Thanks for the response @PurpleTitan . As of cost, UIUC will be affordable for my family, Purdue we can make work, and GA Tech would be a big burden but it is possible.
I have heard about the CC pathway, but I don’t think that would be a good fit for me. Do you know anything about the UIUC engineering undeclared major? My friend was accepted into the program and from my research it seems like an easier path to a first choice engineering major than the PREP program is.