start wyotech
Wyo-Tech has a great reputation here in Denver and many of the grads end up in high line dealers like BMW, Jaguar, Lexus etc.
Good luck in your chosen field. You seem like a smart guy who has been making good choices for yourself and this seems like one more.
I have an old computer I'd be willing to donate to you, but it's no power house. It would be fine for surfing and e-mailing though. I'm sure I could scrape up a keyboard and mouse too. You would need to supply your own monitor. You can find a crt for free on craigslist. PM me and I'll make arrangements.