Hi MissAviator and DiamondC: I live in San Diego, and taught at SAA some years ago. I was among that weird group of instructors who actually loves instructing, and I found SAA to be one of the best schools I have seen. I also worked with TransPac in Phoenix, teaching in their KingAir program, which was the final training phase for Chinese pilots before returning to their airlines. Both of these schools place a high emphasis on structured "airline-style" procedural training, and if your goal is airline flying, these schools will prepare you and look very good on your resume.
An advantage SAA has is the opportunity for flight time in actual instrument conditions, not just "hood time". San Diego regularly experiences a nice gentle cloud layer called "marine layer", which is an excellent opportunity for training. It was always a treat to share that first flight into clouds with a student!
An advantage TransPac has is a great opportunity to be hired as an instructor and fly your fanny off building flight time. They have a lot of contracts with Chinese airlines, and no shortage of students. In aviation, you need to always plan your next two career moves, so it isn't unreasonable to consider where you will instruct before you earn your CFI.
Hope this info is useful to you. It's best to check out several places before you commit to anything. Wherever you go in aviation, make sure you have some fun, and always have a backup plan!