UNI Rant

[Niall]

Also be aware that schools lack the ability to pursuade pupils to anything else than university. For their own rapour, they want more students attending further education @ uni rather than going into a laborious trade.

Agreed. I left school at 16 and I actually had a teacher tell me if I don't go to 6form and college/Uni, I will fail in later life.
I'm now 20, earning more than most teachers and in a better position for future life than most teachers!
I will how ever say though, fair play for you going into the forces but most employers will not think "oh he's stuck to Uni for 3 years, he's clearly dedicated so we will employ him". Most would rather see a good work ethic which you can only get by working.
In your case (and I don't know exactly what your planning on doing in the forces so this is a bit of a guess - appologies if wrong ) I do not see how sociaology (course your doing right?) influences a job in the forces.