J_S, Welcome to myFICO!
I assure you, there will be no judging going on here. I was at an abysmal 388 when I started my journey, so this is just the first step in the right direction. One thing you have to do first if you haven't already, is pull your Credit Report from annualcreditreport.com. It is 100% free and provided to you once a year should you request it. This report will give us all the information we need, such as DOFD's so we can see if they are still within the SOL of your state. These reports will have all the information necessary to lead you down the right path.
Feel free to post copies of the collections/accounts sections so the members here can formulate a plan for you! Good luck!
Starting Score: 532/564 10/21/12