It's too late to apply for the GDC conference associate program, and its a tough one to get into, as they have far more applicants as they have positions for, including some who come in year after year (I've volunteered at their spinoff and successor shows, amongs other, and it really is fun.)

You could try to enter the program next year, or even better, look for other shows to help out with. They'll be happy for the help, and you'll have the opportunity to cut costs and meet like minded individuals, whether they are general attendees, fellow volunteers, or the show staff. This will give you insight into what the industry is like, might spark some new ideas on directions you can take, and inspire you to keep working towards your goal.

You can find events in the calendar or on Gameconfs.com. Smaller events on meetup, facebook and word of mouth. Good luck.

Should you decide to attend GDC, you should still be able to use this GameDev.net discount code for 10% off a pass: GDC18DEV