It's just a pilot mill and an opportunity to be in big debt. It's not worth the money they charge.
Ah yes, "Standard Issue ATP Flight School Complaint #3."
ATP is neither evil nor the gold standard in flight training options.
It's great for those who want to get it all done in one swell foop. It's torture for those who need (or desire) a more individualized approach to their training. Also, if you don't already have your PPL, I recommend getting it at a FBO, Flying Club, etc rather than with ATP. This way, you'll learn your preferred learning style.
Yes, location matters, and not just due to differences in geography, weather patterns, traffic density, etc. If you can visit multiple locations, do so. Evaluate them against what you find at other flight training organizations in your area(s) of choice. Flight training is a highly individual experience and what works for you may not work for everyone. "Pay as you go" didn't work for me all too well as it took quite a while (calendar and flight time wise) to obtain my PPL.
For me, I did the math and found that no matter where I went to continue my training, I'd be looking at spending (borrowing) roughly the same amount of money. For reference, I was going to do the 40hr ME option PPL credit. As they say, your mileage may vary.