Welcome El! I hope counseling helps you decide what you want to do regarding alcohol, friends, etc.
I personally like therapy, even though I tend to be very private. It takes a while to trust a counselor. Any good counselor will not expect you to be fully trusting and open immediately.
I can relate to a lot of what you wrote, since I initially quit drinking very young. Initially, I quit when I was 18 because I saw too many red flags and did not want to take the chance of alcoholism. I did not drink very often but I drank a lot whenever I started to drink. I blacked out, but I was never hung over and it did not get in the way of school. I drank again at 23 and quit again at 23. Then I was sober for 16 years, but I have drank a few times in the past few years. It's definitely a problem now- which is why I am sober again!
There are lots of ways to stop drinking other than AA. If you ever choose to try AA, there are meetings for younger people (and often regular meetings have lots of young people in them too). There are other programs too, such as SMART recovery, Women for Sobriety, LifeRing, & SOS. And lots of people stop without going to meetings.
Only time will tell if you can stop drinking or cut way back and still hang out with drinking friends. That sounds very hard to me.
But it would be very hard to be told that you cannot see them again (& that you cannot study abroad). Of course, you are an adult so you get to make those decisions (even if there is a financial aspect that your parents control). You mentioned being afraid of being sent somewhere (inpatient). I seriously doubt they could do that against your will. You have lots of control. (I say this because I would want to resist and rebel if I felt forced by others. You are an adult. You have choices.)
What do you want to do about alcohol?