How can I quickly improve my credit score before applying for a loan?

The fastest credit score improvements typically come from: paying down revolving credit card balances (reducing credit utilization below 30%, ideally below 10%); disputing and correcting errors on your credit report; becoming an authorized user on a family member's old, well-managed account; asking for a goodwill deletion of a single late payment from an otherwise clean record; and avoiding new credit applications in the months before your loan application. Payment history and credit utilization together account for 65% of your FICO score. Even a 20–40 point improvement can move you into a better rate tier and save thousands over the life of a loan.