Chris,
I am almost in the exact same position as you are. I am 21, still in college, and have a hair over $1000 to my name. I am fortunate in that I have a job lined up that begins mid-2015. Like you, I am extremely eager to get started in investing and have spent a lot of time reading the forums.
My views may be a bit more conservative than what some of the others suggest, but I believe you will find them helpful.
1) Get your personal finances in order - not having to worry about fines and other debts will be beneficial as you take on your real estate dreams
2) Network, network, network - remember that you don't know what you don't know. Meet with people whether it is here on BP or with your local real estate clubs. They will cast new light on the industry and expose you to new ideas and methods. To answer one of your questions the National Real Estate Investors Association has quite a few local chapters that could be a good place to start.
3) Continue to improve your knowledge. Do not stop learning. I have learned from reading quite a few posts that a lot of these successful members are humble, and perpetual students.
Best of luck!
Ashish
