Hasta La Motion!

I am currently trying to get into Gnomon, school of visual effects, in Hollywood, but money is the biggest thing getting in my way. Like most art schools, tuition can almost reach 6 digit-figures and that scares the crap out of me! I was wondering if anybody has attended a school similar to these and what did they do it to survive its towering tuition costs? Others are telling me to just learn the stuff by myself and save some money. Others are telling me that ill be able to pay it off with the type of income a vfx artist makes AFTER im done… any suggestions/comments/ ideas? thanks! (any school suggestions would be awesome too. i know Gnomon isnt the ONLY school)