Hi Jamie,
You are exempt the Ground school requirements for any Foreign Licence that you currently hold. So if you hold a FAA CPL you are exempt the Ground school you only need to pass the exams. It's the same if you hold a FAA ATPL you don't have to do the ground school just pass the exams. All 14 of them. Don't know many, or is that any, people who would pass the exams without some kind of course or Brush up.
Jamie, I suspect the course get you the FAA Licence and then does your JAR ATPL exams by the Distance Learning route. Lots of places you can do that - BGS, BCFT, OAT, London Uni, Glasgow, NAC, Cabair and GTS.
Jamie, visit some schools. Talk to the staff and the students (away from the staff), look around see what you think of each place. If it feel wrong for you look for some where else.
Yes Flying is expensive. Cheap training maybe more expensive.
W1