Hello everyone, new in the forum trying to get my life together 
I feel like I'm in such deep water compared to stories I've read here. So here's my beckground in a nutshell.
I began developing credit around 2012, opened a few credit cards. Evrything was good, till I hit a financial hard freaking time and one by one they all closed and ended up in collections. After finally finishing school, I managed to move last year, and get a well paying job. I began to clean up. I just paid off my last credit card, the only thing left to pay is the remainder of an auto loan and my school loan. But my credit report is tainted with evidence of my past 
After stalking on here for a while I learned quite a bit, but now that I've been in the "garden" for 2-3 years, and now that I finally paid it all off, I need to start making moves and idk what to do next.
Here's by bio --
According to Credit Check Total:
FICO Score 8: 608
Experian: 608 / Hard Inquiries: 4
Transunion: 601 / Hard Inquiries: 4
Equifax: 598 / Hard Inquiries: 1
**One hard inquiry should fall off by November 2017
Total Lates: 21
Total Collections: 5
Total Revolving Credit: $400
Total Usage: 21%
Currently Open:
Capital One Platinum Card: $300
- This was one of the CC i had closed a few years ago
- I applied again after 2-3 years in July and was approvaed
- Only 2 statements so far for the 5 statement credit limit increase program
Victoria Secret: $100 (this was the only card that remains from my past, opened in 2013)
- 4 lates
- $100 (was at $850 and they decreases it to $100 a few months ago)
TD Auto Loan: $6,361
- Opened 2013
- 2 lates
FedLoans: $38,539
- 10 total reporting accounts
- 4 lates on each (so not sure how my lates are only 21 total)
Closed Accounts Still on Credit Reports - All are paid off:
- Verizon Wireless - Paid in 2016
- Portfolio Recovery - T.J.Max - Paid off January 2017
- Portfolio Recovery - Walmart - Paid in 2017
- Prtfolio Recovery - Amazon - Paid off September 2016
- Collection for part of college tuition - Paid in 2017
- Collection for hospital bill - Paid in 2017
***I applied today 09/08/17 for the T.J.Maxx card I once had after first talking to the backdoor number and they told me my past did not "matter" since the account had been paid. I applied online, ang got the 7-10 message and called them again, They said that specific code I recieved could not be overided and that I was denied. So freakin sad over it.
Goals / Working Towards:
Top dream card: JetBlue with Barclay
Other interests:
- T.J. Maxx card (I want to get this card back for sure)
- DSW Visa
- Chase Southwest (I'm loking for a miles card and heard this was somewhat easier to get)
or
- Chase Freedom
I don't know what to do next. Based on readings these were a few of my ideas:
1. Try to get another store card just to help build a few more months, then try later for a good card. (Except I chose to try with TJ Maxx and was denied.)
2. Get secured card now, maybe $1000 on it
- I know that's high for a secured card, but just to increase my revolving credit amount.
- Then in January, after that one hard inqury falls off, and after commenity and capital one do their credit line check (I expect both to be done around December), try for the Southwest Rapid Rewards.
3. Keep my Capital One $300 and my Victoria Secet $100, keep leaving utiliazation under 30% until they give me credit limit increase in December--but that leaves my revolving credit at $400 only.
4. Apply for Apple Rewards with Barclay, even though I've read all the horrible reviewws, but figured it'd get my foot in with them for the future JetBlue card.
5. Shopping cart trick for Express card to keep inquiry low and raise revolving credit a tiny bit.
***I think I've covered every corner I could think of. Literally feel all this history is going to stick around for 3-4 more years and there isn't much for me to do.Thank you so much for your time any help is appreciated!