"Real cost of becoming a pilot in the year 2000.

35k and you have a commercial multi
15k college education
50k total"

Methinks you weren't around at that time to use those numbers. Heck, that would've been cheap in 1990 when I was in school. And I went to a university with State in the title!

Do you remember pay for training at regionals? $11k for that alone and it was mid-90's!

I'm not saying a pilot shortage isn't coming but not at the good places. And the good places won't need to lower their standards for a good long time.