PTS requirements aren't hard to achieve.
And yes, some of the people I've met that have gone to ATP/DCA make me think that it's not as hard as you seem to think or try and build it up to be. Hell if I did nothing but fly and study without having the other issues associated with life there I could do my ratings that fast too.
I'd be concerned if my first experience in winter, or thunderstorms, or actual was as an instructor. You should be too becuase there's no way you've seen that much in only 9 months of flying.