If I could go back and give my past-self some advice, I'd fully explain the difference between part 61 and 141 and try to convince myself to drive the extra 20 minutes to the 141 school. It would have saved me a lot of money and time. I also *might* not have taken out such a large loan to get a BS degree, but at the time, the airline industry was pretty low and I wanted a backup plan.
Hope this helps, good luck!