This post troubles me.
On one hand I agree that the most important thing is probably the likelihood of a job afterwards.
On the other I disagree with two aspects, one being the point I just agreed with. Firstly, the other important thing is good, solid instruction. If for whatever reason you don't get handed an airline job straight away (chances are you wont) then what you learn on the course can suddenly be much more relevant. My first job was not with an airline but with a charter company flying piston twins. I managed to get that job not because of the school I went to, but I got the opportunity myself from networking and perhaps more importantly secured the job (ahead of other candidates) by showing the chief pilot that I at least half knew what I was doing. It is true that the CPL and IR course won't prepare you properly for real world flying, and that most of it is learnt on the job but you have to show the guys looking for people to fly their aircraft and passengers that you aren't a complete numpty. My first outfit rarely hired from CTC/FTE/Oxford not because of principle (we had a few guys from those schools anyway) but more because when they visited the office and were told to go grab some jepps and get ready for an OPC they fell to pieces because it wasn't the 'airline way' which was taught to them. I know at least a couple of them who are still searching for their first job now, albeit being back in 9-5 jobs mostly given up.
In short - the training doesn't matter so much if you go straight into a big structured airline where you are going to be trained to their standards and their philosophy. If you look outside the airline world however, any possible snippets of knowledge, skills, tips, tricks or whatever that someone was able to impart on you about REAL WORLD flying (not how to pass a test) is likely to come in much more useful.
The other thing I disagree with is about not visiting schools. I strongly belive in going to visit anywhere were you are going to spend a significant amount of your (or your parents') money. I narrowed my own choice down to a few schools and I spent a bit extra money going to visit each of them. I went into this eing 80% sure I was going to go with school A, and in the end I went with school C (having completely ruled out another one I was initially impressed with because of the shockingly bad way they treated someone who walked onto their premises looking to spend thousands).