Schoolsfirst mortgage approval rate & lending review
Schoolsfirst decided 32,606 mortgage applications and funded 28,730 loans across the 616 counties Fat Boy Data covers, 2023–2025.
These are the decisions Schoolsfirst reported under the Home Mortgage Disclosure Act, not its advertised interest rates.
Schoolsfirst at a glance
Approval is 21.5 points above the 68.0% national rate for the same mix of loan types.
Approval rates by loan type
| Loan type | Approval | Approved | Taken up | Typical loan | Loans made |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mortgage lenders | 97% | 4,463 / 4,598 | 98% | $645K | 4,371 |
| Home improvement loans | 89% | 14,574 / 16,333 | 99% | $105K | 14,370 |
| Cash-out refinance | 88% | 8,376 / 9,490 | 99% | $165K | 8,269 |
| Refinance | 81% | 572 / 707 | 98% | $585K | 559 |
| Investment property purchase | 96% | 144 / 150 | 95% | $385K | 137 |
| Investment cash-out refinance | 74% | 221 / 297 | 99% | $155K | 218 |
| Investment refinance | 68% | 21 / 31 | 95% | $305K | 20 |
| Investment home improvement | 80% | 798 / 1,000 | 98% | $115K | 786 |
Schoolsfirst lending by state
| State | Approval | Typical loan | Decided | Loans made |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| California | 89% | $105K | 32,606 | 28,730 |
Fat Boy Data covers 616 counties, 79.6% of the US population, not every county in every state. States with fewer than 20 decisions are not listed.Methodology.
Where Schoolsfirst lends most
| County | Loan type | Approval | Decided | Loans made |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Orange County, CA | Home improvement loans | 91% | 5,751 | 5,139 |
| Orange County, CA | Cash-out refinance | 91% | 3,786 | 3,420 |
| Los Angeles County, CA | Home improvement loans | 88% | 3,608 | 3,128 |
| Riverside County, CA | Home improvement loans | 88% | 2,824 | 2,463 |
| San Bernardino County, CA | Home improvement loans | 89% | 1,954 | 1,710 |
| Los Angeles County, CA | Cash-out refinance | 86% | 1,987 | 1,675 |
| Riverside County, CA | Cash-out refinance | 87% | 1,547 | 1,331 |
| Orange County, CA | Mortgage lenders | 97% | 1,336 | 1,273 |
| Los Angeles County, CA | Mortgage lenders | 98% | 1,010 | 970 |
| San Bernardino County, CA | Cash-out refinance | 86% | 1,074 | 916 |
| Sacramento County, CA | Home improvement loans | 88% | 946 | 818 |
| Riverside County, CA | Mortgage lenders | 97% | 836 | 790 |
The county markets where Schoolsfirst made the most loans. Each link opens that market with every lender ranked.
Questions about Schoolsfirst
What is Schoolsfirst's mortgage approval rate?
Schoolsfirst approved 89.5% of the 32,606 mortgage applications it decided across the 616 counties Fat Boy Data covers, 2023–2025, 21.5 points above the 68.0% national rate for the same mix of loan types.
How often do borrowers take the loan Schoolsfirst offers?
Borrowers accepted 98% of the loans Schoolsfirst approved, against 93% for all home improvement loan lenders nationally. A low take-up usually means the approved terms were not competitive.
What size loans does Schoolsfirst make?
The typical home improvement loan loan Schoolsfirst made was $105K; across all loan types its typical loan ran from $105K to $645K. HMDA reports amounts in $10,000 brackets, so these are midpoints.
Where does Schoolsfirst lend?
Schoolsfirst decided applications in 1 of the states Fat Boy Data covers, most of them in California.
Can I apply to Schoolsfirst directly?
Yes. Schoolsfirst is a bank or credit union with 79 branches in the FDIC and NCUA registries, and it takes mortgage applications directly.
Does this page show Schoolsfirst's interest rates?
No. HMDA filings record who applied, who was approved and how much was borrowed, not the rate offered. Use the approval rate and take-up here to judge how Schoolsfirst treats applications, then get a rate quote from the lender.