I don't wish to be a killjoy but I would not advise anyone to mortgage themseves up to the hilt to self sponsor. If you have the cash and can afford to lose it that is one thing but it seems to me that certain training businesses have a vested interest in keeping self sponsored pilots out of the job market otherwise it would affect their business,so they seem to have convinced future Employers that only their highly tested individuals are any good to Aviation!!
How many times on PPrune do you hear and in Flight those who have self sponsored and are out of work?? Getting that first job unless you have good connections seems to allude most ,even before9/11. Don't say you have not been warned.