Hi
I decided modular because of my family, this aviation cycle in general, avoid debt as much as possible and keep my full time career outside of aviation while training. Half way through an IR, will be debt free and sometime later next year will do the MCC/JOC in my own time.
When I looked at the integrated courses like Oxford, it was just too expensive, and I first looked 4 years ago after PPL. Just couldn't justify cost, I have no doubt the courses are very good. Family came first though and I just thought the bottom line is everyone is taking the same CAA exams and everyone has to meet that standard set irrespective of being integrated or modular.
Don't want to work for Ryanair and hand over 25K either. Assuming they may ask you to pay them to for typing ratings and not bond you. I would assume not many people who did borrow large sums of money for training cannot extend the borrowing much more to pay for those type ratings with employers who ask for it. Might be interesting to see what happens in this area, I originally assumed when starting out that all the employers paid for those type ratings, later to find out that was wrong.
If I new at the beginning what I know now regarding the industry, I may have considered keeping a PPL but being realistic I love flying and after spending 10 years in another industry it was about minimizing my risk and having that career to fall back on to be my own free person.
Good luck for those looking at the moment