Which scores do lenders use

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Let us know what questions you still have about this topic or any others. And that brings us to the educational scores. Each offers an educational score based on different scoring models. Some are quick to dismiss these scores because they are not based one of the countless FICO models.

I think the criticism is overdone for several reasons. First, in my experience, these educational scores are close to scores based on the FICO model. I compared them using my own credit and found them to be comparable. Second, they do give you a general idea of where your credit stands.

Third, the services do a good job of letting you know what is helping and what is hurting your score. And finally, they are totally free. In the final analsysis, the key is to protect your score by making payments on time, keeping your credit utilization low, and applying for new credit only when you must. Checking your score with any of these services, whether a FICO or educational score, has the added benefit of giving you a rough idea of where you stand and what you can do to improve your score.

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