Skyhawk 172/Cutlass 172
Flight Crew Student
Communication Breakdown; Confusion; Training / Qualification; Situational Awareness; Distraction
ATC Issue All Types; Conflict NMAC; Deviation - Track / Heading All Types; Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Clearance
Flight Crew Took Evasive Action
Company Policy; Environment - Non Weather Related; Human Factors; Procedure
The instructor and I were on a checkout flight in a flight school C172. After the training flight; we returned to ZZZ for 1 touch and go and 1 full stop landing. It was VFR conditions; but hazy with scattered clouds about 2000 feet above the airport. The airport was very busy with multiple training aircraft in the pattern using both runways. We were assigned Runway XXR. We completed our touch and go and were instructed to fly runway heading. After several minutes; we advised ZZZ Tower that we were still runway heading; at which point the controller advised us to turn right crosswind for right closed traffic to Runway XXR. While on the downwind; the controller advised us to extend downwind and he would call our base. We read back the instruction.When we were approximately .75 statute miles northwest of the airport; the controller changed our clearance to fly a close approach and we were cleared for the option. We read back the clearance and turned right base. Because we were high; we extended flaps to increase our descent rate. As I was about to turn final; the controller (a different voice this time) advised us to extend downwind; which we read back. I began an immediate climbing left turn. The controller immediately followed that clearance by clearing Aircraft Y to fly an immediate left 360. Aircraft Y was on final to either [Runway] XXL or XXR. There were multiple flight school aircraft with similar call signs in the pattern. Aircraft Y mistakenly made a right 360. I gained a visual contact on Aircraft Y; who was at my one o'clock low. I continued my left turn and climb to avoid collision with the aircraft. We extended downwind and were then given clearance to land. We landed without further incident. I believe that the hazy conditions; busy controllers; controller change or controller training; and multiple aircraft from the same flight school and similar call signs created confusion leading to this incident.
Student Pilot reported a NMAC with another flight school aircraft with a similar sounding call sign which had turned the wrong direction.