$165k debt, can’t get a job and have to throw additional $$$$ at a bull**** GA ready course to polish up after getting the CPL is absolutely ridiculous.
It’s not surprising that there’s a chronic shortage of pilots.
I recon my CPL including multi engine, night and IFR ratings and ATPL theory costed me about $50k back in the early 90s.
I had the luxury of self sponsoring my training as I was a JAFA and done the training part time and it took about 3 years. Held a PPL for a few years before I got my CPL and had over 300 hours when I got it and had C-210, V-35 and a bit of twin time and had passed all my ATPL theory subjects when I done my CPL flight test.
Lots of old school stuff and a lot of guts, risks, financial pain, hard work and beers to get through the first 1500 hours.