I’m looking to apply to other schools other than the one I have attended and withdrawn from twice, now, due to circumstance. First time, due to my mental health, second due to my mother being diagnosed with colon cancer after spending a month in the hospital during the semester and having a tumor surgically removed—drawing away my focus from my scholarly endeavors. Life circumstances aside, I have no credit from my current university, however, I do have 13 credits all from AP from high school. My transcript includes a withdrawal from my entire fall semester in 2016 and most recently fall sem 2018, both sems were ~13 credits worth of coursework. Should I apply elsewhere as a transfer or as a freshman? I think my transcript and SAT score from high school, including extra curriculars and AP scores are beyond the bell curve of the student body at my current university, and I would like to find a school outside of my hometown that is more rigorous academically, or, at the very least, different in location. How should I apply to other schools?
You need to contact each of the places on your application list, and ask them specifically about your situation. Usually students who have no earned transferable credits are considered freshman applicants. However, you have an unusual situation, so you need to verify separately with each of your targets.
Attendance of any college after high school graduation, but with no or few credits earned may or may not require you to apply as a transfer, depending on the target college. You need to check each college specifically on this question.
In addition, you will have to send your transcript from your previous/current college even though you did not accumulate any credits