abhi91

Hey guys,

Excited to be part of the community. I know the basics about reward credit cards, but I want to plan out my subsequent strategy carefully. I am a grad student and i have found out that my program allows payment of tution with a credit card for free. Obviously this is a gold mine to hit minimum spend.

I wanted to ask what strategies should I use to maximize this? which cards should i get and in which order. I have just been approved for a CSR and will PC my CSP to an FU. Therefore I am way under 5/24. (currently at 1/24). I also have a Citi Preferred which i want to PC (already paid the AF, oof). I will be making sure to ask the university if i can pay the bill over multiple cards so i can hit the spend of 2 or more. my tuition is at 10k a quarter. Only Visa and Mastercards.

I plan to travelling frequently to Singapore, which is why i got the CSP and freedom along with the citi preferred.

Thanks a lot guys.

WorldLux

First off, it might get difficult to find a credit card issuer that allows a student those kinds of limits. But yes: If they allow you to pay for your tuition (I expect in to be in the several Ks) by card, that's a good way to start collecting points/miles.

MSPeconomist

OP has stated that the tuition is $10,000 per quarter.

abhi91

yeah its 10k a quarter. I already have the CSR(going to hit the minimum spend this quarter) CSP Freedom. I wanted to see what else I should churn.

beckoa

Welcome to Flyertalk abhi91.

As you're asking about what Credit Card to get, we'll move your post to the Credit Card forum.

~beckoa, co-moderator Information Desk

abhi91

Thanks mod!

So i am being reviewed for Chase Ink +, but i think i may be 6/24. 4 of my accounts are expiring in 6 months and i need to get the card soon to pay my tuiton soon. Should I call recon?

Preacher7

I manage a team of credit card churners. There are 8 of us in the U.S. and 7 of us in Canada. That's where the multiples of the same cards come in. On average, in the past 3 years, we have each gotten about 1 new card a month.

BoeingOrNotGoing

manage a team of churners?? what is the benefit for your team members unless u are floating their credit line or something? and your $6k haul describe earlier doesnt seem as good split 15 ways. I assume thats why u had to get those af's reimbursed.

viking737

Do the Ivy League schools accept credit cards?

budblab

Harvard does not. No experience with the others.

Preacher7

Well, the dust has settled on this semester's tuition payments, and once again we made out like bandits! Remember, our University takes CC with no surcharges. I have 3 boys at school. $27,000 in tuition, room and board got all of these sign up bonuses on 11 new credit cards (This is just for the Spring semester):

6 Citi Hilton Visa cards, 75K for 2K spend = 474K Hilton points
1 Citi AA Plat card, 60K for 3K spend = 63K AA miles
4 Chase Marriott Biz cards, 70K for 3K spend (no-af app) = $292K Marriott points

Total: 829K miles/points, no annual fees

If fair market value on Hilton points is about 0.5 cpp, that's $2370 of value. If fair market value of AA miles is 2 cpp, that's $1260 of value. If fair market value of Marriott points is 0.8 cpp, that's $2330, for a total of $5960 in fair market value. I get way more out of those points than that typically, but we'll just leave it at that. $5960 out of $27K is a 22% return on tuition fees--not bad for spend that had to be made anyway...

Plus, I've already cashed in 270K of those Marriott points for 120K Southwest points, a 7 night Marriott stay and the Companion Pass!

Another great haul!

travelis

Hi, I am new to this thread. I have recently learned that my school accepts credit card with no fees. However, I am not sure if I can use this to collect points. My student aid (federal loans) are automatically paid to the school and I only get a refund of whatever is left after the tuition has been paid. Is there anyway for me to collect the entire student aid first, and then use my credit card to pay my tuition (and use the aid money to pay off that credit card)?

Preacher7

I'm PMing you right now...

mikesyr18

I too would like your information on this.