What would be a good DSLR for a teen seeking a photography degree?

I currently use my high school's yearbook camera, an Olympus E500, but I hate it. The controls are confusing and the manual settings stink. I want a better camera, a Nikon or Canon, one that I can use in college. Preferably in a student's price range? Help?

Added (1). I DO know manual settings. This camera just has the settings in weird places, making them hard to change. It took me months to figure out how to change shutter speed. But I do know how to use ISO, aperture, shutterspeed, etc.

First you have to look at sizes. Canon cameras are better for people with smaller hands, while Nikons are better for the larger-handed.
I don't know anything about Nikons, but I can recommend Canons.
If you want a professional DSLR, I would go for the Canon 7D (£1685), which also records HD video. If you don't need the video capabilities, get the 50D (£1180) which has a metal body and is semi-professional. If you want something even lower, the 550D (£640) is starter-level and records video. For no video, get the 1000D (£480).

Before you spend a dime, check with the school you will be attending and find out what camera you will need for the first few classes. Most photo schools teach the fundamentals of photography using some kind of camera that uses film.

It is only after you have honed your skills at providing consistently perfect or near perfect exposures and were able to complete all the technical assignments, does one advance to using a digital camera.

It would be a shame to spend from $700 to $850 on a dSLR like the D3100 or 550D and find out you have the wrong type camera

The controls and manual settings are confusing because you don't know how to use it. Every other DSLR camera is just complicated, if not more. Buying a new DSLR camera will not make your life any easier.

Read the manual thoroughly here, and that should help improve your life situation without spending a penny: http://www.olympusamerica.com/...ual_EN.pdf

If you still find it confusing, maybe a DSLR camera really isn't the right kind of camera for you.

If you still insist on spending money, both the Canon Xs and Nikon D3000 are good, inexpensive DSLR cameras to choose from.