Help with my future goal to be an optometrist?

I am a senior in high school, in North Carolina. I have done a lot of research on optometry. There are only so many Optometry schools. My dad tells me I should pick another profession because the schools are too expensive and far away since there is only 17 schools. I don't really know what to do, I really am interested in optometry. I will be going to find out more from my guidance counselor soon. Can anyone give me a guideline on what it takes to be an optometrist after you graduate high school, etc...