Can you please help out a beginner. Any advice appreciated!

[rebel100]

Yeah that sounds like it would be extremely helpful. So apply for FASFA, get my GED, make any ACE account so that the courses get added to my transcript, take some free and some of the courses mentioned above. Enroll into either COC or TESU. Apply for financial aid and use that to fund the CLEP test. Does that sound about right?

Let me offer an alternative priorities list:

research research research...balance your goals against the possibilities. You still have too much to figure out.

Apply to fafsa.gov as soon as possible. The answers you get will help dictate the next move. If they offer you zero in grant money then proceed down the most economical path you can as you will be financing your own education. If on the other hand they indicate a full PELL grant that would provide over $5000/year let's maximize that.

GED may or may not be needed. What is it you already have? If you need the GED to enroll, then of course go get it. COSC will let you in without it, just provide 9 college credits from any acceptable source and they will let you in. You need to figure this out, if required for the path you choose then get the GED early, if not ignore it.

You will only need an ACE transcript if you take ACE approved courses from certain providers. You can't fully asses the need for this until you have a more concrete plan.

It would be safe to start taking CLEP/DSST now. Pick those courses that will be universally transferable (this includes just about all CLEP and most DSST). Most schools accept at least some CLEP so that is a great place to start, just pick a test and go. You can do that while you sort the rest.