What is a FICO score?

Is a FICO score just another way of saying your "credit" score? And if that's the case, is it correct to say "My Transunion FICO score is ______"?

Public Comments

1. FICO stands for Fair Isaac Corporation. They're based out of Chicago, and they worked with GMAC years ago on a very complex algorithm to determine a credit rating. The three credit rating companies have their own algorithm, so you have 3 credit scores, but only one FICO score. If you run all 3 credit scoring companies on the same day you'll get a different score out of all of them.
2. It is on of the companies that make up you credit score. There are three companies. Most places only us one or two of you scores. You will have to ask the place that you are getting the loan from which company they pull you score from. There sometime can be a noticeable difference between the difference scores. It is very complex to understand why they are all different.
3. I don't know but I asked this lady the same question when I went to apply for an apartment (Co-op) and she explained to me that your FICO score is pretty much the same as your credit score(s) except that the FICO focuses more on the length of your employment.