Which RCM level to Aim for

As  I am a RCM certificated piano teacher, I would suggest to try level 4 or 5 for your first RCM exam. 
There are another parts you have to prepare such as technique and musicianship ( ear tests and sight reading) . Not only you have prepare a contrasting repertoires; List A , B, C and 2 etudes. 
prepare to perform at the local festivals , recitals and to your friends and family. 
All the best. 

Hello Ambs,

    I am an RCM teacher myself and I would start by saying that this would be an excellent conversation to have with your teacher as they know you and can help you set realistic goals based on your abilities and ethic. It is important to keep in mind there is more to earning your certificate than just the list pieces and etudes; there are technical requirements to demonstrate, ear testing elements, and sight reading components.  The average student takes about a year per level because this comprehensive approach requires one to "keep a lot of plates spinning".  Also, starting at level 5 there is a required theory component for each level that must also be completed in order to receive your practical certificate.

     I mention all these as items to discuss with your teacher because I don't think anyone can really suggest what level you aim without knowing a lot about the reasoning behind the curriculum AND you personally as as student. I can say though from experience that, given some of the details you mentioned about being a recent learner, the levels you are mentioning are not typically what someone works on without years of foundational work (again, this is where your teacher is the best person to discuss this with!).

    What I can tell though is that there are some really great pieces for sophisticated ears even in the level 4 lists.  Be sure to look at the syllabus that shows the full list of choices not just the books they publish as those are just selections from the master list.  There are some pieces by Chaminade and Tchaikovsky if you like the Romantic Era. You might also like the pieces by C. Gurlitt if you like Schumann.  Some other favourites of my students include "Echoes of November" which is a beautiful piece by a Canadian composer and "Reflections" by Dennis Alexander,   For List A, there are a couple of Scarlatti sonatas, a great Minuet (in D minor) attributed to Bach and the Allegretto by Hässler is excellent.  For List B, you can't really go wrong with Clementi Sonatinas but there is also a very good one by Diabelli in F Major that has many excellent Classical style elements to play with.

    For the etudes, since you like Schumann I would suggest you check out the "Ballade" by Burgmüller and "The Avalanche" by Stephen Heller.

    There are some other really great ones as well though you do have to sift through as List C especially merges many periods and styles so there will inevitably be a number that don't suit your tastes.  Finally, you can also do a "Teacher Substition" and play a selection that is not on the syllabus list if your teacher verifies it is level appropriate.  

    I hope something in all of that was helpful to you and I wish you the best of luck! 

Chopin Prelude in E Minor is on RCM Level 7, List C. I actually did Level 7 one year ago with it and it was okay. At that time I have practiced for 3 years and learning with a teacher for only half a year. And that was my first RCM exam.

Level 6's popular Chopin piece is the a minor waltz, which IMHO has been overly played but rarely well-played (the arpeggios are hard).

I think which level to start from also largely depends on which List A/B pieces you can accomplish, as they are usually more demanding to the "fundamentals". Also I believe aiming for a level that you can achieve 90 or at least 80, which is often harder than passing with a lower mark at a higher level.