@Distressed_nurse18,
Hello and welcome back. Your pain is palpable. Have you posted the details of your rebuild on the Rebuilding forum? I don't know much about PFD/goodwill/etc. because my delinquencies aren't candidates for those techniques, so I have no choice but to wait the seven years. I do know that your scores won't fully recover until your seven year history is completely free of delinquencies. That recent 30d late car payment is going to keep your scores low for the next seven years. Have you called the company to ask for a one time removal? A lot of credit card companies will do this, but I don't know about car loans.
Also, on the Rebuilding forum, you might also want to ask about your credit cards. I know that three cards helps the most, so if the Discover it secured card is your only card, you may be helped by adding two more cards. However, it sounds like you have a lot of inquiries; depending on how recent they are, you may need to carefully time your applications. The folks on the Rebuilding forum can also help you identify cards that will graduate. I don't know much about this, but I do know that you should stay away from subprime lenders - they can actually lower your scores.
As for the AU, I wouldn't bother. From what I've read, it may seem to raise your score, but lenders will exclude the AU information when making a decision, so it won't actually affect your credit-worthiness.
Last, good job staying on top of your student loans. If you can fix that car payment, then you'll have a solid record for the last few months (year?), which is a really good start to your rebuild. There's no magic bullet, just 100% PIF for 7 years. I wish I could say it goes fast, but you can make a game of it: reviewing your credit reports, watching bad information age off, and enjoying all the learning in the process. Best wishes to you.
Starting Score: F8 3xx
