Five weeks of training with no pay, A $7500 training contract, Low FO pay for at least 300 hours before becoming a CA (probably 4 - 5 months)
In other news, water is wet.
How can anyone afford to do this?
If you have a mortgage, two car payments, a dog, and 2.2 children you can't. For a college grad or a flight instructor it's probably a raise, it was for me.
Not to mention you have to pay your own way to get to the interview.
I can't think of a US carrier that will buy you a ticket to get you to their interview. You only get a pass within their brand. Lakes is exactly the same, but being independent means they don't have a nationwide network to get you to Denver. I've been invited to an embarrasing number of airline interviews, and not once did a company pay for a revenue ticket.
DEN base, quick upgrade, good times, frat party atmosphere. Take it or leave it.