Josh,
A note about school career advisers. Basically when I was at school I also wanted to become an airline pilot in the future. Multiple career advisers told me various pieces of incorrect information including such nonsense as needing to have a degree in aeronautical engineering to become a pilot.... they managed to convince me that it was an impossibility, so I gave up on the idea.
Later on at university I came across Pprune and reading through the forums made me realise that it was indeed a possibility.
4 years later I was teaching beginners how to fly little aircraft, the year after flying Airbus 320s. It was hard work, but worth it in the end.
As already noted there is a mixed bag of information on these forums, some great, some bad. Overall though I think these forums can be an invaluable resource for you
Good luck!