The other point I want to raise is that are you infact better and more competant having some hours under your belt before going solo?
You take a competant student who has perfect zero wind blue sky weather and solos at say 7 hrs.
Take the same guy who is plagued with poor weather stronger winds and because of that solos at 15 hrs.
In those extra hours he has kept his hand in learning to deal with the stronger winds and other areas in the training.
From that point with his learned extra skills he should quickly progress through his solo work and on.
Ok I know of one elderly pilot who took a huge amount of hours to solo and some reckoned he never would. He enjoyed his weekly fly with an instructor and frankly wasnt that bothered whether he ever achieved a PPL.
In the end he did solo and went on to achieve his PPL. He never flew alone after the PPL{much to the relief of his instructors) teaming up with another OAP but they had loads of fun with their weekly joints to near off places
He was a complete aviation enthusiast.
That is what private flying should be about! enjoyment.
Sadly the above died from cancer but I flew his Citation for him an aircraft which was his dream to own ( A badly bought real bottom of the pile 500 which scared the sh~t out of me half the time! You didnt need a sim for failure practice with that bird) which was sold for peanuts on his death.
BTW I was paid peanuts to fly and operate his jet for him but had no end of fun in the process. isnt that what its about? I almost got a sim ride every other flight
Good for the soul!
Pace