hey Mile any updates? Have you started? I'm not sure if this will be of any help, but I posted this on another forum a while back
"So I just completed my commercial and was invited down to tour the the DCA multi-million dollar facility and enroll for the CFI course. I'm not sure which part they considered "multi-million" but it looked just like any other flight school. They took us out to the flight line to show us a couple of their planes... a state-of-the-crap 70's/80's 172 that looked just like any other 172 that you can find at practically any FBO, except in Comair paint. Then they showed us a 2000 model Seminole, which was very nice, with dual Garmin's and all that good stuff.
So after the tour, I met up with my DCA "advisor" who apparently made a mistake of thinking I had my multiengine rating. So now, I had to have a multiengine rating to enroll for the CFI - single course. News to me, I haven't read any written documentation nor was advised that one had to have a multiengine rating prior to starting for the CFI. So I was offered the multiengine rating course, which at the time costed $7,185 and about 20 hours in the Seminole. It was too much for a rating, so I informed the advisor that I'd go to ATP to get it cheaper and then come back. I was given the lecture about why I should get it at Comair and even was sat down to speak with a suit-n-tied marketing manager who told me all about the difference between quality & podunk flight training.
After another refusal I was led out by my advisor who said to give him a call when I was finished with ATP "but I don't think you're going to make it there at ATP." Those were the words that brought me outta the clouds to see that DCA was all about my money. So after those pleasant remarks, I decided to not return to DCA. If little things like this were going to happen, then I know for sure that I was going to meet more like this gentleman down the road and with more financial mishaps. To be honest, I was lured strongly to DCA because of the "guaranteed interview" but you can get all the interviews you want and still not be guaranteed a job.
I ended up getting my multi, and all the flight instructor ratings at ATP and consider it the best flight training I've received so far... and all less than the cost of the multiengine rating alone at DCA. At the time, the CFI-A course at DCA was $7,288, CFI-I $2,372, and MEI $4,801. I know of a whole class at DCA that ended up spending over 19 grande just for the CFI-A course recently, and a few didn't bother getting their CFII and MEI.
I'm not intending to start a flame, but just sharing my short experience. I'm sure there are tons of successful pilots that made it through DCA and to where they wanna be. If it turns out to be a good school for you, then go for it. I just couldn't afford that commitment after being told that I wouldn't make it another school. Besides, it appears that after you're hired with the airlines, it doesn't matter where you got your flight training, just as long as you have the hours/experience, a bachelor's degree in anything, healthy, and a good person.... but don't hold me on that, I'm no where near reaching that point."