Some advice:
1)If you really want to become a professional pilot, then you should proceed with that career but be smart about it. Don't rush out and pay $60k to be done in 12 months. Do some research and figure out a cost effective way of obtaining all of your pilot certificates (Private, Instrument, Commercial, Commercial Multi, CFI, CFII at least). If you spend a couple of years working towards this goal, you will be more experienced, will have spent less money, and your timing will likely be much, much better than if you were looking now or even a year from now.
2)Go to college (a cheap state school) and get a good, marketable degree in something useful. Something related to medical, engineering, accounting, etc. This will allow you to have a backup in case something happens to the aviation sector and you find yourself unemployed. I'm sure I'll catch some flack for this, but getting a degree in something aviation related is a big, big mistake... If the aviation industry is in the crapper and you lose your flying job, you are going to have a difficult time using that airport management degree or whatever.
3)Be open about the type of flying you will do as a professional pilot. There are all kinds of different ways to earn a living, and you will be much better off if you take the best opportunity available to you as it presents itself. I used to want to be "an airline pilot". Luckily I was open about it, and after instructing for awhile I worked in 135 charter and now part 91 corporate. Thank God I went that route instead of the regionals.
4)Be willing to move where ever you have to, within reason. I grew up in Colorado, and I love it there. But the job market sucks in Denver so I moved to south FL. As far as my aviation career goes, it was an excellent decision. I know people that are still stuck in dead end pilot jobs (or have totally quit aviation) as they were unwilling to move when they were starting out.
4)Keep your expenses down. Do not buy a new car, don't get married, don't buy a house, etc. You really, really need to be flexible when you're starting out.
Good luck!