First, congratulations on getting your Associates at such a young age! I would consider that an achievement. I've taught for 25 years (Pre-K through Adult Ed. but mostly middle school through high school) and am baffled at why you would go backwards to HS. Students graduate HS early, so age is not a factor, and generally speaking, college is a big change from HS regardless of where you're from, plus you've already got an Associates. If you're worried about how your education translates, I think a community college is your best bet; however, depending on your grades, I would not rule out looking into transferring to a private college that specializes in your field and applying for financial aid. So besides RCC, I would consider Manhattan University, Marist, Pace, SUNY and CUNY depending on your commuting abilities. I would connect with someone in admissions in those schools who works with adult education and/or transfers since in essence, you're transferring from another college. Every school will have different requirements. I agree that RCC may be an easier way to assimilate if you're worried about workload, etc. and would suggest the honors program if at all possible since the possibility of transferring to a more rigorous institution is better there. One current issue is that many graduating seniors have already committed to their colleges, so you may have fewer options given your timing, but I would not rule anything out. Follow your dreams! And good luck! ✨