seaworthy-
As you can tell by the other posts, what you can do as far as transferring really depends on where you are and where you’d like to go. For instance, here in CA there is a very-thoroughly-worked-out system for transferring Community College credits into either of the state’s University systems, but private colleges can be a different story entirely. I would keep any catalogs and syllabi you have, because the college you eventually wish to attend may not give much transfer credit to a course they can’t identify, and you want something to back you up in case there is some sort of transfer appeals process you can go through should the need arise.
Whether or not you would have to take required courses depends on the college as well. They have certain goals regarding the well-roundedness of the brains that leave their walls, and are trying to guarantee that through required coursework.
I assume by your post that you are approximately 19 or 20, which is probably a good age to start a 4-year college. I would really recommend, however, that you take some time for yourself to decide what you really want to do with the next several years of your life. College is a monumental expenditure of time and money, and it will all go better for you if you have a clear sense of why you’re there.
An AA degree is not quite as widely useful as a BA or BS in increasing you salary prospects for a job while you figure things out, but, depending on what you don’t mind spending your time doing, you should be able to keep yourself afloat for a short while until you really know what it is you want college for.
You will find many voices telling you that college is a waste of time, and that there is so much you could do with your time instead. Don’t listen. These are usually people who got degrees under the assumption that there was some sort of guarantee of riches coming out of college. It’s not the case, especially now, but it does tend to edge you up.
I myself, as a result of various dastardly circumstances, got my degree about 14 years later than the normal schedule, and the number of opportunities I was denied by simple virtue of the fact that I did not have documented recognition of my education (I did a lot of reading in the meantime) irks me to this day.
There are still a number of situations that don’t require a 4-year degree, but for the long term, if you have any sort of ambition whatsoever (however unforcused it may be at this time) and wish to keep your options as open as possible for as long as possible, you need full college to survive in this world.
But take whatever time for the short term that you need to really figure out the direction you want to head in. And don’t waste your twenties worrying too much about it.