Because of the vast amount of information even in the fundamentals courses you could potentially spend a huge amount of time on them. I was a returning player who never really learned that much before but was able to do basic chords. It took me roughly 3-4 months to go through Fund 1 & 2.

There comes a point though when you've just got to push on or you'll dwell too long. Don't forget the beauty of this site is that you can go back any time you want to a topic you might have skimmed over the first time, chances are it'll mean more to you and be easier to absorb the 2nd time. You'll soon know if you've pushed on too fast - that's the time to eat humble pie and go back a few steps! But if you're picking it up well don't ruin the flow as going too slow can be demoralising if you're a quick learner.

Hope this helps, just ones man's view on a vast subject. :)