Ground school?..... whats that? that doesnt sound like fun.
most people can become a pilot and do it,
aviators fall in love with it and live it.
joe i hope you will pursue this notion you have here beacause its a good one. I also hope you do not get discouraged in ground school at the amount of information that is thrown at you thinking you will never learn all this. you will learn far more by actually flying and experincing* than you will in ground school. i like what denny said "license to learn" you will learn far more after your private than your instructor could ever teach you.
one thing i recomend to you that i wish i had done: if you have the option solo in a taildragger. it will teach you more than a 172.
good luck