Part 141 requires that a training syllabus be followed.

True! YOU WANT TO USE A SYLLABUS! Regardless of if you are looking at a Part 61 school or Part 141 school, if they are not using a training syllabus — go find another school. The syllabus will ensure that you know where you are in your training, that all the knowledge and flight proficiency task have been taught, and that standards of performance to prepare you for the final practical exam have been met.  Additionally, a syllabus organizes your lessons into a ‘building block’ configuration so that you learn new skills after acquiring foundational knowledge/skills (e.g., You need to know how to steer and operate the car before being taught to parallel park). You will most assuredly become frustrated spending excess time and money training with a program that is neither structured nor standardized.