What is a credit score?
A credit score is a three-digit number (300-850) that represents your creditworthiness to lenders. In the US, this number determines whether you can rent an apartment, get a car loan, qualify for credit cards, or even pass background checks for jobs.
Unlike many other countries, the US has no centralized banking system that tracks your financial reliability. Instead, three private companies (Experian, TransUnion, and Equifax) collect data about your borrowing and payment behavior.
| Range | Rating |
|---|---|
| 800-850 | Exceptional |
| 740-799 | Very Good |
| 670-739 | Good |
| 580-669 | Fair |
| 300-579 | Poor |
Source: FICO scoring (fico.com)
Why starting from zero is hard
The frustrating catch-22: you need credit history to get credit, but you need credit to build credit history. This affects immigrants disproportionately because:
- • Your home country credit history doesn't transfer
- • No SSN = fewer options (but not zero)
- • Banks see "no history" as "risky"
- • Apartment applications often require 700+ score
The good news
You can build a solid credit score (650-700) in 3-6 months with the right strategy. This guide and our free roadmap generator will show you exactly how.