Agreed. I teach at a school that offers only Part 41 primary training. The average student flight time is 60 hours to get a PPL ticket. This is the exact same number as for Part 61 schools, plus or minus 5 hours.

The Part 141 curriculum has more structure and less freedom for either student or instructor. If the instructor is not happy with the student's flying he or she is going to repeat a lesson in question which produces higher flight times. Part 141 total time gets pushed up to 60 hours in most cases, even though the lessons could be finished in 35 hours of training theoretically. Occasionally a student comes along that can ace the program, yes, but I tell you most do not and these are smart, trainable people.

Ryan's point about Part 61 offering more chances for students to seek individualized training is true to my experience. Those who are in Part 61 programs tend to go for tailwheel/ seaplane/ aerobatic/ glider / helocopter experience in addition to meeting FAA mins for commercial flight times. Those who opt for RJ sim time usually get only that- RJ flying is a specialized type of flying that is high, fast, structured, and tends to avoid pilot discretion. While RJ pilots tend to be good pilots because they fly so much, they are not very good at seat-of-the-pants aeronautical thinking because they expect to be either told what to do or have a checklist onhand to tell them what to do. They are also somewhat blinded by the perception they are the best pilots since they fly the most expensive airplanes. I respect the high level of responsibility they undertake to cary so many paying passengers, but I question the roundness of someone who does nothing but RJ flying and came out of a Part 141 airline program aimed at getting them a job as an FO on an airliner.

Case in point- I was asked to drop a tow line for a glider at a precise point on a grass strip next to a paved runway, then land on the same runway in the remaining pavement, then get off and clear the way so an airshow could continue without waiting for a go around. I was to then tow a glider to altitude and get away from the aerobatic zone. I made all this happen with no prior practice not even knowing about it before the day of the show. This kind of decision making is only possible when you have flown a variety of aircraft in a variety of environments. It was the kind of thing I do all the time, no big deal to me. An fresh RJ pilot would have no idea how to do this and I fear for his life if he thought he did.

If you want to go to the airlines, then it is ok to select a program targeting that. If you want to be the best pilot possible then you will have to learn more than just flying a one highly systemized airplane in a highly structured environment. Those guys are good at what they do, don't get me wrong; it's the ability to adapt that is probably lacking there.