I have, so far, resisted the temptation to join the hot and current thread about life after COVID, but I very much enjoyed reading the last posting by rudestuff, I wholeheartedly agree and it prompted me to join in.
Trying to avoid getting into the 'integrated vs "modular debate I would still at least hope by now, it is be clear to everyone who really has done their research, there is no difference, its simply about the quality of the training and the school's standards and moral compass.
I also admit, my crystal ball does NOT allow me to predict the future either, and despite many on here that think they are right (many gloomy and some optimistic), no one really knows, so in my opinion it boils down to money - spend as little as you can to follow your dream, but this would be my best advice even before the virus!!
There will be people that will strongly argue "you get what you pay for', perhaps an over generalization to justify the 100K plus price tag, but let the facts speak for themselves, Rudestuff is factually correct, I personally also know many great commercial pilots who paid an equivalent sum (different amounts depending which year they trained, of course), and today that is the right and sensible amount to spend if you want to start now.
I certainly do not subscribe to gloom and doom approach. Flying is fantastic, flying as a recreational pilot is incredible fun and rewarding, gaining a full commercial and looking for an airline job in the future is commendable and it still is for many, the greatest job on earth despite those that suggest otherwise, although maybe for them they hate it. So certainly do not stop the dream and give up, just take enjoyable affordable steps and be ready for the next hiring boom, whenever it might occur.
So to the pundits that predict Armageddon - they say flying is finished, no one will travel again. I cant say they are wrong, just as I cant say I am right, however, learning to fly and holding a PPL is fulfilling the dream of flying, you can do most things and go most places (especially with an IR), you can even share costs with friends, you just cant be paid or fly for an airline yet, but later, its an easy jump if by the time everything returns (if it does) to normal, you have a couple of hundred hours in your logbook and have enjoyed every minute of it.
SJ