[fletchersteel]

You guys all have valid points! ATP is not for everyone, but I think that because of my current situation it will work for me. I have been out of work for several months, laid off. I would have liked to aquire my advanced ratings locally at an FBO, but because of the way loans and finance work, I was only able to get barely enough for the ratings, and zero for living expenses, plus the banks wanted to give me a 18% to 20% interest rate. With ATP, I was given additional funds to help curve my living expenses for my family back at home. Yes, it adds to the cost of the loan, but when interest is compared, the huge, low interest rate loan was less expensive per month than the almost half loan on a much higher interest rate. And, I would have to try and find work while working on my ratings locally to help pay for the living expense. It is frustrating to know, that I have few options, loan wise. My local FBO had only one loan company that they work with, and no other banks would loan unless they, the FBO, was on their "school list". All in all, I will be starting ATP in a few weeks, and no, I don't want to work for the first airline that will hire me. I'd actually like to instruct for awhile. People that skip that important step, miss quite a bit, in my opinion.