User777. Give yourself the best possible chance of a job afterwards. The likes of CTC and oat have the best links with the airlines and run various mentored schemes that link directly into the airlines. There's a lot of negativity about such schemes with people wingeing that you're paying to get straight into a big shiny jet etc. But like it or not, that is the best way to ensure you'll get a job that justifies the big outlay of cash that you'll inevitably have to make whichever way you go about it. I wouldn't have done it any other way because in my opinion, whilst I love my job and I was pursuing a life long ambition, but you mustn't forget that you're there to make the company money ultimately and to make a living yourself, so it has to be a measured risk with some sort of commitment from a future employer and a reasonable chance of success in my opinion. There's a lot of horror stories on here; even CTC guys have to wait sometimes for the full contracts, but at least there's still the direct links and someone working on your behalf to try and find you a way in as opposed to you sending out countless CVs before landing your 15k a year air taxi job 2 years later. However much fun and good experience that might be, it'll do little to dent the debt pile, even with the saving you made by going it alone.. I'm certain that not everyone will agree with this but that would be my advice.. Good luck whatever you choose to do.