I am so sorry you’ve faced all these issues. I hope you’re taking appropriate measures to heal and get justice.
I am not understanding something. Why go back to community college at this point? That seems counterproductive. You are 28, which is young, but I definitely think you run the risk of feeling like a fish out of water at some of these schools you mention. The average age of a Barnard student is 20-21. At Vandy and Northeastern, most students are well under the age of 24. As an older student, you might fit in better at UCLA, where there are more commuters and more mature students. Northwestern seems to have plenty of older students. But how are you going to pay?
I’m a big fan of LACs, but I would have serious reservations about a 28 year old student transferring in. This student is likely to be six years old than the oldest student. They are going to be at very different times in their lives. I do agree that the MHC scholarship linked above sounds interesting.
An online degree is what it is. You can find social opportunities by working, of course.
I get the sense you aren’t sure what you want, but going to CC at this stage doesn’t seem to serve a real purpose. In your shoes, I’d probably consider options with a large proportion of more mature students. As a 28 year old, you might do better with more peers similar to your age. Good luck.