In my opinion, worse than the expense, Riddle takes the fun out of flying. I attended Riddle for three years and left when I ran out of money. I worked a few different jobs and ended up cleaning up some GE at CC and then finishing my degree through ERAU extended campus only because I had so many credits that were usless anywhere else. I earned my private at Riddle but did the rest at a local FBO at home in Oregon. Meanwhile the guys who I would have graduated with were hired on at the regionals with 600 hours or less. While working through the rattings I worked the desk at the FBO taking phone calls. For this I received dicounted A/C rental and by the time I hit my comercial training, my instructor/friends were giving me some free dual here and there. I made more contacts sitting around drinking coffee on the couch of the FBO then I ever did at Riddle. I flew an Agusta 109 and an H-1 (tried anyway), helped with parts of a Mig-17 and F-104 restoration and did more flying "just because" than I did instructing. When I left I had keys to a few airplanes that I was given permission to "exercise" when I wanted to. One gentelman I met and flew with about once a month was one of the "done it all" pilots. He got me hired flying in Alaska. That experience was a dream come true and I shouldn't even get started on it......That job led me to a new friend who eventually got me hired flying Metros with only 65 hours Multi. I upgraded in four months and have passed my 1000 multi-turbine PIC. I still haven't flown a jet and I'm still not where I want to be as far as a job goes, but I now have friends who fly for FedEx, UPS, Alaska, Delta, Continental, Net Jets, CitaitonShares, and a few pretty cool Part 91 gigs. None of this assures me a job at these places, but the point is that none of these guys went to Riddle, I met them while building my career. One of the guys who got hired after graduation with less than 600 hours just got hired at Alaska (not my inside guy). In college he had a model Beaver and books about flying in Alaska. One of things we used to talk about was someday flying the Beaver. Before Alaska he was at Independence, before that ERAU. To my knowldedge he still hasn't flown a Beaver. I have. The beaver is something riddle couldn't give him. You dont seem like your trying to buy a career. The guys who do never get they're moneys worth. Aviation can be one hell of a ride if your game. But you cant buy it with cash, the price is hard work and time. Do what you love, and things will fall in to place with time, maybe not on your time, but it will happen.