Hi, all! First off, I want to say that this forum has really helped me in my rebuilding journey and I am so happy these forums exist lol.
Starting from the beginning...
January 2017, my credit score was awful. I was sitting around 400 due to a CO Discover Student card and an eviction on my record (which shouldn't have been there in the first place..I paid everything and ended up living out the rest of my lease...that's another story for another day though...). I was fresh out of college and didn't know what to do about my credit score. I tried to app for multiple different cards and personal loans just trying to raise my score, but had no success because I didn't have a clue what to do.
Fast forward to July 2017...I was approved for the Unsecured Platinum MC from Cap1 with a $300 SL and promise to be bumped up to $500 after successful payments yadda yadda..well, I felt on top of the world for this lol. I went into VS one day and they said it would be a SP if I app'ed in store, so I figured...why not? I'm trying to rebuild and I love VS. Got it!! $250 SL. Then about a week later, I app'ed for the ULTA CC since I was still feeling lucky....approved with $150 SL! Then I decided it was time to garden.
Since then, I received an auto-increase VS went up to $500 CL and ULTA went up to $250 CL. Cap1 has remained the same. I assume I'm in the credit steps since the $500 promise by March if I met all requirements...just a couple days ago I hit the LUV button on Cap1 after seeing people requesting a CLI before their credit steps increase, got a message about 2-3 days, I also hit the LUV button on ULTA but got the 7-10 day message...I think I'm going to try robolady? If it's SPs I don't care too much on it. AND!!!! Used the upgrade link for Cap1 and got to upgrade to the Quicksilver card with no AF! I'm so happy to finally have a cashback rewards card..I missed that from my Discover Student days....
Well, now onto today..I'm just looking to increase my CL to help lower my util (mine are sitting pretty high right now...I'm at about 72% util across all cards)...well, I qas prequalified for the QS1 and the Cap1 Platinum MC (for the 2nd time!!) and I app'ed for the Cap1 Platinum again so I can spread my util across accounts, lower util, and eventually combine the accounts!
Right now I'm sitting around 609 FICO..high 500s/low 600s for EQ and TU (CK reports)..not sure EX? But I've come a long way since my 400 score last January. Just wanted to share my rebuild story thus far! My goals are to pay down on all of my cards to get balance to 0% util and just keep them all active and in good standing. I'm looking to buy a Subaru WRX within the next 2-3 years, so I want to get my credit score pretty high. I'm shooting for 750s by the time I decide to shop around for an auto loan.
I started to get a little swipe crazy, but I quickly realized what was happening and I haven't been charging anything to VS or ULTA, just using the Cap1 for gas while I'm paying everything down. 
Sometimes I'm only able to make the min payment each month, but a lot of the time I also pay over the minimum. I know it's ideal to PIF every time, but I'm getting there. Also! Instead of working at a fast food chain for 8.75 an hour, I've got a new full time job making double that...so I'm in much better standing than I was this time last year!!
As for the CLI question....when I requested an increase for Cap1 I got a notification saying they would send me an email for the secure message center in 2/3 days...that means no approval for CLI doesn't it? 
It's not the same as the 7-10 from ULTA so I was hoping it wasn't a denial lol.
Anyways, thanks in advance for reading!
Good idea to rebuild and plan out your future.
It sounds like your stuck on Cap One's credit steps. Everytime you do something against the program terms, they reset the clock. I had a payment screw up 1 or 2 days past the due date and it reset my 6 months when I was on it. First call them and see what the status is of your steps. Get an idea of when you'll complete their program.
Even though they're low limit cards, 72% utilization is very freaking high. Get the other cards to $0 and then only allow QS to report a maximum of $90 on each statement. Cap One does like swipers. Don't be afraid to use it, but make payments which correspond to you paycheck. You need to be disciplined for a long time with Cap One, but that's how to get them to give you a better CLI than their steps amount. Reserach AZEO method. While I'm suggest your balance be significantly higher (closing at 30% versus 8%), Cap One will see the swipes/payments going on.
Once you hit close to your completion of steps (month 5), then you might hit them up for CLI. 2 to 3 day messages are always denials. Take whatever they offer up, but it does lock you out for 6 months till the next date you become eligible to request on. It does NOT affect their auto CLI or step CLI.
