OP, QS1 is the QuickSilver One. It has the same 1.5% cash back as the QS, but carries a $39 annual fee and is targetted to people who have a middling credit rating. The uber discount also applies to the QS1. If you apply for this (and get it), you don't need to drop the deposit on the CapOne secured card and can just close that card right away. Or, you can put the deposit down and leave it open without using it for more than token spend for a year, in order to build your credit history.
I'm a little surprised you got the Freedom, but it goes to show that people here in general, and you in particular, are too driven by the negative effects of HPs. They go away after two years, and if you aren't willing to reach for cards that your profile may not entirely support, you may never get your foot in the door.
While others are cautioning OP to slow down, I think that this is the right time to go fast. He doesn't have anything to lose by picking up new cards. They will only add to his credit history and speed the initial process. So long as OP uses his cards responsibly, paying them off in full EVERY month and not spending outside his means, he won't be at risk of bankruptcy. However, I will caution OP that when you start getting rejections, it's time to stop apping. That will probably happen fairly soon, as your report doesn't have any data and thus doesn't really support you having lots of cards.
