Hello, I'm 17 years old and my goal is to one day become a commercial airline pilot. The problem is that I'm not entirely sure how to get there. I'm aware of all the things that I need to attain to get a job with the airlines, but I don't know what route I should take to get them. I'm going to be a senior in high school this year, and I'm debating on whether I should join the Air Force or Coast Guard, or go to college to get a degree and then go to a flight school. The problem is that my family is extremely short on cash for various reasons, so college and flight school is beginning to become more difficult to support.
Aviation is a real love of mine, and despite all of the reasons stating why a career in commercial piloting is the wrong choice, I believe that it's what I want to do in life. If you could please share with me what you believe is the best and cheapest route to get there, I would greatly appreciate it.