First off, the feet first ascent thing is severely overstated ... it's a great way to sell drysuit classes to people who don't know any better. It also leads to the sale and overuse of ankle weights, which the vast majority of people who use them don't need.
If you're going to use a drysuit, a class is helpful, but not for that reason. It's helpful because it teaches you not only how to dive the drysuit, but how to avoid getting too much air in the wrong places, and what to do about it if it happens. It also ... perhaps more importantly ... helps you learn how to maintain your suit to avoid expensive repairs, particularly to the zipper. If taken prior to purchasing a suit, it helps you learn more about the different types of suits, and what advantages/disadvantages each type offers. A good class is well worth the money.
Now to your question ... other than warmth, there's a convenience factor that comes from being dry when you peel off the suit. In colder weather, this is a BIG factor because you generally won't get cold diving wet if you're wearing enough neoprene ... but you WILL get cold when you get out of the water, particularly while getting out of your suit.
And finally, there's the advantage of not having to use your BCD so much to compensate for all that neoprene compression with depth changes. Sure, the air in your suit will compress and you'll have to add more air to the suit, but after a dozen dives or so that becomes almost an automatic process.
But I think you're doing the right thing by going wet until you decide whether or not you like local diving. If you do decide you want to make local diving a part of your lifestyle, then a drysuit is a good choice to make. It makes the dive more comfortable and enjoyable ... which gives you incentive to get out more often. If you decide to go dry, do your homework before you purchase ... ask lots of questions, more so here on ScubaBoard than at your local dive shop, since we won't be in here trying to sell you something that may not be right for you. A drysuit is a big investment, and you don't want buyer's remorse because you find out later you got one that wasn't really what you wanted. There are many different configurations and materials out there to choose from, and they all come with advantages and drawbacks. Understand what those are before making a purchase. Research undergarments, and choose one that works well for local conditions. And most importantly, buy a suit that FITS ... the most important feature of any drysuit is that it allows you full range of motion without being too large. If purchasing a used suit, make sure the zipper's in good shape ... a drysuit zipper is the most expensive replacement item on the suit.
A good drysuit will cost you more than a BCD/regulator setup will, so definitely decide first whether or not you'll get your use out of it, research your options, purchase a good fit, and make sure the suit/undergarment combination works well for your local conditions. Don't worry about the feet-up thing ... after a few dives it's a complete non-issue. Take a class or find a mentor and give yourself 6 to 10 dives in the suit to become completely comfortable. After that, you'll most likely never want to dive wet again ...
... Bob (Grateful Diver)