one. Unless the annual fee is prohibitive, keep that first card open. Even if you rarely use it, its age benefits your credit score.
Make a small purchase every few months to keep it active, and set up autopay. Some credit card issuers will close accounts after extended inactivity, so occasional use prevents this.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
Learning from others' mistakes is cheaper than making them yourself. Here are the biggest credit-building pitfalls for recent graduates:
Carrying a Balance to "Build Credit": This is a persistent myth. You don't need to pay interest to build credit. Pay your full statement balance every month. You'll build credit just as effectively and save money.
Missing Payments Due to "It's Just Once": Credit bureaus don't care if it's your first late payment or your hundredth. A single 30-day late payment can stay on your report for seven years and immediately drop your score significantly.
Maxing Out Your First Card: Getting a $500 credit limit and immediately spending $500 tells lenders you're financially stretched. Even if you pay it off, high utilization at the time your statement reports can hurt your score.
Applying for Retail Store Cards Too Early: Store cards often have high interest rates and low limits. They're also easy to get approved for, which makes them tempting. But they typically only work at one store and offer minimal credit-building benefits compared to major credit cards.
Ignoring Your Credit Reports: You're entitled to free credit reports from all three bureaus at AnnualCreditReport.com. Check them regularly to catch errors early. About 20% of consumers have errors on their credit reports, according to Federal Trade Commission studies.
Co-Signing for Friends: This feels generous, but if your friend misses payments, your credit suffers just as much as theirs. When your credit is new and fragile, co-signing is exceptionally risky.
Closing Your Oldest Account: That first credit card might have a low limit and no rewards, but its age helps your score. Unless it has an annual fee you can't afford, keep it open.
What This Means for Your Post-Graduation Life
Building credit isn't just about numbers on a report. It directly impacts your financial life as a new graduate:
Apartment hunting becomes easier: With a credit score above 650, you'll qualify for most rental properties without requiring a co-signer or paying excessive deposits.
You'll save thousands on car financing: The difference between no credit (resulting in a 15-18% APR) and good credit (5-7% APR) on a $25,000 car loan can cost you $5,000-8,000 more in interest over the loan term.
Insurance costs less: Credit-based insurance scores can affect your premiums by hundreds of dollars annually.
Job opportunities expand: You won't face automatic rejection from employers who check credit as part of their hiring process.
Emergency options improve: When unexpected expenses hit, you'll have access to reasonable credit options instead of being forced into high-cost payday loans or borrowing from family.
Future financial goals become accessible: Whether it's buying a home, starting a business, or financing graduate school, good credit opens doors that stay closed without it.
The Ava Advantage for Recent Graduates
Recent graduates face unique challenges: student loan payments, entry-level salaries, and often relocating for their first job. Managing new expenses while building credit can feel overwhelming.
That's where Ava's approach specifically helps graduates:
No credit check required: Unlike traditional credit cards, you can get started immediately without existing credit. No hard inquiry hitting your score.7
Automatic credit building: Link your bank account and use the Credit Builder Card for subscriptions you already pay for. Every payment reports to all three bureaus without you thinking about it.
Affordable: At $8 per month for the annual plan, Ava costs less than one coffee per month—far less than the interest and fees you'd pay on a traditional secured card or the long-term cost of not having credit.
Fast results: With frequent reporting to credit bureaus, 74% of Ava members see credit score improvements in less than 7 days.1 When you're trying to rent your first apartment or finance a car for your new job, speed matters.
No interest, no debt: You're not borrowing money or taking on debt. You're simply getting credit for payments you're already making.
Dual benefits with Save & Build: The credit builder loan lets you save $300 over 12 months while building credit. As a recent graduate, building both credit and an emergency fund simultaneously is powerful.
Many graduates successfully use Ava products alongside being an authorized user or having a student card, accelerating their credit building through multiple positive tradelines.
Your 90-Day Action Plan
Here's a practical roadmap for your first 90 days of credit building:
Days 1-7: Research and Apply
- Pull your credit reports at AnnualCreditReport.com to see your starting point
- Research and compare credit building options (Ava, secured cards, becoming an authorized user)
- Apply for your chosen credit building account
- If applicable, ask a family member about authorized user status
Days 8-30: Set Up Systems
- Link accounts for automatic payments
- Set calendar reminders for all due dates (even with autopay as backup)
- Start using your credit account for small, regular purchases
- Monitor your first account activity and statement
Days 31-60: Build Consistency
- Make your second month of on-time payments
- Check that your payments are being reported to credit bureaus (you may see accounts appear on credit monitoring tools)
- Keep credit utilization under 30% (ideally under 10%)
- Avoid applying for additional credit yet
Days 61-90: Review and Adjust
- Pull your credit report again to see what's been added
- Check if you've generated a credit score yet (usually happens around month 3)
- Evaluate whether to add a second credit building account
- Continue perfect payment history
After 90 days, you should have a solid foundation and, likely, your first credit score. From there, you continue the same habits while your history grows longer.
Looking Ahead: Life After Your First Credit Score
Once you've built your initial credit, the strategies evolve:
After 6 months of perfect payment history:
- Consider requesting a credit limit increase on existing accounts
- You may now qualify for mainstream credit cards with better rewards
- Your credit score should be in the "fair" range (620-679)
After 12 months of perfect payment history:
- You'll likely qualify for most standard credit products
- If you started with a secured card, check if you're eligible to upgrade to unsecured
- Consider adding a second credit card if it serves a purpose (don't add accounts just to add them)
- Your score should be approaching or in the "good" range (680-739)
After 24+ months:
- Your credit history length now helps your score
- You'll qualify for premium credit cards, competitive auto loans, and potentially mortgages
- Your credit score should be in the "good" to "very good" range (680-760+)
The key is maintaining the habits that got you here: on-time payments, low utilization, and strategic account management.
The Bottom Line
Starting your post-graduation life without credit history is common, normal, and completely fixable. You're not behind, you're just getting started.
The graduates who build credit fastest are those who:
- Start immediately (today, not someday)
- Choose the right tools (credit builders designed for beginners)
- Build automatic systems (autopay, reminders, routine)
- Stay consistent (perfect payment history is non-negotiable)
- Think long-term (credit building is a marathon, not a sprint)
You don't need multiple credit cards, large loans, or complicated strategies. You need one or two well-managed credit building accounts, consistent on-time payments, and patience.
The credit score you build in your twenties will affect your financial life for decades. Every apartment you rent, car you finance, and loan you take out will be influenced by the credit foundation you build right now.
Ready to start building credit the smart way? Create your Ava account and join thousands of recent graduates who are building credit history while managing their first year in the real world. With frequent reporting to all three bureaus and credit score improvements in as little as 7 days, you can start seeing progress quickly.1
Your degree opened doors. Good credit keeps them open.
Frequently Asked Questions
How long does it take to build credit from scratch after graduation?
You can typically generate your first credit score within 3-6 months of consistent credit activity being reported to the credit bureaus. However, building a "good" credit score (680+) generally takes 12-24 months of responsible credit use, including on-time payments and low credit utilization. With tools like Ava that report daily, some graduates see initial score improvements in as little as 7-10 days.
Do I need a credit card to build credit, or are there other options?
While credit cards are the most common credit-building tool, they're not your only option. Credit builder loans (like Ava's Save & Build Credit Account), becoming an authorized user on someone else's account, reporting rent and utility payments, and even some student loans can all help build credit. The best strategy for recent graduates often combines 2-3 of these approaches.
Should I get a secured credit card or use a credit builder service like Ava?
Both can work, but they have different advantages. Secured credit cards require a deposit ($200-$500 typically) and function like traditional credit cards. Credit builder services like Ava require no deposit, no hard credit check, and often report within a week.8 For recent graduates on tight budgets, credit builders offer faster results with lower upfront costs. Some graduates use both to build credit faster through multiple positive tradelines.
Can I build credit while paying off student loans?
Absolutely. In fact, making on-time student loan payments helps build your credit by showing positive payment history. However, student loans alone aren't enough. Credit scoring models also want to see you can manage revolving credit (like credit cards). The ideal approach for graduates is to responsibly manage both your student loan payments and at least one credit building account.
What credit score do I need to rent an apartment after graduation?
Most landlords require a credit score of at least 620-650, though this varies by location and property. Premium apartments in competitive markets may require scores of 700+. If you're below these thresholds, you might need a co-signer, pay a larger security deposit (often an extra month's rent), or provide additional income documentation. This is why starting to build credit immediately after graduation is so important, you may be apartment hunting within 3-6 months.
Will applying for credit hurt my score if I have no credit history?
When you have no credit history, a hard inquiry from a credit application typically doesn't lower your score simply because you don't have a score yet. However, once you do have a score, each hard inquiry can temporarily lower it by 3-5 points. This is why starting with no-hard-inquiry options like Ava is smart for beginners because you avoid the temporary hit while building positive history.
How is building credit from scratch different from rebuilding bad credit?
Building from scratch is generally faster and easier than rebuilding after negative marks. With no credit, you're starting with a clean slate… no late payments, collections, or defaults to overcome. You can establish positive history immediately and see steady improvements. Rebuilding requires overcoming existing negative marks that stay on your report for 7 years, though their impact diminishes over time as you add positive history.
Should I close my first credit account once I qualify for a better one?
No, unless it has an annual fee you can't afford. Your first credit account contributes to your credit history length, which makes up 15% of your credit score. Even if you rarely use it, keeping that first account open (with occasional small purchases to prevent closure due to inactivity) benefits your score long-term. Many people keep their first credit card for decades specifically to maintain that account age.
What's the biggest mistake recent graduates make when building credit?
The most common and costly mistake is missing payments. Recent graduates often miss payments not because they can't afford them, but because they're not used to tracking bills or they forget due dates while adjusting to post-college life. Set up automatic payments for at least the minimum due on every account. It's also common for graduates to open too many accounts too quickly in an attempt to build credit faster… this actually hurts more than it helps. Focus on managing 1-2 accounts perfectly before adding more.
Sources and References
This article draws on data and research from the following authoritative sources:
- Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB). "Data Point: Credit Invisibles." May 2015. Link
- Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB). "CFPB Report Finds 26 Million Consumers Are Credit Invisible." Link
- Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB). "Who are the Credit Invisible?" Link
- TransUnion. "More than 45 Million Americans are Either Credit Unserved or Underserved; Approximately 20% Migrate to Being Credit Active Every Two Years." April 2022. Link
- Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis. "Recent College Graduates Bear Brunt of Labor Market Shifts." August 2025. Link
- Federal Reserve Bank of New York. "The Labor Market for Recent College Graduates." 2025. Link
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. "College Enrollment and Work Activity of Recent High School and College Graduates -- 2024." April 2025. Link
- Education Data Initiative. "College Graduation Statistics [2025]: Total Graduates per Year." October 2025. Link
- Coursmos. "College Graduation Statistics [2025] — Numbers & Trends." September 2025. Link
- Admissionsly. "30+ US College Graduation Statistics for 2025." June 2025. Link
- CNBC. "45 million Americans have no credit score." May 2015. Link
- CNBC. "Here's a way to graduate from college with little to no student debt." November 2025. Link
- All About Cookies. "Credit Monitoring: 1 in 4 Americans Haven't Checked Their Credit Score in the Last Year." July 2025. Link
- Lexington Law. "30 Credit Score Statistics for 2023." June 2025. Link
- Federal Reserve Board / Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation. "Consumption, Credit and the Missing Young." 2020. Link
Frequently Asked Questions
How long does it take to build credit from scratch after graduation?
You can typically generate your first credit score within 3-6 months of consistent credit activity being reported to the credit bureaus. However, building a "good" credit score (680+) generally takes 12-24 months of responsible credit use, including on-time payments and low credit utilization. With tools like Ava that report daily, some graduates see initial score improvements in as little as 7-10 days.
Do I need a credit card to build credit, or are there other options?
While credit cards are the most common credit-building tool, they're not your only option. Credit builder loans (like Ava's Save & Build Credit Account), becoming an authorized user on someone else's account, reporting rent and utility payments, and even some student loans can all help build credit. The best strategy for recent graduates often combines 2-3 of these approaches.
Should I get a secured credit card or use a credit builder service like Ava?
Both can work, but they have different advantages. Secured credit cards require a deposit ($200-$500 typically) and function like traditional credit cards. Credit builder services like Ava require no deposit, no hard credit check, and often report within a week.8 For recent graduates on tight budgets, credit builders offer faster results with lower upfront costs. Some graduates use both to build credit faster through multiple positive tradelines.
Can I build credit while paying off student loans?
Absolutely. In fact, making on-time student loan payments helps build your credit by showing positive payment history. However, student loans alone aren't enough. Credit scoring models also want to see you can manage revolving credit (like credit cards). The ideal approach for graduates is to responsibly manage both your student loan payments and at least one credit building account.
What credit score do I need to rent an apartment after graduation?
Most landlords require a credit score of at least 620-650, though this varies by location and property. Premium apartments in competitive markets may require scores of 700+. If you're below these thresholds, you might need a co-signer, pay a larger security deposit (often an extra month's rent), or provide additional income documentation. This is why starting to build credit immediately after graduation is so important, you may be apartment hunting within 3-6 months.
Will applying for credit hurt my score if I have no credit history?
When you have no credit history, a hard inquiry from a credit application typically doesn't lower your score simply because you don't have a score yet. However, once you do have a score, each hard inquiry can temporarily lower it by 3-5 points. This is why starting with no-hard-inquiry options like Ava is smart for beginners because you avoid the temporary hit while building positive history.
How is building credit from scratch different from rebuilding bad credit?
Building from scratch is generally faster and easier than rebuilding after negative marks. With no credit, you're starting with a clean slate… no late payments, collections, or defaults to overcome. You can establish positive history immediately and see steady improvements. Rebuilding requires overcoming existing negative marks that stay on your report for 7 years, though their impact diminishes over time as you add positive history.
Should I close my first credit account once I qualify for a better one?
No, unless it has an annual fee you can't afford. Your first credit account contributes to your credit history length, which makes up 15% of your credit score. Even if you rarely use it, keeping that first account open (with occasional small purchases to prevent closure due to inactivity) benefits your score long-term. Many people keep their first credit card for decades specifically to maintain that account age.
What's the biggest mistake recent graduates make when building credit?
The most common and costly mistake is missing payments. Recent graduates often miss payments not because they can't afford them, but because they're not used to tracking bills or they forget due dates while adjusting to post-college life. Set up automatic payments for at least the minimum due on every account. It's also common for graduates to open too many accounts too quickly in an attempt to build credit faster… this actually hurts more than it helps. Focus on managing 1-2 accounts perfectly before adding more.
