Guys I'm a bit stuck on what to do in the immediate future. I've just finished my A Levels in the summer and I'm now having a gap year, during which I expected to sign up to join the armed forces (a lifelong career choice) but now I'm debating whether I should go to uni and get a degree and then apply..... which do you think is the best option? Apply for the forces now and build a career immediately or go to uni, get a degree and then join? HELP!

If you go Armed Forces.. Go Air Force.. they're probably the guys who have it best..

Uni is becoming one of those things where its difficult to get jobs after due to high levels of competition.. Plus you'll be in debt..

I have a Law Degree with Honours.. 2.2.. and gave up trying to get into it.. I now work for an Automotive company dealing with prestige cars..

Have you considered joining as an officer? You will get university level instruction prior to joining the force, then you'll get leadership lessons.

Failing that I would join the armed forces first. Sometimes you will get help with university costs while there, other times you will at least have training and skills and money saved to go to uni.

Whatever you do though if you are sent to war don't show your comrades in arms a picture of your "sweetheart" that you're "going to marry just as soon as I get home" just before a big battle. That never ends well.

If you go Armed Forces.. Go Air Force.. they're probably the guys who have it best..

Uni is becoming one of those things where its difficult to get jobs after due to high levels of competition.. Plus you'll be in debt..

I have a Law Degree with Honours.. 2.2.. and gave up trying to get into it.. I now work for an Automotive company dealing with prestige cars..

No offence mate, but it is because you got a 2.2 that your degree is not very handy. However, I bet you could still probably get on to a PGCE or postgrad course of some description when the recession os over and applications are down. You have opportunites open to you that are not available to non-graduates. A degree always helps your career in the long run, especially if you choose it carefully and get a good grade. I'll bet my left bollock that you would have got a job if you had a 2.1 or did a retake somehow. A 1st and it's almost a given. Law graduates are the best candidates when it comes to graduate programmes, even if they graduated at some ****ty ex-poly!

Have you considered joining as an officer? You will get university level instruction prior to joining the force, then you'll get leadership lessons.

Failing that I would join the armed forces first. Sometimes you will get help with university costs while there, other times you will at least have training and skills and money saved to go to uni.

Whatever you do though if you are sent to war don't show your comrades in arms a picture of your "sweetheart" that you're "going to marry just as soon as I get home" just before a big battle. That never ends well.

Ohh yeah if I join up now I'm going as an officer, dead cert. It's just I'm stuck at the moment because all my mates are at uni now having the time of their lives while I'm living in a gym all day every day. It's tough and I'm not really sure what to do!

The question is do you want to spend your time with lots of men or spend 3 years in a magical fanny land where 99% of the girls are fit and gagging for it?

Forces would be better in the long term cos uni has many distractions. Depends on what you feel mate, its your life!

The question is do you want to spend your time with lots of men or spend 3 years in a magical fanny land where 99% of the girls are fit and gagging for it?Forces would be better in the long term cos uni has many distractions. Depends on what you feel mate, its your life!You can get fake NUS cards and shag all them birds on student nights anyway. I thought the Army would pay for you to go to uni if you sign up to become an officer? It's the next best thing to joining the French Foreign Legion

Go to uni. You can always join the raghead killing brigade after. I'm sure there'll still be a few ragheads left to kill.

The question is do you want to spend your time with lots of men or spend 3 years in a magical fanny land where 99% of the girls are fit and gagging for it?

Forces would be better in the long term cos uni has many distractions. Depends on what you feel mate, its your life!

Like soldiers don't get any fanny.

I often think if I made the right decision going to uni; I have myself a nice 20 grand debt and an average degree in something that doesn't really open too many career paths, while some friends who chose to go straight into work are doing very well for themselves. That said, the last three years have been the best time of my life. I have met some great people and managed to shag some girls I would have never thought possible.