What's the best student credit card?

First, good for you for being proactive about building your credit! This is the best time for you to be learning how to use a credit card responsibly so you can have a solid, positive credit history when you enter the working world.

When choosing a student credit card, first ask yourself what you want to get out of the card. Obviously, your main objective is to strengthen your credit because no credit is pretty much the same as bad credit. Do you want cash back? If so, make sure you choose a card that matches your spending habits. For instance, the mtvU Platinum Select Student Credit Card rewards you with 5 ThankYou Points per $1 spent at the movies, restaurants, record stores, and bookstores; use these points to earn travel, merchandise, and more. If you'd rather have cash back with each transaction, the Discover Student Tropical Beach Credit Card rewards you with up to 5% in cashback for purchases made in certain categories, such as movie theatres, apparel, and more.

If you care more about saving money, some cards offer you rate discounts when you pay your bills on time, such as the Citi Forward Student Card. The Discover Student Clear card gives you up to 5% cash back and no interest on purchases for an introductory period!

Many of these cards also throw in an introductory rate of 0% on purchases and balance transfers for a period of time. Make sure you take advantage of the 0% interest only if you are able to pay it off when the introductory period ends.

Take a few minutes to browse through our expert recommendations for Student Credit Cards.