@lavendrstclaire , if your post is legit, I would spend some time thinking about college and applications. Although it’s about MIT, read http://talk.qa.collegeconfidential.com/massachusetts-institute-technology/1024719-before-i-go-under-water-applying-sideways.html
Fwiw, if your (as yet unfinished) novel is published by anyone other than a legitimate non-paid publishing house, it won’t count for much and could possibly count against you.