if your failing your first year at uni when you only need around 40% to get through i think you might want to re-think the pilot job.
a PPL is easy enough but when you get to ATPL level you need to work and work HARD to get through, if you cant get through uni then you will struggle. my ATPL's were more difficult than my third year in uni.
At the end of the day if you dont put the effort in when your training to be a pilot you could be putting yourself and other people at risk.