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I have a tiger bark ficus, I think. It is in the same pot I purchased it in, but it has been repotted to get rid of the gravel glued on top. I am going to a beginner's bonsai class in two weeks. I am trying to decide:

1) should I purchase one of their pre-bonsai plants to start?

2) I was thinking about a Chinese Elm, but was told they could not be inside? Zone 6A/B in New England USA

3) should I just bring this tree and work on it?

4) when you purchase a bonsai, are they already in the style they should remain in?

5) do you just pick a style that you like or does the tree you pick the style?

I know most of this is my choice, but I have only been reading about the bonsai and maintaining the trees purchased.

If I were you, I would buy a cheap plant from the nursery/school.
Elms can be indoors IF there is plenty of fresh air, a LOT of light, a LOT of care and direct sun .

I was going to put the elm in the three season room. It faces south, is glassed in with windows that open and no heat

Im very happy i got a chinese elm. It grows like no tomorrow. Fairly thisty. I only keep it inside. Its very easy to keep happy.
One the reasons i got mine was it grows fast. Gives me sonething to do keeping it nice. Mind you. I not done any work on it for a month or so and it looks like i never done anything to it. It does need a trim.... bad.... and a week or so i will be able to deal with it.

Pictures didn’t post, hold on

Great to see you are persisting in this hobby (or addiction...) and that you're going to do classes!

Lynda wrote: 1) should I purchase one of their pre-bonsai plants to start?

Hard to tell without knowing what they are selling and what the quality/level is of the class you are going to follow. If they sell 3 year old junipers then no, don't.
If they sell S-shaped mallsai, no, probably not. If they sell decent raw material, yes.

2) I was thinking about a Chinese Elm, but was told they could not be inside? Zone 6A/B in New England USA

As this is a forum and many questions are repeated over and over, answers are often short and not subtle. In theory, chinese elms can be indoors. They are semi-deciduous - meaning they will be deciduous if they experience a cold season, but they will stay green if they don't. So, theoretically, they can tolerate it being indoors, in a warmer climate. However, ALL trees will do better in a natural environment - preferably their own, native environment. All trees will do less well indoors. If you grow bonsai, you want very healthy and strong growing trees. Trees that don't grow well, cannot be trained. So yes, chinese elms should be outdoors.

3) should I just bring this tree and work on it?

No. You've got very little to work with. It would be a short lesson...

4) when you purchase a bonsai, are they already in the style they should remain in?

Again, I don't know who is giving the lessons and what material they supply, but in general, that's not how it works. You get material, you examine it, and decide what the best options are for that tree.

5) do you just pick a style that you like or does the tree you pick the style?

In theory, you can pick a style and develop the tree to reach your goal. However, it is better to observe the tree and try and find the best options. It all depends on the current trunk line, branch placement, foliage, roots....

Great you're going to do classes. Keep us updated!

Oops. Need to correct:

when you purchase a bonsai, are they already in the style they should remain in?

If it is a real, established bonsai then yes, for you that would be the best option. Trees can be re-styled, but when it concerns a real bonsai, that's advanced stuff.
However, you will be buying a pre-bonsai. That was what I was referring to. In that case, you look for the best options for the tree.;

"When you purchase a bonsai....."

There is much discussion here about what is and isn't a bonsai. Attaching a label to a tree with the word "bonsai" does not make it one. Most of us shudder when we walk by the table in the garden section and see the word attached to something that has been sliced and diced and is not artistic in any sense.

If you buy something from a bonsai nursery that has been trained and looks like a bonsai should you probably would not want to change it much. Anything else you probably want to put it in the ground for a couple of years and develop a personality.