My college bound DC got an invitation from Discover in the mail to open a credit card account. No credit verification required. Did anyone try that?

Try Fidelity. They have a cash management account that comes with a debit card and reimburse ATM costs. I'm sure you can apply for a credit card as well.

My kids both have Capital One Money Accounts and they have both had direct deposit with them. They do not have checks but have never needed them (and one just graduated). Rents seem to be by electronic transfer etc.

Revolut is the clear choice! Look it up.

When our son got at job at 15, I opened a new joint account with him at our bank. His paycheck is direct deposited into our joint account, he has a VISA/debit on the account, and it is easy to transfer money from our account to his for college expenses since I'm on both. Eventually, we'll have him drop me from the account, probably when he gets his first job after college, but possibly also when his custodial Roth IRA is transferred to him at 21.

As a college student the most important aspect will be a local branch. As it’s her only account she wants it working when she needs it and nothing beats walking in and flashing her Id and ATM card

We have capital1 - they have local branch for us, 360 account is zero fee.

I would go with credit union if option, even if not part of Uni, but again proximity.

I don't understand the validation issue; I've never heard of that.

I opened "student" checking accounts for all my college kids at the US Bank inside our local Kroger. This involved the kid showing social security card and DMV license/permit. And my ID. And a check (their paycheck or my own check) with starter money.

What I like about the joint account: it is very easy for me to transfer money to them as needed during the school year when I see their balance is running low.

My children have checking accounts with Capital One. Both were opened before they could drive. Haven't had any issues. Both regularly use debit cards, venmo etc. That "unable to verify ID" situation is strange. Older kid (still in HS) is authorized user on a credit card.

OP: Can you open a joint account?

sadly they have no credit union at university.
does credit union validate different than a bank? worried as her id cannot be validated.

Our rising college sophomore and rising college freshman had no issues opening both checking and savings accounts at TD Bank. No credit card but they both have Visa Debit cards. For parents of younger kids, it might have been made much easier by the fact these were opened as custodial accounts. and both kids had direct deposit from their summer jobs.

It's more frustrating than I expected, OP. My 18yo opened an account at Ally Bank and it was great for a month, then they froze it for no reason. We can't seem to get it unfrozen because they also cannot validate her ID. So annoying. Fortunately she doesn't have a lot of money in it.

Once we get it fixed, I'm going to open a joint account for her at my bank until she can build up more of a credit history. Her school doesn't have a credit union, but if your DD's does that is good advice.

open an account at your credit union

Try the university credit union. Apply for a student account.

Our daughter is 18 and heading off to college in fall. She has been trying to open a bank account as she is 18. She has been unable to using her passport or her driver license. She has been told they are unable to validate her information. So what to do.
She has a teen moneygo account with Capital one and they won't let her validate that account into a checking account. She can close that account but they wont let her validate it. She needs a direct deposit account to put her paycheck into.

She also wants to start establishing credit to use a credit card. My credit Union will let her establish an account off my account and money can be transferred using her saving account that is joint owned by me and her. I can have her apply for a credit card with a low limit that is secured by money that I loan to them.

Also, she has been an authorized user on my credit card for 5 years. She goes pig wild....I am taking that away for her going to college. She can blow 1k easy on eating out while she lives at home. I can only imagine non supervised. Do people use a prepaid Navy Go card with a preset balance?

She will have a car on campus so I want her to have an authorized user card for emergencies, but not spending.

What do you folks do?