School in Twin Cities Area?

I'm seriously considering OTR as a career at a very late age. I've considered many of the issues such as away from home, pay, etc. I've visited one school in the Twin Cities area (south suburbs) and want to know if you have any recommendations. Is one better than another?

I've gone back and forth on school vs. company CDL training. The way I figure it you're going to pay one way or another. Pay out of pocket for private school or sign up with a company that wants a contract (1 yr usually). They'll pay you .12 a mile for 2 or 3 months after you get your cdl. Then they pay you less than you could make by going to school and joining a company.

If you go to school, join a company you could change companies after 6 months or a year and, as an "experienced driver" make more than if you stayed with a company under their lower pay for a year as one of their students.

Company reimbursement is sort of laughable. Let's see, it costs $4,000 to go to school, the company will reimburse you $100 or $150 a month...gee you only have to stay with the company for 27 to 40 months to have them pay your costs! Seriously, how many rookie drivers are going to stay with a company for that long? I'll venture ZERO. Easier just to pay the money and figure it's a cost of doing business!

Back to original question: What schools do you favor in the Twin Cities area:

 

I have talked with Interstate and liked what I saw there. I see another in Inver Grove and wondered if anyone might comment on them. I'll update my posts as this process plays out. Thank you!

 

Dakota County Tech dropped their CDL training coarse. No longer available although they still have equipment parked at their driving range. Too bad. I would have done it there if still available. I'm thinking Interstate is the way to go. Still sort of considering a company program although i know in the end it will be money out of my pocket.

 

I have enrolled in the weekend class at Heavy Metal in Inver Grove Heights. If all goes according to schedule I will complete in mid-May. I talked with several trucking companies and they all hire from the school. The price was considerably less than the other schools I considered. Thank you for comments to this thread.