I speak from experience - i did both. Education bells and whistles and years in the bush. At the end of the day you can get a job flying a jet without a degree and the 3 years might as well be invested in a degree that can make you some real money should the flying thing dissappear one day.
Good luck mate. Don't stop asking questions either. Its the only way to find out. I ask the blokes with 4 stripes stuff all the time at work.
Couldn't care less if a student gets straight in from uni - good on em. The only bit I worry about is when I'm in the left seat on a dark stormy night and young mate hasn't had the opportunity to scare the piss out of him/herself on several occasions.