PG, let me give you two routes as an example to think about. I started flying at a local airport back in the early 90s and ended H.S. with my commercial and got my CFI in college and instructed.

My roommate at Auburn worked got his private and instrument in college while working on an aerospace engineer degree. As a part of his degree he got a job as a co-op at Delta every other quarter.

I graduated went straight to the airlines. Co-oping and engineering added another year for him in school but he had a blast and then went on to All ATP and got his ratings done and then instructed there. When he left for the airlines he had 1000 TT and 800 ME, compared to me a few years earlier at 1600 TT and 100 ME.

He made Captain, Delta announced they'd hire and he filled out an application with the ability to check the I used to work there box, came to Delta in the (for privacy let's just say at a good time in 2007 to come) and then he got me hired.

So that's just two examples. I enjoyed my path a lot, I'd enjoyed his path a lot too but it was more expensive but cheaper than doing it in college, he also got lots of ME time is great and the intern thing was golden... for the both of us.