My dream is to go to a college in the U.K. However, it seems like it may only be a dream.

It's not a matter of academics, I'm in the IB program and plan to earn the IB diploma.

The problem lies in finances. My parents tell me that if I plan to go to a college in England, they expect me to be self supportive.

Is my dream even possible?

Of course it's attainable- you might just have to take a year out and work like crazy and save up as much money as possible. Unfortunately, as well, foreign student fees are stupidly higher than resident fees, and even then it's a lot.
You could always live in Scotland for three years THEN go to uni, that way you'd get it for free.

Either way, it looks like you're going to have to save and save. Sorry

As Becky said, the fees for overseas students are huge, but it is possible to get loads of bursaries and stuff, depending on what Uni you go to, and what grades you can get. If you do some research, then you find quite a few people willing to give you money if you apply for it/write an article/get good grades or whatever. I'd look into that if'n I were you.

You can also work part-time while at university. While I was studying, my parents paid the rent, and I covered pretty much everything else.

Including tuition fees?

Well, as for grades, I'm getting the IB (international baccaluareate (sp?)) dipoma, which is supposed to be respected "worldwide," and as for scholarships/grants/free money... I'm not sure if I could find anyone willing to do that...

What subject are you doing at Uni? Contact a professional association for that subject, if there is one, contact associations that promote overseas learning, contact groups in your own area - I don't know the American equivalents but here I'd look at the Round Table, XRT, the Rotary Club, the Lions Club etc. Contact the universities themselves, many of them have scholarships for overseas students as long as you perform well.

Other possibilities are sports and hobbies, if you're very good at anything like that then you can often find people to give you money to get through Uni, and if all else fails then there's always the Army.

(I've thought about how to get money to go to Uni a lot, can you tell? )

Blessed be those starting uni in 1997, for they shall inherit a nice system whereby they didn't have to pay tuition fees. They were brought in two years after I started. I probably would have got a student loan to cover those.

While doing my PhD I pleaded poverty (legitimately) and so had my tuition fees covered and paid all my rent and everything else through part time jobs, temping, and for several years through animating.

You should try searching for online communities for Americans in the UK. They usually have a section devoted to information for students, including advice on how to obtain funding that is specific to Americans wanting to study here. They also have a lot of really good advice when it comes to submitting your visa.

I'm pretty sure you can work part time if you're here on a student visa, but it'd be in your best interest to either read the rules for the visa or ask someone who is here as a student. I'm here as a spouse, so the rules are different for me.

Anyway, good luck! Even if you end up at an American uni, you could always at least do an exchange program for a year, if nothing else.