Jon Kraus wrote

Get an instructor that isn't afraid to get you into the clag... Seems
like I have been reading about some CFII's that don't want to get the
students up into the clouds... Why I don't know...

I'll tell you why Jon....As a 20,000+ hour former navy and retired
airline pilot who served as an instrument instructor in both services,
and has been an FAA authorized instrument instructor for 35 years...
I'm in charge of the training session...not ATC. I try my best to
maximize my student's lesson time as opposed to following ATC's
directions to keep me clear of other traffic. By using an enroute
VOR out in the sticks completely away from an airport and under VFR, I
can accomplish 2-3 times the number of holds and approaches in a given
period than I can under IFR control. I want to be able to allow the
student learn from his mistakes without incurring the wrath of ATC and
endangering other aircraft.
In the airline industry, we learned very early on that you did not have
to set foot in a B-747 in order to learn how to fly one, the simulator
is a much better training tool. The same holds true for instrument
training...the simulator is best followed by simulated instrument in
the aircraft.

Bob Moore
ATP B-727 B-707
Flight Instructor, Airplanes/Instrument
PanAm (retired)