All advice is completely subjective, and with that caveat here goes :
I applied for a Cadetship at 18, didn't get it and was given a Flying Scholarship as consolation.
Decided to go to uni - mainly to have a laugh, broaden my horizons and give myself more options should my dream to fly not be realised.
Uni will certainly expand your horizons, and the UAS will allow you to fly at the same time - with little or no responsibility (other than to complete EFT of course).
I applied for a Bursary in my second year and was accepted for GD(P), by which stage I had done some flying, was a broader individual and a little more worldly wise (probably the reason they accepted me this time).
I was one of the first lot to be streamed from UAS but I managed a FJ reccomend and a 2:1 degree.....and I know many others who managed the same...so don't assume its an impossible task.....as an aside I am now a ME Pilot, which goes to prove you never know where you will end up, so in my experience, planning is futile....(Incidentally, I am having a ball - there are no bad flying jobs in the military)...
There are clear benefits to DE (quicker to the front line, lower debts etc), but I wouldn't have traded my uni experience for anything - so don't feel obliged to grab a DE slot if you really want the uni experience - it will be much harder to go to uni later should your DE route fail you. Once you have been earning a steady wage, becoming a student with debt is a daunting prospect....
Anyway, nuff said - btw I joined UAS in 1994, so I guess that makes me an old ****** already!
Best of luck in whatever awaits!!
Amen Brain -
First tour - got the loan, bought the TVR -
Second tour - still recovering....
(especially hacked off after spending all my time in the Middle East not being able to drive the bloody thing!)
Still - great fun while it lasted
