I should have left out the editorial comments.

I really wasn't trying to pontificate on the evils of trying to teach yourself to fly (at least not this time). :-)

I really am interested in seeing if there is some sort of profile for the "do it aloner".

I would like to be an instructor (one day), and having taught community college, I've often found my perspective different than many of the instructor pilots who frequent these boards.

So, if there is a type of student more likely to try it alone, that would be a valuable thing to know.