No matter how much you love your school, don't pick a card with its mascot or logo on it for your first credit card.

Chances are, you'll be offered one. Credit card companies sign lucrative contracts with schools to push university-themed cards on campus.

But those official school cards are almost always a poor choice because of their lousy terms and high interest rates.

It seems the colleges are more interested in making money from their credit card deals than protecting their students.

We think that's unconscionable with graduates carrying an average balance of $4,100 on their credit cards, up from $2,900 in 2004.

College students need a card that has:

• No monthly or annual fees.
• Free online access to your account.
• Reasonable interest rates.

Click here to see our picks for the best credit cards for college students.

You'll find cards that meet all of those criteria and charge as little as 11.99% APR after the 0% introductory rate expires.