There are two major credit analytics companies that calculate your credit scores: Fair Isaac Corp., commonly known as FICO, and VantageScore.
According to Shawn Lane, co-founder and chief operating officer of credit repair company Financial Renovation Solutions Inc., FICO needs:
One tradeline, also known as a credit account, that has reported in the past six months.
One tradeline older than six months.
Bad credit is the result of mishandling credit and earning negative marks on your credit reports.
The FICO scoring model, for instance, ranges between 300 and 850.
In both cases, you may need to find a cosigner that can help you out or look for other solutions to build your credit.
You have not borrowed money in the past.
If you have utilities in your name or you have been renting an apartment you can use these things to show that you are reliable and make your payments on time.
Make your payments on time each month, and try to pay the loan off early.
If you do take out a loan make sure you handle it responsibly because poor decisions can make it even harder to get a loan than having no credit at all.
They will be responsible and their credit score can be hurt if you make a mistake.