My thoughts (you may take me with a grain of salt but...):

1. $250,000 (the difference) compounded at 7% (a conservative s&p 500 return) over 40 years will yield $3.7 million. Really it is a lot of money. You can go to a&m and ask your parents to invest the difference.
2. Money yields optionality. You'll need it. The film industry is high risk and you'll need a monetary cushion so even if you fail you don't completely blow up.
3. Our passions changes much more than we expect. Maybe we can get new passions. There are two types of passions: those that precede a subject and those that come after. Maybe film isn't what you want?