My experience with our training was a complete 180 from the OP. Without getting into details if anyone was ripe for a 121 failure it was me. Let’s just say I sat out the lost decade before finally coming back to flying. My recent flight time, instrument proficiency and high performance, multi engine time were all pegged at 0. CFI’ing was the total extent of my background and I was so far removed from doing that it was irrelevant.

My sim instructor was also an examiner known to be one of the toughest. My checkride was with an examiner known to be THE toughest.

I did do 3 extra sims on top of the 10 scheduled. Oral was over in 45 min. 100% of what I was told to know was asked. 0 surprises. I was more then ready and we flew right through it. That carried over to checkride that I actually had fun doing as crazy as that sounds. IOE was fine - though it take me about 40 hrs, but not many are doing it in 25 these days at any regional.

In my double digit size class there were no failures of any of the part 91, CFI, previous or current 121 or military experienced pilots. There were 135 guys who either had a bust but made it on the next try or ended up resigning. % wise I’d put our class in line with industry average in terms of those whom busted but made it through on second try and in terms of those who resigned without completing training.