You didn't ask the right question: "Is getting an associate's degree for free a good idea?"

FUCK YES IT IS.

My recommendation: get an associate's degree in something that will provide you with a job you don't hate and that will most likely lead to gainful employment. Spend the necessary time pursuing that associate's degree to reach out to employers in areas you'd reasonably want to live so that when you're done with the degree, you're in a good spot for a journeyman/technician job.

Work at that job to see what you like about it and what you don't. See what sort of education you need to advance to the next level - at this point, you're a degree, several tens of thousands of dollars in non-incurred debt and a year or two of experience ahead of your peers.

Improve your standing with online education or night classes and get your employer to pay for it. You're now another few tens of thousands of dollars and another few years of work experience ahead of your peers. And you're probably driving a car that doesn't suck and living without six roommates.

By this point it's probably 2020 or so, you likely have a bachelor's and a few certificates, and the whole clusterfuck that is the American higher education system has probably settled down a little bit. And that's the big thing.

Getting a 4-year degree right now is a lot like buying a house in 2007. You're going to get fucked. The system is experiencing structural change and that's a great excuse to stay clear of falling rocks. Read this book. It's a great overview of the level of disruption higher ed is currently experiencing, as written by the editor of the Chronicle of Higher Education.