When I got my instrument rating I had about 250 hours, and the very next day I rented a plane and flew a solo cross-country on a day with layered stratus and 600-1000' ceilings pretty much over the entire midwest. I did a VOR approach to minimums at KCMI, landed, then took back off and did the ILS to KLAF.

My instructor and many friends thought I was NUTS for doing that but I knew I wouldn't be able to get any practical real-world experience sticking to the syllabus at Purdue and I would never be sharper than right after the checkride. I had to take it upon myself to gain the experience (and confidence) I knew I would need for my future and after that have never been wary about single-engine IFR.

Not saying such an approach is for everybody...but it worked for me.