<p>Your best bet is to go back to New York with your mother (who would then become your custodial parent for FAFSA) and work for a year and/or volunteer or do whatever (NO community college). It would also have the advantage of reacquainting you with US culture and values. You would then have a choice between the SUNY’s and CUNY’s at bargain price, as well as being able to apply to any private university. That would give you enough time to prepare for the SAT and establish residency. As a bonus, if residency is establish 12 months before you enroll (vs. 12 months before you apply), you could use your WHV to travel/work somewhere for a couple months, thus doing something worthwhile with your gap year and having something unusual to recount for your essays. If it’s 12 months before you apply you couldn’t do that as readily.
What do your parents think?</p>