Quote: Anyone out there have any ideas of where to start?
Have you thought about buying some books?
I'm saying this because there must be sources where you can buy such textbooks for quite good prices. Especially when you don't use it for classes but just for yourself you don't care which edition you use. With that in mind you must be able 2 find organic chemistry text books for 20 dollars. (normal price would be around 100 or more)
There is McMurry, solomon, and the best (but most boring) is probably March (which might cost you more).
Well the same goes for physical chemistry, Atkins is one of the better ones I think. And it cover everything, thermodynamics, kinetics, quantum chemistry, spectroscopy.
If you read those two books you will have a very solid basis. And for a price which will be just a fraction of what you are going to pay when you will start studying. More details on thermo, inorganic, biochem, polymers etc. you will find later when you actually start your studies.
The level is what we used when we came out of high school on our first days at the university...basicly till the end.
So I advice you to check out some secondhand bookshops, or shops that sell new books which were left not sold in regular shops (I don't know the english word for such a shop).
good luck