I have been monitoring my credit score in order to improve it before purchasing my first home. Currently I am are using true credit to monitor, they just changed to the Vantage Score system. Instead of a range of 300-850, it is a range of 500-990. How do I make sense of this change? Will the industry be basing qualification on this new score instead of FICO? by jmendoza from Goleta, California. Mar 24th 2010
VantageScoreA New Alternative to the FICO ScoreIn recent times, an alternative system of rating a person's credit history has been in development and is now in somewhat limited use. This new system is called VantageScore. The three major credit bureaus have been involved in the development of this new system -- and are likely to make significant use of the news system into the future. The new system does rely on numerical data to develop a credit rating for a consumer. The scores go from 501 to 990. However, under this new system, the raw numerical is transformed into a letter grade -- precisely like the letter grades used in an academic setting. Consumers, under the VantageScore protocol, will be given a letter grade in regard to their credit histories of A, B, C, D, or F.Score Grade 901-990 A 801-900 B 701-800 C 601-700 D 501-600 F How VantageScore can be UsedVantageScore also offers creditors more discretion in determining their limits of trust. For instance, just as in some schools an A is considered a 90 but other schools demand a 93, some creditors may accept the A credit score at 901 and above yet others will reserve this grade for 930 and above. This flexibility will help lenders provide loans to people who would not normally be able to get them, and give others more power to control their risk.
The current industry still relies on the old system or FICO scoring. Many may switch to the new program but it may take years for that to happen. My suggestion is to make sure you keep your credit in perfect shape by paying all creditors on time and avoiding additional credit buildup. The scores will take of themselves and is really nothing for you to worry about as long as you manage credit properly.
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