I know this is an older thread, but here is another good choice. Get your 4 year degree, and seek out an air national guard or air force reserve flying unit. You can go to pilot training (best there is) for free, fly something cool, do it part time, and do something else the rest of the time, could be flying for a coorporation, airline, or something else non-flying. I went the active duty route, and wished I would have gone to the guard. I am leaving active duty next year in favor of the guard, its the best kept secret.