My training, at least start to Commercial was done at a local flight school and AFB Aero Club when I was in high school and then I taught at an awesome college with the best damn students ever.

I saw both sides personally. The local FBO type is good for a lot of things but for time building as a CFI can be hit or miss. My school was a huge hit for a few years then a big miss then it was out of business.

The large University is slow for students but great as a CFI.

The other way to do it is what I saw with a buddy, he did college and had a good time, did a hard major, co-op at Delta, then All ATP and went basically five years from starting instrument rating at ATP to Delta.

And you can blame him for getting me hired. I met great people at both places, most oddly enough are at UcAL.

To each his own, however, at $175 for a 172 and 60-80 for dual, I don't see how anyone can afford it. Buying an airplane is i guess one way.

Maybe they ought to do fractional flight schools, buy your share in an airplane whose value won't go down and sell your share when you're done.