<human>: Hi Reddit,

First, some back-story:
I'm currently a high school senior in Europe, just a month from graduation. In the last year, all of my effort was focused into getting in to a (graphic, motion, interactive) design college in the US. I took the TOEFL exam, took drawing classes and built the best portfolio that I could. Fortunately, my effort was paid off, I got accepted into all of the schools that I applied to. I thought that the hardest part was behind me, and I couldn't have been more wrong.

Now, I need to find a way to pay for my education. I got my first year pretty much settled in terms of money, but I still want to make a plan for the next three years that I will be attending school, I don't want to do it in the last minute and make a wrong decision. I will be applying to every scholarship that I can qualify for, and seek more aid from the university - but what if my only option left is to take out a loan in the US? That's where I need your advice Reddit, because dealing with finances is not one of my strongest suits. I googled for the institutions that give student loans, there is so many of them and I can't tell a difference. I tried using their calculator so I can see how much will I need to pay, but many things confuse me - primarily the interest rates, and how changing one property can make an influence on the monthly payment. 

Can anyone give me some advice (besides working part-time and living frugal, I already decided that) about taking out a student loan, so I don't mess up and make a wrong decision that I will regret for the rest of my life? All this talk on Reddit about how everyone needs to learn how to deal with finances made me paranoid for my future, because I got absolutely no idea on how to balance a checkbook and other basic stuff. 

Thank you for your help, reddit.

Could you distill the essence of the text into 1-3 sentences?
<bot>: A kid that has no clue on how to deal with finances needs to take out a loan - any advice so I don't make a wrong decision I will regret?