Airline Pilot Central Forums - Aspiring pilot needs advice and oppinons!

Long story cut short - I've been interested in aviation since I was a child, I got my first flight sim at around the age of 8 and I was instantly hooked.

Throughout my time in education I never really applied myself as much as I could I saw becoming a commercial pilot impossible for me, plus I had my mind fixated upon the Armed Forces. I didn't leave school with awful grades I came out with 5 GCSE's including English and Science but not including Maths which is what lets me down. Further down the line I attended college I still had pushed the idea of becoming a pilot to the back of my head and rendered it impossible, so I didn't take any A-levels but chose a BTEC course instead...

Getting to the point here and closer to today, I'm 18 years old and I'll be joining the RN (Royal Navy) as an Aircraft Controller very soon, most likely by this fall depending on when my training is scheduled. I figured a career in ATC would suit me well, It's a good career and It's in aviation therefore I'll be sure to enjoy it. I plan on furthering my education inside the Navy by studying A-level Spanish and a second A-level, I'm still undecided on what that may be... along with the A-levels I'll also take part in Level-2 functional skills course in Maths which is equivalent to a GCSE in Maths. The Navy is planned out for me and I decided a long time ago that It's what I'll be doing.

However recently I've come back to the idea of becoming a commercial pilot again, I've checked up on some of the "Future Flyer" Programmes some Airlines offer e.g Virgin Atlantic, Qatar, and British Airways and they do seem quite promising and most of them do offer you positions with those airlines SHOULD you pass the programme, however there are some rather large sums of cash you have to dish out throughout the programme coming up to approximately £100,000 overall including accommodation. Now the only way I would get my hands on that kind of money is if I took out a loan, which I do NOT like the idea of at all should I fail the programme that's my life ruined right there.

Now the way I see it, I have two ways in to a career as a pilot, that's the one I've explained above where I'd leave the navy and go with the "Future Flyers" programme or after I've achieved my A-levels while studying in the RN, I could go about doing a lateral transfer inside the RN, over to a position as an Aircrew Officer Pilot, which is internal or to the RAF (Royal Air Force) as a Pilot which would be an external transfer, both I've been told by my recruiter that are possible but frowned upon.

So I came here for advice and input from experienced pilots or those who are in aviation or those that have followed through with dishing out money for training.

To cut my extensive story shot:

Is it worth the risk of me taking out a loan and committing to something that could both make and ruin my life?

Would you recommend me transferring from my ATC position in the RN to a Military Pilot role?

Should I just stick with becoming an Air Traffic Controller? Which seems like the best and safest option to me, like I said I'm just here for advice and input.