I trained in 2018 so it's been a minute. I don't think the footprint has changed a lot for 737 initial. Indoc was about a week. We they moved to systems and the emergency equipment after a couple of weeks which I think had a systems test we moved to a static trainer for procedures. We then moved to simulator training. All of training was wrapped up in two months. We stayed at a hotel about a 15 minute drive from the training center. Which was not in a very good area but had a reasonable restaurant and there was a pretty good Mexican place next door. There was also a Safeway that was a pretty long walk away.

I wouldn't prepare at all. You will just hurt yourself. If you apply yourself and study the training should be challenging but not difficult.

The quality of training at AS depends on your instructor. I've had good ones and bad ones. Overall the training is good but specific events have been some of the worst in my career.