A lot of choices, eh?

I graduated Riddle and loved it. I did my flying off campus and minored in Business. The classes on turbines, systems, CRM etc. at Riddle are awesome. I can't compare it to anywhere else because I've only seen Riddle's, but I love them. The actual flight department at Riddle is becoming a little antiquated in their ways & cost. I flew off campus and ended up working for an FBO/airline that offered me a job in a King Air. I realize my luck isn't common, but Riddle is what you make of it. There are a few internships with airlines like CAL and ASA that are only offered to aviation Universities like ERAU, Purude and UND that can get you an interview with as little as 300/50.

As for the lifestyle....some people love it, some hate it. The current guy to girl ratio is 6:1. Brutal. If you're looking for a girlfriend its not the place to be, but with Spring Break lasting from mid Feb to mid April and that followed by the summer crowd, there isn't any shortage of girls. I lived next to the beach and learned to surf. One of the major differences between Riddle and a typical state school is that your social scene may not have anything to do with the school. Most of my guy and girlfriends were locals I met surfing. That aspect can be great, but Frats and campus parties definitely have their place in college.

My buddy did his ratings at ATP. It is very efficient and relatively inexpensive. He instructed there after getting all his ratings and had a regional job 5 months later.

There are a lot of options and it really depends on your personality and preferences to decide which avenue will suit you best. There is no "best" option, however some places will accomodate more types of people than others.

Good Luck