Spend a long time reading through some past threads on here, read the BALPA website and the "so you want to be a pilot" brochure produced by GAPAN and the Royal Aeronautical Society.
You are in competition with people who have considered nothing but this career for all their lives, and are prepared to enter upwards of £60k of debt to obtain the relevant training. Since there is little in the way of sponsored training to relieve that burden, do your research well and don't ever start training without having considered your abilities through something such as the GAPAN pilot aptitude tests.
Degrees do not help in an industry in which you have to pay your own way, but considering the numbers of people paying for and struggling to achieve the "dream", you are best advised to consider how you might fund your training or work in a well-paying backup career if plans do not work out, or you lose your medical. i.e. go to university.
Last edited by Lucifer; 27th Aug 2006 at 10:11.