Analyzing a Credit Report and Score

In this personal Finance Activity students will use Mint, a real-world personal finance app, to follow Isaiah throughout the year and learn about credit reports and scores.

For students to be able to access Mint successfully, they must use the same computer or device every time they access Mint. Otherwise, they will be forced to re-create a new account. Paid advertisements appear in Intuit Mint. The Council for Economic Education does not endorse or evaluate the advertised product, service, or company, nor any of the claims made by the advertisement.

Prior to introducing students to Mint, we recommend teachers read through the Curriculum Overview (Section 1) to get acquainted with each activity and complete the Curriculum Orientation (section 2) before having your students complete Curriculum Orientation and the Intro Activity. This simulation is a hand-on activity that lets students shop for a credit card online, evaluating various offers. Before starting the Mint activity, students should know the following:

• The definition and concept of credit.
• Companies (such as Trans Union) monitor consumers’ credit and keep a permanent file.
• That creditors analyze credit worthiness before lending money.

Students will do the following in this activity:

1. Go to Mint or Mint.com.
2. Log on using directions to access Mint as the fictional user Scott.

Upon logging into Mint:

1. Direct students from the Dashboard to the Ways to Save tab.

• • A credit card icon and menu appear by default. Students need to access this section.
  • To complete some questions, students will be asked to select a credit card offer.
  • Doing so will direct the students out of Mint to the credit card’s website.

• Students will complete questions on the Analyzing a Credit Report and Score Activity. Additionally, the following reflection question is given to conclude and asses the students knowledge.
• Analyzing Credit Report and Score

Curriculum Overview (section 1)

Curriculum Orientation (section 2)

Student Activities (Section 3)

Analyzing a Credit Report and Score Activity

Analyzing Credit Report and Score

Mint Answer Keys

Intro and Logging in to Mint Video

Mint Credit Report and Score Video