If you are really starting out and all you want to do is model, try one of the free programs first. There are many of them around and some of them have very robust toolsets for modelling. Afterwards as you get better, then I would look into another tool. The terminology is basically the same for all programs. A boolean option or a bevel is relatively the same for Carrara, Max, Lightwave Rhino etc... therefore learning to model can be overcome for free and as your style developes, you can choose the software that best fit your style.