By all means take a year off before University, but I'd highly recommend going. You'll find that lots of places won't even give you an interview if you don't ha

By all means take a year off before University, but I'd highly recommend going. You'll find that lots of places won't even give you an interview if you don't have a degree, no matter how smart you are. However, here's something to think about. The degree doesn't need to be Computer Science/Software Engineering. Take a technical degree that interests you. Speaking as a Computer Science graduate, the typical Computer Science degree course is fairly tedious. Take a mathematics degree, or a science degree, or even a mechanical engineering degree. Whatever your interests you most. During your holidays get some decent software engineering internships in, and you'll be set up.