Most younger people I meet nowadays want thier ratings and job NOW and aren't willing to wait for it. Sometimes I'll recommend people to fly skydivers or get a partnership in a plane and I get a look as if I just insulted their mothers. Heck, I'll recommend waiting and paying cash for training and still get the same looks. This is coming from someone who's BEEN down the debt path too. Oh well... I'm not the one getting into debt in the end.
OP, you are right. There is no reason why people should have to shell out 100k to zip through training if they take it nice and easy and look at different options. In fact, what you've been doing is my DREAM once I get other priorities sorted in life!