Hello Amber! I thought possibly from your name here you might be another woman, and just confirmed that guess!
I am a retired gliding instructor, now still flying (with a safety pilot) at Shenington Gliding Club. Definitely, there are two kinds of students. Men, who are usually overconfident. And women, who are usually underconfident.
We women are also not ashamed to admit to fear.
As others have advised, don't pay money up front! Flying schools often vanish from the scene, going broke and taking your money down the pan along with all their dodgy equipment....
My advice to you is to find a club or school NEAR WHERE YOU LIVE. Check out how long they have been in business. Ask questions about who does their maintenance. Older reliable types of training aircraft are best. Find an instructor you like, stick with that one!
I began flying in 1983, in gliders at High Wycombe, went on to get my PPL at Wycombe Air Centre, never stopped. Though the first week or two definitely suffered collywobbles, but kept on....after serious thought that I wasn't getting any younger and it was now or never. It has been such FUN!
Which is the best possible motive to go flying. Once you are in a paying job flying aeroplanes, its not so much fun and the pay and prestige are not what they used to be at Pan Am!
Do let us know how you get on, and PM or email me if you prefer.
Mary Meagher