My experience was that a degree cost me £9,000 and 3 years. Had I not gone to Uni then I would be have become a flying instructor 3 years earlier, joined an airline 3 years earlier and be a Captain right now. The IR would have been free which would have helped.
A degree doesn't really 'help' in any demonstrable way and a gap year is nothing more than a holiday in 99% of cases.
No sponsorships require a degree.
If you get excellent A-level grades then that more or less spells out clearly your fundamental academic ability.
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