After I left the JWs, college was one of my primary goals. I now have my BA (in English) and am halfway through my master's program.
As for the poster's question about paying for it, I used the resources of my local community college (very inexpensive classes) for my lower division courses, then transferred to a state university for the rest. I maintain a 4.0 GPA, and this has put me in line for enough scholarships to pay for my tuition. Now that I am a grad student, various grants and paying assistanceships are also available. I have never taken out any student loans. From what I have read about these, I caution anyone to proceed carefully and only after due diligence research.
There is (non-repayable) money out there for the determined student, but you have to be diligent about finding out where it is and applying for it. Good grades and/or provable financial need help (file a FAFSA). Also, if you qualify for assistance given to various demographic segments, that too, can be a resource. For the record, I am a white female in her mid-fifties, so not many programs are tailored for me. Still, I have found money when I needed it from scholarships and other sources available to students.
If you want to go to college, search out the financial aid. Colleges and universities all have departments devoted to helping students connect with funding.