Bank of America - CampusEdge Checking

Average Score:

•   Perfect for a student low on cash

  I opened this account mainly for buying things online. Being a bit careless I bought something online unaware that I had no money on my account. I called up Bank of America and they forgave the 35 fee. This is mainly because I am a student and they recognize it from my "CampusEdge" account. This has happened several times and my bank has always forgave my overdraft fees. It's a great account to have because they realize you're young and you don't understand money too well...so if you are a bit frivilous with your money, this is the account for you!

  Posted by deaglemck -- Aug. 10, 2009

•   Great Option for Students, Beware of Fees

  This account is a great option for students mainly because it is free and has no . I have usually always had great customer service with this bank. My only negative experience was when I had recieved overdraft charges on my account simply because my check was deposited later than it usually was. Although Bank of America did take off 2 of the 4 charges, it took me about an hour on the phone and having to talk to a supervisor. It was upsetting because I have had Bank of America Accounts for the last 10 years and it was my first time overdrafting. I have heard that they are more lenient with regular checking accounts although I am not sure of this. The only other negative of this bank is that it does often get busy so having to go in and talk to an actual representative can be time consuming. Overall, I would reccomend both this account and bank as long as you can consistently remain on top of what you are spending which you should anyways! :)

  Posted by summer05todie -- Aug. 8, 2009

•   Excellent Account

  I have 2 CampusEdge checking accounts and I think they are the best accounts available. I have had no troubles with them at all. Plus, with Bank of America, you can access your accounts from almost anywhere. They have so many mobile applications to access your accounts from your phone or computer. I love the fact that the account does not expire for 5 years so even if I graduate 2 years from now, the account will still follow me until that 5 years is up. Even when it expires and changes to a regular checking account, I have direct deposit which makes the normal checking account free as well. Bank of America has been completely helpful every step of the way. There is a $25.00 minimum to open the account but that money only has to be in the account overnight. After the account has been fully activated overnight you can take out the money right away. I also love how I was able to choose the image that appears on my debit card. I had a Citizens Bank account and I was stuck with the normal green debit card that they issue to every checking account member. I thoroughly enjoy this account and I would recommend it to any student.

  Posted by pzero24 -- July 29, 2009

•   Good account for students

  I would say that overall I am satisfied with my CampusEdge Checking account from Bank of America. I have had my account for just over a year now after starting school at MIT, a university that has a branch right on campus. I got the account because it was free for students and lasted up to 5 years. I also got it because Bank of America is prevalent throughout New England, unlike the last bank I was using.

  The best things about having this checking account with Bank of America is the sheer number of branches available everywhere you go. It doesn’t matter what town I’m in, as long as I’m in the US I can almost always find an ATM.

  The only bad experience I’ve had with the account thus far has been dealing with the foreign transaction fee. I recently traveled abroad to Great Britain, and a Bank of America employee informed me that if I withdrew money from their partner’s ATM (Barclays Bank), I wouldn’t be charged any fees. Well once I got back home from my trip I discovered that Bank of America had charged me foreign transaction fees, on several occasions. It took 5 customer service representatives to even understand the issue at hand when I called, but finally I was refunded the money. In general though, every service representative I talk to, both in the branches and on the phone is always very friendly and helpful, even if not always knowledgeable.
  

  Posted by homer.tompson -- July 27, 2009

•   I love BOA

  I originally got a Bank of America CampusEdge account because they have a deal with my university (the University of Miami) where they have several ATM locations around campus. One of the reasons I would definitely choose Bank of America over others is the fact that their ATMs take checks without envelopes and cash, and either scan the check, or count the cash, so you can be assured that the deposit will be granted correctly. I also love their account protection services. I was the victim of a fraudulent charge once for a LOT of money, and they got to the bottom of it and made everything work out well.
  I also like the fact that their are so many branches of this bank to visit if I ever need to go into a bank to do something.
  Finally, online banking with Bank of America is AMAZING. The charges are updated almost immediately, and you can make transfers, pay bills, change addresses, and so much more right from your computer. The security of the site is also great, with 3 different walls to get through before getting to your account info.
  Overall, Bank of America is a great bank, and I would recommend their CampusEdge account to any college student.

  Posted by umkvec -- July 27, 2009

•   Mostly positives, a few negatives

  Lasalle bank was bought out my Bank of America and I've had this bank for about 23 years. Its a great account! the best thing about it has to be either the many locations or the save your change program. You can access an ATM from almost everywhere! The campusedge checking has that keep the change program that makes it real easy to save extra money. It is a minimum of $25 to open, and no monthly maintenance fee! Pretty sweet! The overdraft fees are horrendous if you're a low-income college student like me. $35 for going under, and $35 more after a certain amount of days....which I believe is 4~5 days. BUT there's also a "Stuff Happens" card which is good for a one-time refund for something like this. It covers overdraft fees, transfer fees, ATM fees, etc. The customer service is great, just watch out for fees that they may not "clearly" explain. I had apparently agreed to a Privacy Assist program when someone called me. I had about $10 left on my account and a 6 days before payday, and a $12.99 charge came up on my account. It was Bank of America's Privacy Assist program! It brought me into the negative.....which I wasn't aware of. Three days later I saw a $35 for overdraft, and another $35 for the length of being negative. WOW! I called their customer service and she was great! She refunded my $12.99 and gave me a month free of this Privacy Assist program which monitors all 3 credit bureaus every 90 days. But not the overdraft fees of $70 total......Bank of America dropped the ball on that one. Remember to ask and be aware of all fees. Also, if a Bank of America representative calls you and offers something for free.....IT ISN'T......get clear answers!!! Other than that fiasco, this account is perfect for any college student and I definitely recommend it and the keep your change program.

  Posted by Ballzizzle00 -- July 23, 2009

•   My CampusEdge Experience

  I got the Campus Edge checking about four years ago when I started college. I had been using a local bank that was not available in the town of my college. My mother used Bank of America and recommended them to me. My mother and I both received money because she recommended me. The money was soon deposited into my account as well as hers. The other reason I really interested in this Bank was the “Save your change” program. If you spend $1.05 then $.95 would automatically go into your savings account. I would try to get my gas and other purchases at like $1.01 so $.99 would go into my savings account. It was an easy way to save money. Within less than a year I had saved over $200 just from this option alone! This bank also has lots of other options for their customers. They offer credit cards with low interest and student loans. The service was usually great. The people were most always friendly and used my name. I ordered some new checks once and I told the lady helping me that I could not afford to pay for them so she waved the fee. That is true customer service! The worst thing about the bank is that it is a large bank and there was less of a personal touch as I had previously experienced at my old bank. Overall I think the service was great and I would recommend it to others. For those who have a hard time saving, I really suggest trying the “save your change” option.

  Posted by jcg3a -- July 21, 2009

•   A Checking Account with both Positives and Negatives

  I opened my Bank of America CampusEdge Checking account when I was a student and thus, this is why I was able to get the CampusEdge account type. The best part about the account in the "keep the change" feature. The way this works is anytime you use your debit card for this checking account and the purchase isn't a whole number ($10 or $48 for example), they will round up and put the difference in your savings account. It's a cool way build up some savings even though it's actually just your money. However, the catch is that for the first 3 months you have the account, Bank of America will match these amounts 100% so you do make some free money. After the first 3 months they will match 5% which doesn't end up being much unless you spend a ton of money.
  Another nice feature of the account is the online banking feature. I no longer get paper statements in the mail and can control everything online. I pay my bills and make all transfers online which is very convenient.
  The one major problem I have had with the account is overdraft fees. The overdraft fee is $35 and if you make another purchase before you realize you have over drafted, Bank of America does not stop you and charges you another overdraft fee. This happened to me personally 3 times and only once did would they take the charge away.
  Another negative about the account is ATM fees. When you use another bank's ATM that bank charges you and then Bank of America will usually charge another $2.
  Overall, this is a decent bank account. However, I'm sure there are better bank accounts out there. especially for people who don't have much money and might overdraft. The question is can you beat the amount of ATM's Bank of America has available in addition to their online banking services.

  Posted by lsnyder1 -- July 15, 2009

•   Love it!

  I’ve had CampusEdge Checking for a little over a year and got it because it seemed like the best account from someone who would be going off to college soon. It took me just a few minutes to open this account at a local Bank of America Branch and the employee there told me everything I needed to know about it. It was my first debit card so I was excited and nervous but the people working at the bank were friendly and helpful and put all my worries at ease.
  I like this account a lot because it is extremely easy to use and keep track of, plus there are so many hidden benefits. I love how I can see a complete list of my spending history online so I can always check how much I have in my account. I would greatly recommend using the online checking service simply because it can sometimes be hard to keep track how your money and you don’t want to end up paying the $35 overdraft fee. That happened to me once, but luckily they have a one-time overdraft refund so I’ve never lost any money! I would also recommend getting the e-mail/text alerts they offer when you’re balance gets low.
  Since I use it as a debit card I don’t have to worry about paying any interest. I’m a student and I’m BROKE a lot of the time but my parents can easily transfer money to my account making it extremely convenient to have this account. I would recommend this account to high school and college students because it’s worked great for me!

  Posted by monicam1991 -- July 12, 2009

•   Campus Edge

  I have had a Campus Edge account with Bank of America for 3 years now. I originally chose to open this type of account because I was 17 when I entered college and it was the only independent account I was able to open at the time. The account lasts for the duration that you are in school and it doesn't have an upkeep fee. I am glad that I chose to open the account because it is very secure, safe, and trustworthy. There have been instances in which I have been charged for unwanted items and the Bank of America staff is very helpful in removing any questionable charges as long as you have adequate proof that there was either a mistake or an injustice. There is also a 'Keep the Change' opportunity in which the change from purchases is transferred to your savings. The only thing that I don't like is that if you don't have at least $300 in your savings you are required to make a monthly transfer of $25 tfrom your checking to your savings. I would definitely recommend this type of an account for any student that doesn't already have an account because it is very reliable, easy, and can really help you.

  Posted by seanrstreet -- July 8, 2009

•   Bank of America - Two Thumbs Up

  I have been a Bank of America customer for 5 years. I originally started banking with M&T bank (Buffalo, NY), and had a very horrible experience. This was also the case with Key Bank (Buffalo, NY). I decided to give Bank of America a try, and I have had nothing but great experiences. I travel 2-3 times a year, and everywhere I have gone so far there has been a Bank of America branch. It is so convenient, because you never have to worry about being charged fees to use another ATM. Also if you use an ATM that is not Bank of America, they do not charge you a fee in addition to the ATM fee. All customer service representatives, whether they are at a branch or call center have been very pleasant and helpful. There was one instance, where I overdrew my account, but with the Campus Edge checking Account, they give you one free “OOPS” card; they refunded my overdraft fee. There was also another instance where the strip wore out on my card, well all you have to do is go to a branch and they will give you a temporary replacement card that works just like your card until you get your replacement. The one thing I wasn’t too happy about was the recent change in policy of how they assess fees. But overall I would definitely recommend Bank of America as your #1 banking option.

  Posted by siryessir77 -- July 5, 2009

•   CampusEdge Account is Good for Students

  I have had this account for four years. I first signed up for the Bank of America CampusEdge account because there were no monthly fees or minimum account balances. My experience with Bank of America has been good overall. When I have gone into the bank to deposit money or ask questions the representatives have been very helpful. When I went in to apply for a credit card, I was denied and the Bank of America representative gave me advice on how to obtain a card elsewhere. That was very good customer service to help me, when there was no benefit to him. The worst part about the CampusEgde account is that there is no complimentary savings account. The regular savings account that I use with the CampusEdge account charges fees for having less than one thousand dollars in your account or making more than five withdrawals / transfers in a month. I have also had a few problems with the online transfer system which will allow me to transfer money from my savings account to my checking account but not vice versa. Overall the Bank of America CampusEdge account is a great option for students who have a small budget.

  Posted by cbp231 -- July 5, 2009

•   A fairly decent account

  I've had this account for over 3 years and haven't had any major problems with it. With the account they'll ignore your first overdraft fee which is nice. On the other hand, the overdraft fees are around $35 after that. Most of the time the tellers are reasonable, so if you've withdrawn too much on mistake and have a good reason for needing the fees revoked, they'll usually go ahead and do it.

  The ATM card is a nice feature, and Bank of America ATMs aren't too hard to find at least in Florida. But if you do find yourself without one, you can get ready to pay a $2 fee from Bank of America for using a non-Bank of America ATM, on top of whatever the owner of the ATM charges.

  The online banking interface is easy to use. It has bill pay and a list of transactions which are now standard for most banks. It has some basic anti-phishing features such as letting you assign an image for your account that shows up before you log in. The only complain I have about the online interface is the short time it gives you before it signs you out for inactivity. This gets annoying which when you're trying to balance two account registers.

  Overall, the account is very good for students looking to get their first checking account. The web access makes it easy for them to check their balance, and if they happen to make a mistake and overdraft their first will be ignored.

  Posted by yearofthegus -- July 5, 2009

•   off and on

  My feelings towards my checking account with Bank of America are sort of a mixed bag. On one hand, I really appreciate all the options that I do have with my account which include online monitoring, free online transfers (so long as the other party has a BOA account) and same day ATM deposit which is my personal favorite. Same day deposit means that if I go to an ATM before 8 pm and make a deposit, that deposit would automatically be placed in my account and considered as a same day transaction.
  My only problem is technically not the account, but the customer service behind it. Personally I think it’s poor; they constantly list my history of transactions incorrectly, which makes it a hassle to track my spending. And since I do a lot of spending on my checking account, my history of transactions gets manipulated a lot (meaning they don’t list my transactions by when I made them) in order to make it appear that I have a negative balance which would result in overdraft fees. They say they list transaction by when their computers receive them, but I think it’s a big lie. Overall, if you are not one to constantly check your spending, I would definitely recommend open this type of account. Their benefits out-weigh their lack of service.
  

  Posted by libanbekele -- July 2, 2009

•   Decent Account For Students

  I've had the CampusEdge Checking account for almost 2 years now and so far so good. I chose this account because I needed a student account that didn't charge me until after graduation. It may not be the best account out there (according to some of my friends), but I have no serious complaints. Bank of America makes it easy for you to pay off credit card bills online - just add their address once and it'll be saved for future payments. I never had any troubles with payment at all. Other than that, the reason I gave it a 3 out of 5 stars is because of the customer service. There have been a couple of times when I needed to call BofA to clarify the signed agreement for the CampusEdge account and 90% of the time, the customer representative seemed reluctant to help. S/he would speak as if you're a nuisance for asking so many questions, but I've gotten my questions answered overall.

  So overall, good online account for students but customer service could be better.

  Posted by ImmoralShadows -- June 30, 2009

•   Can't complain about this bank account

  I have had this bank account for 4 years now and I can honestly say that I have had no problems at all. I did not originally choose this bank account because it was suggested by the wonderful Bank of America manager.

  I really like this bank account because there are no hidden fees at all. There is no monthly charge to your account if you do not have a specific balance.

  The best thing about this bank account is the no hidden fee feature. Some banks would charge for everything and anything at all.

  The bad thing that I have seen would be the online banking portion and this would not particularly have to deal with CampusEdge Checking directly, it was just bad that any authorization would just disappear when this caused any overdraft activity.

  Customer service is great. However, I did encounter a really bad customer service representative when I inquired on the overdraft fees. I had to contact a manager and this rep still had the nerve to get her last word in, I still got my fees reversed!

  Overall, I would highly recommend this account to anyone going to school. It is free and will not rip you off like so many other banks. Aside from a few bad customer service representatives, most you will find are kind and understanding. You simply cannot go wrong with choosing this bank account from Bank of America.

  Posted by STorres16 -- June 29, 2009

•   School account

  I've had this account for about three years. I opened it up when I needed a bank account for my financial aid money from college.

  I have had no problems with this account. It was much better than my other accounts I've had at different banks.

  I really like how you they give you forgiveness on one overdraft fee and how you can protect yourself from overdraft with a credit card. I also like the sophisticated and ubiquitous ATMS. You don't have to use envelopes or fill anything out for deposits. They are so quick and easy to use. I also don't remember being charged too many stupid fees.

  The only drawback I can think of was having to pay for checks but that's mostly how it's done I think.

  When I set up the account originally the customer service was good and efficient. They sat me down and made sure I got what I needed. I also have had to call the 800 number for customer service and the guy I talked to was very professional. He tried his hardest to do what I needed.

  I recommend this account to college students needing a good account while they are in school.

  Posted by zheaton -- June 24, 2009

•   My thoughts of Bank of America

  I have had my Bank of America account for 8 years. I originally opened it as a student in college and have continued to keep my accounts with them because of the customer service. I have had a few bad experiences, however for the most part they have taken good care of me.
  One bad experience I had was when I had to cancel my debit cards while out of town (I did it by phone). When I was finally able to get into a banking center to get temporary cards until I received my new permanent ones, they couldn’t get them activated in the system because of the way the old cards had been canceled and how the agent had placed it in the system. What an ordeal!! They were finally able to get it resolved after a lot of headache and back and forth.
  One particularly good experience that they really helped me with was when an insurance company I had been with went back into my account and took out over $1000.00, three days before Christmas. The company did not have authorization to do this nor did I actually owe them that amount of money (I hadn’t even had insurance with them for 6 months!). BOA helped me deal with the company, got my money back and provided all the documentation I needed to make the company pay backs all of the fees that I had incurred because of the erroneous deduction from my account. They really showed me then that customer service was a top priority to them and that I mattered as a customer. I would definitely recommend them as a bank to someone who wants to feel like they are important as a customer and will be taken care of.
  

  Posted by jaseensmith -- June 22, 2009

•   Love this account!

  I have had this account open for about a year, and I love it. A promotion that the bank had running at the time encouraged me to open the account, and this has been by far the best banking decision of my life. As a college student, I especially enjoy the fact that no minimum amount of money is needed to avoid a monthly maintenance fee. The customer service at the bank is phenomenal as well - the employees are always very helpful and friendly and are willing to go out of their way to be of service. Bank of America allows many accounts to be opened online - this has proved to be very convenient for me. I have used other local banks before and have not had the same type of experience as the one that I have had with this checking account at Bank of America. I recently visited the bank to deposit money and was directed to a unique, interactive ATM for deposits that also was able to immediately accept checks - I found this to be not only time-saving, but amusing as well. I definitely recommend this account to anyone who is going to college and is looking for an exceptional account and an awesome place to do their banking.

  Posted by runnersarefunner90 -- June 19, 2009

•   Never had an issue with this Bank

  I have had this account for about a year. I chose it because they do not hold my deposit funds or the cash deposit before it is available to me. This bank is very big and because of that sometimes customer service is overlooked but so far, I have had great customer service. The best thing is that they allowed me a refund on an overdraft fee and were very polite about it. It helped me a lot financially. They also do not hold my check deposits and let me deposit other checks that people have signed over to me. My husband is not on my account so I have to deposit his payroll check into my account. The bank has never given me grief about this as others have. The availability of the customer service reps is wonderful. I love the chat option on their website and I get fast service that way. In addition, their online banking center is secure and up to date. There are also plenty of baking centers and ATMs in my area that makes banking very convenient. The bill pay option is free and saves me money on stamps and checks. I would definitely recommend this bank to others simply because I have never had an issue with them like I have with other banks. I believe they are dedicated to quality service.

  Posted by apriljt79 -- June 19, 2009

•   Not the Best Experience

  I got a CampusEdge Checking account in 2005 when I first went to college. At first I was really happy with the account, there were lots of branches nearby that were staffed with very helpful people. While everyone was always very friendly when I went in I found that it was very frustrating to get anything actually accomplished. I chose to go with BoA because of how many branches they had and that the bank I came from had no branches in town but overall I would have preferred to stay with my original bank. I would often have fees when it was supposed to be no fee, and more than once the amount of money that was supposed to be in my account was not there. Getting this fixed was always a hassle. I felt like everyone was always very friendly but wouldn’t really do a whole lot to help me. The bank also returned checks when the money was in the account and refused to acknowledge this fact, leaving me with fees from them (Non-sufficient funds), fees from my landlord (returned check fees and a late rent fee) and a huge headache trying to get it fixed. It never did get fixed, despite proof that I had the money in the account. Bank of America also makes it very easy to overdraw your account. I would not recommend Bank of America unless you absolutely have to use it.

  Posted by januarymosher -- June 18, 2009

•   3 years- no complains.

  I have had this account since i graduated high school in 2006. Bank of America is an amazing bank to have an account with. In the 3 years I've had the account, I have not been charged anything that I haven't been fully aware of. Every representative I've dealt with so far has gone above and beyond to help me solve whatever problem I've had. About a year ago, I lost my check card at a Gas Station and the next day when i was able to contact a representative, my account had 5 overdrafts. Needless to say i was very stressed out. Bank of America made the process of getting everything fixed a breeze. In a matter of days i had the money reinstated in my account, and everything was back to normal. I had the same problem with Capital One and it took over a month for them to fix it. Bank of America cares about their customers, or at least it seems like they care about me. I have no complains so far, and i'm hoping it stays that way. An incentive i was offered when i opened the account was a card to forgive my first overdraft fee. When i first over drafted, the representative helped me remove the fee, and gave me advice so it wouldn't happen again, and since then, i haven't over drafted my account. If you want an account that has no surprises, no hidden fees, nothing unexpected, then choose Bank of America. They won't disappoint you.

  Posted by svchic022988 -- June 16, 2009

•   Big Banks won't Leave you Feeling Dwarfed

  I got a CampusEdge checking account back when I first entered college in the summer of 2005. I was new to a debt card and new to using a checkbook as well. There was a problem with a check of mine not clearing in time and my account being overdrawn and all I had to do was explain my situation to one of the available tellers and in no time at all the overdraft fee was waived. They have always been very courteous with me and my meager savings, but still treat me like one of their favorite account holders. When it came time to move out of state and had to switch all of my banking information the staff at the bank were an invaluable resource. In an easy 30 minute sit down at one of their branches we were able to clear though everything necessary to make an important part of my travel a little bit easier. Even though it may be a "big chain bank" they still treat you like an individual. The first time I went in I was 18 years old but did not feel as though I was being treated as a typical teenager, but with the respect one can easily come to appreciate. Trying to get in contact with a live operator can be tough, as it is for many company 800 lines, but when you do reach them they are right there to stick it out with you until any problem you have is solved. I still have the business card that I got on the day I opened my account, and it's not a card I will throw out anytime soon.

  Posted by dogglesisthebest -- June 16, 2009

•   WYSIWYG

  No hidden fees, but no interest. I never really have enough money in it to earn material interest, so I'm more psyched about not having to pay any hidden fees and the ease of BofA's online Account Transfer system, which allows me to easily transfer money to my friends with BofA accounts.

  Posted by danielpfletcher -- May 29, 2009