Umm okay...I've only had credit for a few years (3, actually), and I really messed it up. I recently had 3 chargeoffs in the past year (is that alot) because I just finished school and I didn't have a job until now. No, Orchard did not provide a reason for the denial (should I call and ask?), and I don't think it was the debt to income ratio; I make around $36,000 a year (not a lot at all! LOL!) but I only have $2,000 in revolving debt, and around $18,000 in student loans, which I pay on time. Do my student loans matter in a credit card decision? I didn't think they did.

Well the student loans are installment as opposed to revolving (credit card); however, they do get factored into your total debt. So your debt-to-income ratio is a bit high.

I would not even mess with Orchard Secured. From what I understand, Orchard will never unsecure your card. Try that link I sent you for Capital One (unless you previously had a Capital One that was charged off). Eventually it will become unsecured and the card can grow with you.

FutureEsq - in today's credit world sometimes the logical goes out the window. Yes, chargeoffs are not the norm and will hurt your credit scores for a period of time. In reading on this site I am confused on the effects of student loans. With the automation of credit reporting, my guess is you will receive a letter (actually it is the law) explaining why you were denied. It would NOT hurt you to recon the denial. Some folks on this site have reported "reconsiderations" and obtained the card. Others have worked themselves into a different card. You may have to consider a "secured" card. Orchard Bank has those. Folks on this site (including me) have had good luck with Orchard Bank as a rebuilder. Never huge credit lines but they open the future door. Also, unlike the "sub-prime" slime like Premier Banks you don't get ripped off! CitiBank and Bank of America have good secured cards too (and they don't rip you off)

Thanks, I am going to do the secured card thing, but I don't think BofA will fool with me (one of my charge-off's was an old credit card with them) but I am going to go for the Orchard Secured.

FutureEsq - in today's credit world sometimes the logical goes out the window. Yes, chargeoffs are not the norm and will hurt your credit scores for a period of time. In reading on this site I am confused on the effects of student loans. With the automation of credit reporting, my guess is you will receive a letter (actually it is the law) explaining why you were denied. It would NOT hurt you to recon the denial. Some folks on this site have reported "reconsiderations" and obtained the card. Others have worked themselves into a different card. You may have to consider a "secured" card. Orchard Bank has those. Folks on this site (including me) have had good luck with Orchard Bank as a rebuilder. Never huge credit lines but they open the future door. Also, unlike the "sub-prime" slime like Premier Banks you don't get ripped off! CitiBank and Bank of America have good secured cards too (and they don't rip you off).

People get too hung up on FICO scores. There are other factors. How old are your charge offs? Do you have a lot of recent inquiries? Did Orchard give you a reason for the decline? They are required by law to provide you with the reasons for denial. It could be that the charge offs are too recent or that your total debt may be too large relative to your income.

Don't get discouraged. Your best bet may be to try to get a secured card. A secured card will require you to put a deposit into an account at a bank or credit union. The bank or credit union holds those funds until they determine if the account can be unsecured. Secured cards are not guaranteed for approval either. It would help us to know the specifics of the charge offs and what, if any reasons Orchard gave you for the denial.
You can also try Capital One, I have been reading here that they have secured cards again, you can go to this website to see if you are preapproved (they only pull a soft inquiry, only you will see the inquiry, no other creditor will see it)
https://cardfinder.capitalone.com/CapOne/findMyOffer.do?ex=R&pr=&id=&tg=39&pnt=ZZZZ00ZZZZZZZZZZZZZZ&ch=UNS&wtg=01

Umm okay...I've only had credit for a few years (3, actually), and I really messed it up. I recently had 3 chargeoffs in the past year (is that alot) because I just finished school and I didn't have a job until now. No, Orchard did not provide a reason for the denial (should I call and ask?), and I don't think it was the debt to income ratio; I make around $36,000 a year (not a lot at all! LOL!) but I only have $2,000 in revolving debt, and around $18,000 in student loans, which I pay on time. Do my student loans matter in a credit card decision? I didn't think they did.

Orchard Bank is for people with bad credit, it doesn't matter if you have Orchard Bank credit card, they look at your credit report.

Capital One's website indicates that it can be as low as $200 and as high as $3000. Each bank and credit union is different. Usually it is a minimum of $300 and a max of $5000.

I hate to sound like a cheerleader for GE Money but I think we all know they are a FICO lender, maybe that may be an option?

How much is the required deposit?

Capital One's website indicates that it can be as low as $200 and as high as $3000. Each bank and credit union is different. Usually it is a minimum of $300 and a max of $5000.

A secured card will require you to put a deposit into an account at a bank or credit union. The bank or credit union holds those funds until they determine if the account can be unsecured.

How much is the required deposit?

Okay, I didn't think it was this bad, but today, after reading all the reviews stating that it was a good starter card, I went ahead and applied for the Orchard MasterCard and I couldn't even get that!! My scores aren't as low as some people I've read on here, they are all in the 560 range an I've read people who had rates in the 400's get this card; what gives? I am really discouraged; has anybody else had this happened to them? Where did you go from there? I should mention that I have 4 charge-off's on my reports, but I am current on my 3 student loans and I literally have only $2,038 worth of debt. Am I that bad?

People get too hung up on FICO scores. There are other factors. How old are your charge offs? Do you have a lot of recent inquiries? Did Orchard give you a reason for the decline? They are required by law to provide you with the reasons for denial. It could be that the charge offs are too recent or that your total debt may be too large relative to your income.

Don't get discouraged. Your best bet may be to try to get a secured card. A secured card will require you to put a deposit into an account at a bank or credit union. The bank or credit union holds those funds until they determine if the account can be unsecured. Secured cards are not guaranteed for approval either. It would help us to know the specifics of the charge offs and what, if any reasons Orchard gave you for the denial.
You can also try Capital One, I have been reading here that they have secured cards again, you can go to this website to see if you are preapproved (they only pull a soft inquiry, only you will see the inquiry, no other creditor will see it)
https://cardfinder.capitalone.com/CapOne/findMyOffer.do?ex=R&pr=&id=&tg=39&pnt=ZZZZ00ZZZZZZZZZZZZZZ&ch=UNS&wtg=01

Okay, I didn't think it was this bad, but today, after reading all the reviews stating that it was a good starter card, I went ahead and applied for the Orchard MasterCard and I couldn't even get that!! My scores aren't as low as some people I've read on here, they are all in the 560 range an I've read people who had rates in the 400's get this card; what gives? I am really discouraged; has anybody else had this happened to them? Where did you go from there? I should mention that I have 4 charge-off's on my reports, but I am current on my 3 student loans and I literally have only $2,038 worth of debt. Am I that bad?

I was looking at my equifax report, and my credit cards all show as type revolving, but a store card i have for the buckle says charge account for type. i know it says that because it is a store card, but is that helping with my mix of credit points because it reports that way?

If it reports as an R1 then regardless of "charge" or "credit card" it is still being reported as a revolving account. If it is O1 then it is reporting as an open, or charge account. So no, if R1 it is not helping establish a mix of different credit types. The best mix of credit would be revolving, installment and mortgage.

I was looking at my equifax report, and my credit cards all show as type revolving, but a store card i have for the buckle says charge account for type. i know it says that because it is a store card, but is that helping with my mix of credit points because it reports that way?

I believe they look at your inquiries within the last 12 months.

Some only look at 6 and others look at the full 24. 1t is safe to assume 12 months yes.

Hopefully any creditor that would look at your bureau now would see that those are about to fall off. I think most creditors look more at the inquiries in the past six months more than anything.

I believe they look at your inquiries within the last 12 months.

Transunion suddenly found two more credit card inquires back to 2008 and applied them to my CR. Of course the hits sent me reeling. Why? It spills over to other CB's. It seems (real or otherwise) that things seem to happen at one CB and then all of a sudden at the other CB.

Here is one for the books, Wells Fargo Bank NA (my mother and father) feels it is there mission and responsibility to keep the credit bureaus up to date (as they see it) and informs the credit bureau of my address change as soon as I changed my checks. When did they become my mother and father? I closed ALL my relationships with Wells Fargo Bank NA as there are enough strange happening's in today's credit world without them and there strange policies.

I was rapped by Wells Fargo Bank NA for too many inquiries on my CR and they were eight of them since October 2008. Go figure!

Hopefully any creditor that would look at your bureau now would see that those are about to fall off. I think most creditors look more at the inquiries in the past six months more than anything.