That $3000 in loans…over four years…will be $12,000 with a repayment of under $200 a month.
Re: books and your other discretionary expenses…get a summer job. You should be able to cover those costs with your summer earnings. Also, working 10 hours a week or so while in college will surely help with continued discretionary expenses.
What exactly do you think you need for your dorm? Our kids did their initial shopping at our house. They got towels, blankets, pillows, some decorations they wanted to take, etc. They didn’t really need to purchase much. And they both had nice dorm rooms.