So this is just my observations, and .02 cents on the whole FBO vs. ATP debate...

So out of all the people that said ATP is a joke on this thread. How many of you have actually done significant time there?
I can honestly say from experience at ATP and a local well known 141 school, that ATP is good. Its different, but still good. Yes its more expensive, but it also is with 100 multi engine hours and a cfi job for those fast track people. It also includes the CFII and MEI. Also mx is good. Hardly had a time where a flight was cancelled. Either we switched planes or quickly got it fixed. Not bad at all.
My friends training costs, and my personal costs from PPL-Commercial ME at a local fbo were only 5-10k cheaper than ATP. Consider that, and ATP gets u more multi time (90 more in my case), more CFI certs, and a job all while being much, much faster. I think an aspiring pilot, should seriously consider ATP. Yes a local FBO can get you those same qualifications for less. Typically the difference is not huge. I have taught hundreds of pilots. And even with passing all check rides just a few hours above FAA minimum, the extra price if ATP made it noteworthy, considering the other benefits.
Here is my anti-FBO rant.... There was a lot of down time at the local FBO due to maintenance (only a few airplanes, 100 hour inspections every other week, always being rented. So downtime was noticeable), only 10 hours of multi, and could only get on my instructors schedule a few times a week. And in my case, the weather in the midwest was never good enough to reliably get a high amount of training done fast. Unlike FL, TX, or AZ where you have VFR 300+ days a year.
For those that have heard, said, or witnessed bad things about ATP instructors, there are also good ones. There are bad apples, in every tree. (I had an absolute nightmare of a time at a once called "excellent" local FBO) It just so happens that ATP gets a lot of bad rep, because they are so big. But overall, they are good. Not too many lifer CFI's like what you sometimes find at an FBO, but still most of them are good.
Also, I have noticed that a lot of people that regret not getting time fast enough as a young pilot, is where a lot of the bitterness about ATP comes from. Pure jealousy. I loved my training at my local FBO, also got a job there. But instead of 3-6 months at ATP. It was more like 1.5 years for 250 hours of flight. Just because of weather, mx issues, aircraft and instructor availability. ATP has almost all of those usual FBO flight school training woes, ironed out.