I know of a 19yr old who just got into the REX Cadetship, going to cost his parents $130,000.
I also know someone who just completed it and is now line trained on the SAAB. Although yes the course is around that (his was a little under $115,000), i don't see why your parents need to pay for it. Only the first $25,000 is a deposit working during school and taking a GAP year and saving can achieve this, the rest is paid off once employed (over the next 7 years). You also pay off a little less if you say the full 7 years. Yes that means your paying around $10,000 back per year but i bet you will be earning more than with in GA these days, thats if you find a job.
I feel there is people who the cadetship works for and those who it does not, I see myself as one of these people, largely because i live in the country in a town with no flight school which means to start training i would have to move, and thats what i see the $25,000 as either the cost of moving (rent/food/etc) or the cost living in Wagga for a year with REX.
Once thats done you effectively have loan like you do with FEE-HELP, of similar amount to what you do with REX if you do it at a flight school, the best I have seen from PPL to Commerical is $66,000 and then you still end up working in GA jobs.
Thats how I see them as equal - the only reason I am moving towards apply for REX at the end of the year is the Guarantee of employment - we all know the ups and downs of this industry.