toeman9
make a plan taking into account your learning curve; to have a syllabus is nice but its useless unless you schedule it. you know yourself better than anyone. try to understand the way you learn and the progress you make, consider that after the first solo you will progress faster. choose the CFI who makes you feel confortable, you need to build up confidence more than time.
look for professionality in the CFI not just for a buddy you can joke with.
do not care for anything else, there are only 2 actors in this play you and the instructor.