Deguise delimit,
I take your point on brochures and agree with you to a certain extent. My advice is to be WARY of them. In this day and age of publishing it's pretty easy and realitively cheap to put together very good brochures. And just because someone has a good brochure, does not mean that they are servicing their machines properly or paying their instructors.
My advice would be to be WARY of advertising and marketing hype. Try to find out about the real product being offered. What is behind the product?
It's good to be excited about a new career, but it's also wise to take a step back and do some homework. Any old mug can put a flashy brochure together with a 747 on the front and write a few paragraphs about being a commercial pilot.
On the other hand, a poorly written brochure (particularly at a large school) is probably some indication of the care they take in other things (such as their students).
Another one to add (which I should have mentioned before):
13. Don't pay upfront. I'll say it again: In aviation DON'T PAY UPFRONT.
Even if it costs you more to pay as you go, do it that way. Consider that little extra cost insurance.
If something happens, something goes wrong- beyond your control - you will almost definately never get your money back.
Even if halfway through your training, some personal event or tragedy occurs, you may need that money.
Once paid - it's gone and you have no control over it, and at that point you can only hope that you get your flying done. I have seen it happen, and I have heard of people who have chased thier hard-earned cash through the courts to no avail. I have seen people's aviation dollars (and dreams) disappear into thin air.
On and personal level, I have had to go to considerable (unreasonable) lengths to chase wages along with other pilots that I have worked with.
There are plenty of good operators out there and some really great ones.
14. In the next life have filthy rich parents who will buy you your own airline.