Module 4: Financial Foundations & Credit Building

The Essence of Credit In the United States, your financial "fitness" is measured by your credit score—most commonly your FICO Score. This three-digit number (ranging from 300 to 850) acts as a grade for your reliability as a borrower. A critical realization for every newcomer is that having no credit history is treated the same as having bad credit. Without a solid score, you will face higher interest rates, difficulty renting apartments, and even higher car insurancepremiums.