It’s important for all students to build a solid foundation in managing their finances, said Sara Wilson, director of product innovation at Student Connections, an organization that helps students overcome financial barriers. College is the perfect time to start building your credit score, said Courtney Alev, consumer financial advocate at Credit Karma. “College is an ideal time to start building a credit report, because the earlier you start, the more time you have for that credit to build and then work in your favor when you eventually need it, whether it’s for a loan or an apartment,” Alev said.