Should I wait till next year to apply or just apply to a easier school?

I want to apply to Loyola Marymount University for the Fall of 2019 as a transfer student for my Junior year. I know the deadline is coming up. But my reason for posting this is, I want to apply also to other schools like UT Austin, NCSU and TAMU, also of course LMU.
I applied to those above mentioned to the engineering programs of Civil Engineering. BUT thing is that I do not meet all the prerequisites nor do I seem competitive.
I still need Physics - Chemistry II - Calc I - Calc 2
I have taken only up to trigonometry (currently taking precalculus and calculus this spring semester. I have chemistry I with an A and my general ed courses done. That’s about it, with a 3.5 GPA.
And I know depending where I go, not all the courses will transfer.
Can I still get in with maybe a pre major into engineering? I asked an advisor at my school and she hardly answered my questions. I also asked if I could just get into any of those schools with a pre major and she looked at me crazy. I know Texas Tech University has pre-engineering majors.
Or do I take a gap year with possibly not even getting in to any engineering programs? I am already 23, I took a 4 year gap after HS.
Do I just finish my degree and forget it? As you can see I am not confident in my ability to even get into any engineering programs let alone any of the schools I mentioned. So far I have gotten into UNT for Information Technology as a PRE-Information Technology major It falls in the computer science/engineering sector at their school ABET credited. Which is in the engineering department but I think anyone with a decent GPA can get into their engineering programs. Also IT seems easier than say EE o/r ME.
Should I even bother? Also, during high school I barely graduated with the minimum credits which required me to go to community college. I failed all math and science courses many times because I never paid attention or showed up to class. So I struggle as if I am learning everything NOT RElearning. I only passed because of pity from my teachers lol and the school was really bad and wanted me out.