I know you are not going to like to hear this at 21, but I sure wished that someone had told me at an early age to stay away from those credit cards and those high interest rates. The sad fact is credit cards have ruined more people lives and indebted so many to the credit card companies -- Please don't do it and just open a checking account and get a debit card, which can help with building credit without the headache of interest rates... Save your money and use your own money to purchase things for right now!!!
Serious note: Look at this setback as a blessing, I wish I can turn back the clock 30 years and never filled out that credit card application that they were pushing down us poor college students throat and to get a stupid mug or T-Shirt for my troubles... It bit me in the butt for at least the next 10 years....
I know that credit cards have put a lot of people in debt but if you are smart with your credit card then I don't think it's a problem. Buy only what you have money for. Pay off your balance in full every month. Don't take money out on your credit card from ATMs. When you start buying things on credit that you don't have money for then that's when the problems start. Credit cards, and money in general, are a big responsibility that I am finding a lot of young people cannot handle.
@AllstarObsession - last year, my bank denied me for a credit card when I applied for one too. They told me it was because of my student loans. I applied for a Bank of America one and I was accepted. (21 years old, working full time during the summer, part time at school, my parents didn't want to co-sign either. Not that I was going to ruin their credit because I have always been a frugal spender but because it was my responsibility to make sure I took care of it, not theirs). Flash forward to this summer: my brother applies for one through our bank. Denied. He applies for one through BOA - the same exact one I got. Denied. But his situation was exactly the same as mine except he is 20, not 21. But working a lot, no co-signer, has the same amount if student loans, etc. When I asked my dad why I got approved for one and he didn't my dad said the economy might have something to do with it. When the economy is down credit card companies will accept everyone so they can get money. When the economy is up they are more hesitant and they aren't going to be willing to take chances on everyone. So if that is true and the economy is up, you might have a tough time finding someone who accepts you for one, because let's face it, us youngins are a risk for them.
Bank of America offered my brother this: because they are not our bank and we don't have accounts through them, my brother could open a small checking account with them and use it for a year. Then next year reapply for the credit card and he should have more of a chance of getting it. If the bank sees that he was careful with this account (no huge purchases, no taking more money out then you have, have a steady flow if some sort of income) and he still gets denied, the bank guy we talked to will fight to make sure it is approved the next month or so when he reapplies again. Because we don't have accounts there, the bank guy had no ground to stand on to back him up on why BOA should approve him.
I don't know your exact situation, but this could be an option for you if all else fails. I know it's not what you wanted exactly and will take extra time but it sounds like you'll have more of a chance to be approved next time around. I would go in and talk with banks around you to see 1. Why you're getting denied for cards and 2. What you can do/what can they do for you to make sure you're approved for one the next time you apply. Good luck!