The U.S. Department of Homeland Security recently labeled anyone opposed to big government a contributor to “right wing extremism.” After reading Geoff Skelley’s column (“Obama Tea Party, 4/16/2009), I do not think it is too far-flung to assume that Skelley would agree. As a conservative and a viewer of the Fox News Channel, I will concede that Mr. Skelley is entitled to his opinion that Fox News caters to an extreme right-wing audience. However, I must firmly take issue with Mr. Skelley regarding his assertion that “the wing-nut appeals of many Fox News contributors are unattractive to the great majority of Americans.” I would point Mr. Skelley to the cable news ratings for tax day, in which the six most-watched cable news shows all aired on the Fox News Channel. That day, Fox had more viewers than the other three cable news channels combined. In fact, Fox has been the most watched cable news channel for the past 87 months. For such an unattractive handful of people, those wing nuts certainly do draw a large crowd.

The successful Rascal Flatts trio takes no new risks in their recently released album, Unstoppable. The album has that same country/rock/pop feel featured on the group’s previous albums, and it is this combination of genres along with the powerful, unique vocals of front man Gary LeVox that factor into the band’s continued success since the release of its 2000 debut.

While the group has certainly grown throughout the years in terms of the members’ own personal strengths as musicians and their ability to mesh together to create an ever-pleasing sound to almost any listener, they fail to produce a wide variety of songs.

Instead, the trio tends to create either happy and upbeat or sad and slow songs, which make the listener either want to joyously shout out all the lyrics or just sit alone and listen to the painful heartache that is continually expressed through slow-paced, melancholic songs about the suffering of lost love. “She’d Be California” and “Summer Nights” from Unstoppable, for instance, can be categorized with the ever-popular celebratory songs such as “Fast Cars and Freedom” from Feels Like Today (2004) or “Love You Out loud” from Melt (2002). “Things That Matter” and “Why,” on the other hand, can be associated with slower songs like “While You Loved Me” from their first, self-titled album. The stories about painful love that these slower songs attempt to address can really be felt through LeVox’s immensely powerful vocals. There is no denying that when he sings, LeVox pours all of his heart and soul into his voice, convincing almost any listener that he is genuinely struggling through the pains of love.

Rascal Flatts has improved musically throughout the years, both in terms of their instrumental technique and overall ability to create a compelling, unified voice. The group’s nomination as the Academy of Country Music’s and Country Music Association’s top vocal group since 2003 illustrates how immensely important the strength of LeVox’s vocals are for the trio. Though Jay DeMarcus (bass guitar, keyboards, vocals) and Joe Don Rooney (lead guitar, vocals) definitely play a large role in the band’s success, it is LeVox’s voice that truly gives Rascal Flatts a presence within the music industry. Whether you are a fan or not, when you hear the beautiful, harmonic sound of LeVox’s emotionally-drenched vocals mixed with a country twang, there’s no question in your mind as to whether you are listening to Rascal Flatts.

And while Unstoppable may sound like other Rascal Flatts albums, it is pure gold to those die-hard fans that would most likely be disappointed if the trio attempted anything besides sweet love songs and summer hits. So, don’t expect something new and different to come from Rascal Flatts’ newest and very popular album. Because of the trio’s undying fame and multi-platinum streak of records, the group finds no reason to change direction on Unstoppable. Thus, (if you are a fan) be assured that Rascal Flatts has continued to produce the same style of music, only attempting to further perfect their sound to better bring out LeVox’s distinct voice.

If Paul Blart: Mall Cop was supposed to be the sugar-coated, ridiculous take of what is commonly considered the least respected law official, Observe and Report was supposed to be the edgy, hilarious portrait of a mall security officer who takes himself and his job too seriously. Writer-director Jody Hill sets the bar pretty high and expects some major laughs, yet achieves almost none. Though most expect star Seth Rogen to shine no matter the screenplay, his spark is not even enough to turn a terrible script into a decent movie.

The story centers around Ronnie Barnhardt (Rogen), the head of mall security who’s convinced his job entails much more responsibilities than it actually requires. Backed up by his “infantry” of other security officers that probably know full well that Ronnie is off his rocker but still let him lead blindly, he spends most of the film hunting down the mall flasher. When Ronnie feels that his job is being threatened by a hot-shot detective, played by Ray Liotta, he crashes and burns in a downward spiral as his obsession with protecting the mall at all costs grows.

Rogen’s performance is only mildly entertaining at best and somewhat disturbing at worst. The rest of the ensemble is not much better: Anna Faris as Brandi reverts to her typical, over-the-top ditz routine and Liotta is still banking on his Goodfellas persona. The “infantry” of security officers (Michael Peña and John and Matt Yuan) are either awkward or annoying, but consistently not funny. The only likeable character is Nell (Collette Wolfe), an adorable employee of the mall with an obvious affection for Ronnie.

The plot of the film is mostly unclear. Multiple times the viewer is left scratching his head, wondering what’s going on and what’s the point. The plot also lacks a central focus — no light at the end of the tunnel. Everything unfolds in a hodgepodge fashion that could have been entertaining if the actual events happening were funny or enjoyable to watch. Most of the time, the action elicits an uncomfortable, even repulsed response, punctuated by only a few — and it really is only a few — comedic moments.

The most disconcerting part of Observe and Report is the light and airy handling of the character of Ronnie. Hill was likely going for the depiction of a pathetic, but likeable guy who is intensely earnest in his protection of the mall, a job most consider not too serious. The film, however, seems much more like an unsympathetic dissection of mental illness. Ronnie is obviously deluded and everyone around him knows, but doesn’t seem to care enough to say anything. Instead of laughing at his illusions of grandeur, the audience just feels sorry for him. Also, the fact that the story seems to return to the status quo at the end is not uplifting — it’s depressing.

Who knows what Rogen was thinking when he signed on for this project? For his first real shot at carrying a movie, he picked one that does absolutely no justice to his gifted sense of humor. Observe and Report simply flops and it shows that it was not fully thought through. The acting is weak and safe, and the plot is a bunch of random events thrown together and jumbled up in a mostly disappointing and unpleasing attempt at a comedy.

Anyone who has ever played darts knows that hitting the bull’s eye is a rare event, and the only thing that can truly better your chances is increasing the number of darts you have to throw. It can become tedious, throw after throw, coming close, but never hitting the mark. Albums are not immune to this scenario, always approaching greatness but never really reaching it. Pint-sized British rapper Lady Sovereign suffers from this phenomenon on her second album, Jigsaw. Most well known for her 2006 sleeper hit, “Love Me or Hate Me,” the Lady fails to recreate the effortless cleverness of her first hit, but it’s not all a drag.

As with many sophomore albums, this rapper experiences an array of emotions throughout the whole affair that creates an atmosphere of ambiguity by the time the whole thing ends. That much is obvious with the first single, “So Human,” a playful ode to bad days, which samples “Close to Me” by The Cure. Its theme of dealing with the curveballs that life throws at us is more than relatable, and the song works because the music serves as a great contrast to the subject matter.

The guitar-driven “Jigsaw” exemplifies the tone of the album best, as Lady Sov asks, “My heart is like a jigsaw puzzle … / Can you figure it out?” It’s almost jarring to hear the girl who used to proclaim, “Love me or hate me, it’s still an obsession!” Everyone has his or her vulnerable moments, but it seems to come unnaturally for Lady Sov, and that hampers parts of the album, even if the music is strong.

Where the album easily succeeds is when the Lady throws away her concerns about being human and instead boasts about her ability to create music that is like nothing else. When I put the album into my iTunes library, the genre had been set as “Unclassifiable,” and it’s that kind of undeniable cleverness that makes the self-proclaimed “biggest midget in the game” worth a listen.

Songs like “Bang Bang,” “I Got You Dancing” and “Pennies” prove to be the most exciting for their ability to combine the rapper’s trademark humor, rapid-fire rhyming and knack for intricate melodies. “Bang Bang” is a huge electro-tinged number with a huge chorus full of irresistible boasts. On “I Got You Dancing”, Lady Sov borrows Kanye West’s autotune machine from 808s and Heartbreaks to create huge dance floor anthem for techno houses around the country. It might not be the most original song, but somehow Lady Sov makes it sound brand new.

The stand out track, “Pennies,” finds the Lady reuniting with hit-maker Dr. Luke (Katy Perry, Flo Rida) to craft what is on the one hand, a brilliant ode to independence, and on the other, a searing criticism of the record industry. Very few people hold the right to sing about fame and the experiences it brings, but the Lady gets away with it. The production is layered, detailed and as hard as something you might expect to find on the new Nas album, but never overwhelming, allowing the Sov to be the real hero, or villain, depending on your view.

It’s unfortunate then, that once you hear a track that shows how great the album could have been, you are saddled with so many tracks that miss the bull’s eye. Even running at a lightning fast time of 35 minutes, there are times where the album’s end cannot come fast enough.

Ah, the glamorous life of working in a restaurant. Dressed to kill in a neon yellow shirt. Serving Americans-pretending-to-be-foreigners so they can get away with leaving a bad tip. Singing cheesy birthday songs to prepubescents who burst into tears the moment a mass-produced, artificially-flavored slice of ice cream cake plops down on their cheap leather booth. Yep, it’s the life displayed in Waiting… — an irreverent, hilarious comedy that follows in the tradition of cult hits like Clerks and Slackers.

Even though Waiting… was released almost four years ago, I had seen only bits and pieces of it. It was a lazy (Easter) Sunday, though, and I was watching Comedy Central — what else? — with a Cavalier Daily article deadline looming. Plus, I’ve always wanted to try my hand as a waiter. With no summer internships on the horizon yet, it might be a good job to look into. That is, if I don’t get stuck working at Shenaniganz, the Applebee’s/Ruby Tuesday-esque restaurant portrayed in Waiting… Not surprisingly, first-time writer and director Rob McKittrick got his inspiration for the film while working at the sublime haven known as T.G.I. Friday’s.

Working in a restaurant with such a cast of characters would be a riot, though. The film spans an entire day at Shenaniganz, where we meet all of the degenerates within its walls. Leading the pack of slackers is bronzed and beautiful Monty (Ryan Reynolds), whose quick wit charms fragile old ladies and tank-top clad, chain-smoking high school juniors alike. Monty is in charge of training newly hired, baby-faced waiter Mitch (John Francis Daley), who is consistently both shell-shocked and never allowed to get a word in edgewise throughout his first day at the restaurant. Monty’s antithesis is Dean (Justin Long), who has been waiting since his high school graduation and has dreams of bigger and better things — dreams that don’t include becoming Shenaniganz’ assistant manager. Foul-mouthed Serena (Anna Faris), hothead Naomi (Alanna Ubach) and Dean’s girlfriend Amy (Kaitlin Doubleday) round out the rest of the wait staff, along with the neurotic freak of nature Calvin (Rob Benedict), who is psychologically incapable of urinating.

Part of Waiting…’s fun is that this diverse cast is not only perpetually funny, but also easily recognizable. Reynolds (Van Wilder), Long (Dodgeball) and Faris (all of the Scary Movies) are the film’s biggest faces. Fans of Freaks and Geeks will remember Daly, who has grown enormously since his TV days, and those of you who have seen The Brady Bunch Movie will pinpoint Ubach as Marcia’s sycophantic friend Noreen. Additionally, Dane Cook plays a crazy chef, Andy Milonakis stars as a doped-up busboy and David Koechner (Champ from Anchorman, Todd Packer on The Office) is the clueless Shenaniganz manager. Just like successful Ferrell or Sandler comedies, Waiting… employs the use of a lot of familiar faces. And, just like those comedies, it pays off — the clash between psychotic cooks, promiscuous bartenders and the lackadaisical wait staff is Waiting…’s blue plate special.

Not to say this detracts from the film’s simple yet engrossing plot — the cast’s chemistry enhances it. Monty’s ridiculous one-liners act as a good foil against Dean’s bubbling frustration, and Mitch’s blank slate throughout the day is erased in a scene at the end of the film, during which he calls out every member of the restaurant in a rare and entertaining show of rage. Former or current restaurant employees will find the revenge that the kitchen staff exerts on a plate of steak and mashed potatoes as therapeutic, while the more immature among us will enjoy the male staff’s “penis showing game” (beware of “The Goat”). Waiting… also makes the most of what its plot offers up without going overboard, clocking in at a timely 94 minutes.

My film class professor this semester said a good film reviewer is one that discusses topics like motifs, camera angles and musical score — not extractable items like the plot and characters. But to be honest, Waiting… is not exactly, well, deep. It is an enjoyable, sidesplitting way to spend an hour and a half on a Sunday, kicking back and basking in the knowledge that you do not have a five-hour shift at Shenaniganz later that night.

I wasn’t expecting much when I picked up Genesis by Bernard Beckett. Originally published in 2006 in New Zealand, the novel won the New Zealand Post Book Award for Children and Young Adults and recently made its way to the United States, where it was republished by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt. The American version will be released April 20 and has already been selected as one of the best books of April 2009 by Amazon.com.

The premise of the story is not a particularly original one. Anaximander, the novel’s protagonist, is a student who wants to be accepted into the Academy, which makes her relatable to current teenagers who feel the pressure of getting into a certain university or college.

The Academy, however, is a bit different from a traditional college. Instead of instructing students, the Academy is a governing body more than anything else and is responsible for creating and sustaining society.

In Genesis, we enter a futuristic society called the Republic, a tightly controlled, technologically advanced state in which people scan each other electronically in place of traditional greetings and in which holograms are commonplace. Through Anaximander’s examination, the reader learns about the Republic’s history and how it came to be. There are glimpses of the past — Anaximander mentions the U.S. invasion of Iraq and economic relations with China. There are references to “the independence riots of 2047” or “the dust storms of 2041” that give us a sense of the time frame, although we do not know for sure exactly when the novel is taking place.

Instead of writing the novel in traditional paragraphs, Beckett opts instead to write the novel as if it is a transcript, occasionally writing blocks of text describing how the protagonist is feeling. He usually confines himself, however, to recording the spoken words without description. This ambiguity is perhaps one of the most effective tools Beckett uses. There is hardly any setting or physical description and one gets the sense that the words are being spoken in oblivion, and that the ideas expressed by the novel can transcend any physical boundaries.

There’s a sort of power to this lack of filtering, and while the style takes a while to get used to, the novel picks up pace and never loses the tension and tautness that compels the reader to keep flipping the page. Although I at first did not understand why this novel was slated as a “thriller,” the description is accurate. I felt compelled to keep reading, and the ending came to my complete and utter surprise.

The central theme throughout the novel is whether artificial intelligence can achieve the human capacities of emotion, reason, and thinking. This idea, a favorite topic of great science fiction writers like Isaac Asimov, is not a new one. Movies such as I, Robot or Artificial Intelligence: AI explore the possibility of inorganic life and its consequences. Beckett’s novel, however, proves surprisingly original and takes a stance on the subject that is both refreshing and startlingly disturbing. Instead of focusing on the clichés of emotion, he focuses on the power of ideas and how they can cross the boundaries between man and machine. There is not a single moment in the novel that is sentimental or unreal, despite the science fiction aspects, and Beckett does a fantastic job creating a realistic and likeable character while using her to explain his utopian society.

In sum, Genesis is the best novel I have read so far this year. At a slim 144 pages, it is a quick and simple read. Nonetheless, it had a profound impact on me, challenging me to think about the power of ideas in a way I never have before.

Hip-hop fans across the nation soon will be shocked by America’s next great rapper — Kid Cudi. This Cleveland native already has added to the impressive list of Midwest hip-hop stars and will go way above and beyond his peers come the release of his debut album, Man on the Moon: The Guardians.

Cudi already has gained awareness in the hip-hop community for his single “Day ‘n’ Nite,” which peaked on Billboard’s list of “Hot 100” at No. 7. Prior to that in 2008, he impressed a lot of people with the release of his first mix tape, A Kid Named Cudi.

Kid Cudi is signed to Kanye West’s record label G.O.O.D. Music, and to the more widely known Universal Motown Records. In an interview, Kid Cudi referred to his relationship with Kanye West as “a blessing,” comparing it to one he would have with an older brother.

Like Kanye, Pharrell and a number of other rappers who have been brought to the public eye for both their musical talent and fashion awareness, Kid Cudi has a strong passion for clothing, sneakers and all that is hot. Before rapping, he worked for New York City’s A Bathing Ape brand, a well-respected sneaker and clothing manufacturer in the hip-hop community. Similarly, A Kid Named Cudi was officially sponsored by 10.Deep, one of the nation’s top distributors and producers of hip-hop clothing. His keen sense of style and ability to set trends in the world of fashion has added to the appeal of his hip-hop persona.

Cudi has scheduled for Man on the Moon: The Guardians to be released in stores and on iTunes at the end of this summer. Fortunately for us, the majority of the confirmed tracks have already been leaked on the Internet. Cudi will release “Switchin’ Lanes” as the second single off the album, following “Day ‘n’ Night,” which failed to show Cudi’s lyrical talent. In “Switchin’ Lanes”, he raps to a crazy, high-energy beat, creating a great track for both cruising and clubbing.

Cudi definitely could have done a better job at selecting his singles. For example, “I Poke Her Face” — which can be heard on tableau’s blog — is an extremely catchy and well-done track taken off of a hook from Lady Gaga’s “Poker Face.” Also, “Look Up in Da Stars,” which features another up-and-coming lyricist, Wale, received a lot of hype when it was leaked about two weeks ago. But I guess this just gives us more reason to be excited for the album’s release.

I look forward to seeing what will become of Kid Cudi as hip-hop enters a new era of cool. With Lupe Fiasco hinting at retirement and Kanye West focusing his attention away from music, I believe there is a lot of room for Kid Cudi in the world of hip-hop. For a guy who has yet to release an official album, he has done a lot to impress me, not to mention an entire world of hip-hop fans and fashionistas. Having hit Billboard’s top 10 and sparked a lot of hype in the world of pop culture — all before making an official debut in music — Kid Cudi is on track to shatter the records set by his predecessors and redefine what it means to be cool.

In April 1969, The Beatles began work on Abbey Road, the final album they began production on and the second to last album that they released. Forty years later, the album remains one of the most acclaimed in the entire annals of rock and roll. Rolling Stone ranked it as the 14th greatest album of all time a few years ago, and it sits among the top of various online fan-voted album rankings.

It’s not hard to tell why the album is so beloved. Ignoring the bizarre, somewhat failed experiment that is Let It Be, Abbey Road is the band’s swan song and a fitting summary of everything that made the band great in the first place. From a deep debt to early R&B (“Oh! Darling”), to groundbreaking sonic textures (“Come Together”), to pulsing, bright hooks (“Here Comes the Sun”), to an almost kitschy use of chamber pop (“Maxwell’s Silver Hammer”) — and, most importantly, the fusion of all of these elements into a distinct sound — Abbey Road bears the marks of golden Beatles.

The album has its own flavor and breakthrough, though, like each of their best albums do. Here, it’s the use of blues guitar that was barely hinted at on The White Album. The band’s infatuation with blues is pretty apparent. Not only has the group borrowed some of the textures, but compositions like “I Want You (She’s So Heavy)” are not far-removed from the genre.

Abbey Road features the slickest production of The Beatles discography, with producer George Martin catalyzing the band members’ disparate sounds and styles into the work of a balanced group which brings out the best in each of its members. In particular, George Harrison’s work stands out, from the pervasive guitar work to the two strongest compositions on the album: “Something” and “Here Comes the Sun”.

It may be strange that The Beatles’ most unified album of the final leg of their career is sandwiched between their two most fractured albums, Let It Be and The White Album. Chalk it up to the album’s mission statement, as declared by Paul McCartney: The four wanted to make a record “just like the old days … just like we used to,” before internal strife consumed the band.

It’s a noble gesture on the band’s part, but also calls out the biggest weakness of the album. Abbey Road is a great album by a great band but somehow it lacks heart. It all seems a bit cold and calculated at times, as if the four went down a checklist of requirements for a masterpiece. To be sure, The Beatles are talented enough that the product of this approach is inspired and leaves a stunning first impression.

Forty years later, though, the cracks start to show. Abbey Road is not as sprawling as The White Album. It’s not as intoxicating as Sgt. Pepper’s, nor as dizzying as Revolver. Never does it flirt with the sublime or the perfect the way that Rubber Soul does for the better portion of its playtime. In comparison to The Beatles’ real masterpieces, Abbey Road is a bit soulless and disposable.

Second-tier Beatles music is still Beatles music, though. The incredible production, the simulated feeling of band alignment and, especially, the jaw-dropping vocal harmonies forgive the album of many of its flaws. Warts and all, Abbey Road is truly a classic and a worthy entry in anyone’s music collection.

English indie rockers Doves have publicly compared the creation of their fourth studio album to therapy, and they seem to be right in their description. With the repetition of pleasing tones and overall poignant aimlessness of each track, there is indeed something therapeutic about listening to it.

Simultaneously, therapy can sometimes be just plain boring. Kingdom of Rust is nothing disagreeable to the ears, but it doesn’t exactly contain revolutionary rock or the next dance hits either. What the band has put forth — highly repetitive tracks that do not make many sudden changes — is easy to doze off to. But, like subconscious twitches in a period of deep sleep, Kingdom of Rust livens up briefly at moments to keep you listening.

The album opens sounding not unlike an airplane takeoff in “Jetstream.” The five and a half minute track introduces a contagious riff dipped in electronica. It also readies the listener for many more tracks of similar length — Doves are not exactly terse.

The album’s title track is a standard indie-folk composition. Doves borrow common conventions in their lyricism: “The road back to Preston / Was jutted out in snow / As I went looking / For that stolen heart / For you.” The simplicity adds to the mesmerizing nature of the album.

Do not be fooled by the title, “Winter Hill,” which sounds like it could be a Coldplay track. This one borrows from classic rock (you know the way those songs never seem to end), and yet somehow also employs flutes. The lyrics are so free of frills that the song almost sounds like a bad translation of something foreign: “Wherever you go, you will return safe / And when you will walk, you’ll be walking with me / But if comes the day, you meet someone new / You will be with them, but I’ll be thinking of you.”

The standout track likely is “10-03” — a pretty, vocals-heavy track. It sounds, at times, as if it could be sung during an epic vigil, but it eventually breaks down instrumentally and arguably derails.

“Compulsion” sports a hot 80s bassline and emits overall David Byrne (Talking Heads) vibes. It still isn’t terribly exciting, though. If anyone slept in the 80s, it was probably to this.

All in all, Kingdom of Rust is not a terrible addition to Doves’ discography. It may be a bit snooze-inducing, but it’s certainly relaxing and not at all grating.

Good credit scores may not be a priority for some University students, who may be more concerned with good test scores instead. In fact, for several students, credit scores represent unknown territory.

“I do not know much about credit scores,” second-year College student Michael Do said. “I would probably just ask my parents to find out.”

Despite their unfamiliarity, credit scores affect students in a myriad of ways. Fourth-year students preparing for life after graduation should keep in mind that employers, especially in the financial services industry, are interested in job applicants’ credit scores, fourth-year Commerce student Brendan Dawson said.

This does not mean that graduating students continuing their education instead of getting a job immediately do not have to be concerned, however. Credit scores are also used for the bar exam and graduate school. “You can’t sit for the bar exam if your credit history is a mess,” Personal Finance Prof. Karin Bonding said.

It is not only graduating students that must think about credit scores though, as credit scores can affect insurance premiums as well, according to the Federal Trade Commission’s Web site. “The insurance premiums [that] students are paying on cars, on houses, on medical, are all based on credit scores,” Bonding said.

There actually are several types of credit scores, but the most popular score is the FICO. Lending institutions usually ask for more information than just the FICO score, but it is arguably one of the largest components of an institution’s decision to give a loan. With the current FICO system, a score between 760 and 850 is considered perfect credit, Bonding said.

Although one can refuse to provide credit information in some cases, students nevertheless should be aware of how to establish and maintain a good credit score. But a good credit score can often be elusive because some of what goes into the FICO score is murky.

“We don’t know some of those details,” Bonding said. “I usually tell my students [that] it’s a bit like the Coca-Cola formula. It’s a secret because they like to keep it that way, and because the less they divulge, obviously, the more they can fiddle with those scores.”

Bonding noted, however, that there are some basic principles that students can follow. One principle is paying credit card bills promptly because FICO scores will be negatively affected if any payments are missed or made late.

“I pay down my credit card immediately,” second-year College student William Butler said, “so there is no lag time or late payments.”

This may be easy for some students, but missing one payment can drastically decrease a credit score by as much as 50 points. Even if students can only pay the minimum amount due at the time, Bonding emphasized that students should “always pay in full if at all possible, and within six months, you should see a better score.”

If students consistently use too much of their credit line without paying the debt, their credit scores will decrease. Though Bonding said it is acceptable to occasionally spend more than the threshold amount for large purchases, students usually should try to stay below 30 percent of their credit lines.

“Paying [your credit] down and coming back down to a more normal pattern of payment is what you want to do,” Bonding said.

A common pitfall that people run into is when they open multiple credit card accounts to either increase their available credit or to take advantage of store promotions.

“Students quite often get taken in by promotions, and that is one thing that I would say to try to stay away from,” Bonding said, even though promotions are often “very enticing.” Every time one applies for a credit card, a lender checks the applicant’s credit history, which negatively affects the credit score. She suggested students should try to limit the number of credit cards they have to four.

For students who have already opened several credit card accounts, it is unwise to panic and close unused accounts because this also negatively affects one’s credit score. This is especially true if students close older accounts because it will decrease the length of their overall credit history.

As students develop credit history, it is important to obtain a credit report at least once per year to check for mistakes and to track accounts. According to federal law, anyone can have one free credit report per year, from each of the three major credit bureaus (Equifax, TransUnion, and Experian). One also has a right to dispute any discrepancies on one’s credit report. The actual FICO score is not available without paying a fee.

For students who intend to get a loan, however, it may be a smart idea to pay the fee and find out their actual score so they can predict the amount of interest they will have to pay.

Students also should not be concerned that checking their credit history or credit score decreases their credit score. “The myth is that if I check my credit score, or I check my credit report, my score goes down immediately,” Prof. Bonding said. Rather, one’s score only goes down when students are looking to obtain new credit lines, like when one goes to a car dealer for an auto loan, she added.

Maintaining a good FICO score is important, but it is not the determining factor in whether a student will be approved for a loan. Lenders also will look at factors like income, employment and residence. A low FICO score, however, could ruin a student’s chances at getting a loan, whereas a high FICO score will make it more likely for one to take advantage of lower interest rates.