Best College SCUBA Club?

[mrfixitchapman]

Thanks for the responses. My dive buddy is going to college to figure out what she wants to do. The 'best scuba club' qualifier is not the only criteria. HOWEVER: it stands to reason that since she has an interest in SCUBA and since she would like to include SCUBA in her ed plan, that a dive club at the college will be a consideration. As I said, she is in the process of planning campus visits next spring, so we have a while to puzzle out the possibilities.

DC

 

[g1138]

UC Santa Cruz has a very active dive program and a good science undergraduate program with several field courses. Recreational scuba classes are no-credit PE classes but are geared for both fun divers and divers aiming to become scientific divers for the the University. There's also the Scuba Slugs club that's tied in. The Course Director runs the program, club, and is in direct cooperation with the DSO who runs the scientific dive program. Students are nominated to run the club, while the CD supervises. The 3 local shops all support the program with discounts and gear to active club/student divers.

Big community within the Scuba Slug dive program.
http://opers1.ucsc.edu/scuba/

The UCSC Long Marine Lab, where the sci dive program operates out of, has opportunities for intertidal research, coastal, marine mammal behavioral training, oceanography labs, PISCO, aquarist husbandry, etc etc.
Both scuba and non-scuba opportunities.

Monterey Bay Aquarium, Marine Mammal Rescue Center, Reef Check, NOAA, and various other agencies takes a lot of our undergrad, graduate, and graduated for volunteerships and internships. Right now they're in an upswing with funding and a lot of my friends are getting paid gigs, even for their summer undergrad. Not always like that.
School's going to cost you a pretty penny though.

CSUMB (Cal State Uni. Monterey Bay) is just as good and cheaper as a state school. Different undergrad program though, but they have a great scuba training regime and Sci Dive program at Moss Landing.
Not a big club or community basis though. UCSC wins out against them in that category

If you're aim is to do Marine Mammal Behavioral training or research then UCSC is the place to be. But competition is high to volunteer as an animal trainer.
Otherwise you can get everything else at the other Uni's like U.Florida, Texas A&M, UCSB, Humbolt State, and CSUMB.
Dive club isn't so as important as Scientific Dive Program, if you're looking to use scuba diving as part of your biology career.

 

[scuba5150]

Nova Southeastern University in Fort Lauderdale has an outstanding oceanographic center and program - facilities are brand new and situated at ocean-front. The center is well funded with research grants and the President of NSU is a diver himself.

 

[Kevrumbo]

You want a fun recreational college dive club? Or do you want the best research diving program???

A department of UC San Diego, Scripps Institution of Oceanography is one of the oldest, largest, and most important centers for ocean, earth and atmospheric science research, education, and public service in the world. Research at Scripps encompasses physical, chemical, biological, geological, and geophysical studies of the oceans, Earth, and planets. Scripps undergraduate and graduate programs provide transformative educational and research opportunities in ocean, earth, and atmospheric sciences, as well as degrees in climate science and policy and marine biodiversity and conservation.

. . .The research diving program at the Scripps Institution of Oceanography, University of California, San Diego (SIO/UCSD) is the oldest of its type in the country. The first non-military class in the U.S. teaching the use of selfcontained underwater breathing apparatus (SCUBA) was held by scientists for scientists on the Scripps campus during the summer of 1951. . .​

Scripps Oceanography is a founding member of the American Academy of Underwater Sciences and remains an organizational member in good standing. Adherence to AAUS standards facilitates collaboration between member institutions as qualifications and authorization are recognized through a process of reciprocity.

https://scripps.ucsd.edu/scidive/about

 

[kensuf]

The diving program at NOVA is run by a top-notch guy too.

 

[alicia5272000]

I stumbled upon your post because I was looking for information because I want to start a scuba club at USF Sarasota-Manatee. I wouldn't know which school would be best, but I can say that a lot of the schools here in florida have dive clubs. I also want to let you know your grand daughter should check out mote marine aquarium. They offer all kinds of student internships for biology related areas. When I was younger I wanted to be a marine biologist but life got in the way and I'm working on an accounting degree. But if I was going to do it, there are amazing opportunities here. There are study and research opportunities in the bahamas and the keys that would be amazing for someone going into that field. Plus, there is so much diving here in florida, I have really fallen in love with florida since i moved here. Also, if out of state tuition is a problem she could do what I did. I moved here and waited a year and you pay in-state tuition. If she wants to do that, I will warn you that once she starts at a school, she can never get in state tuition. At USF the difference in tuition for 2 semesters at 15 hours a semester is $17,250 down to $6330.

 

[DeepSeaExplorer]

Some states will allow in state tuition if you move there for employment. When I went to NE, all I needed was a letter from my employer that they moved me there and I was instantly eligible for in-state. Though I'm sure that varies from state to state, it might be an option. Given the differences in cost, I would definitely try to work something out just to offset the diving costs.

I'll just throw this out there. It doesn't seem like she has enough dive experience to make a major life commitment like that. Hobbies and employment are two different things. She can pick any major she wants and still dive, it isn't necessary to become a Marine Biologist, etc. Those fields are notoriously low paying anyway. If it were me, I would send her to a good in-state school, bank the difference, and then let her move after graduation with a nice chunk of change in her pocket.

 

[g1138]

Since we've deviated to the subject.
Undergrad degrees in Marine bio don't get you anymore points in the career field than an Environmental Science, Biology, Zoology, or Ecology Major.
You actually really limit your options post undergrad too. You can't easily go into pharmaceuticals or for profit bio labs with the generic marine orientated undergrad class. If you have no intention (or unsure) of grad school, I would avoid that title of a major. (being a marine bio major myself)

Advantage in the career field only makes a difference when you get into the grad and PhD levels. And you need to have an idea of what you're going for before you'll be accepted into a grad program. You essentially interview for the position with your professor, so it's not a general application form as it is for Business or Accounting grad students.

Governmental Marine Bio jobs pay pretty darn well for glorified camping & boat field work IMO.
Grant writing sucks though, you lose more repetitive fun the higher up your science education goes. But you're rewarded with short stints that make all your family and friends drool. Unless of course you hate taking dump in a "heated" outhouse in Antarctica. The stories your friends tell you.....

If she wants someone to talk to about possibilities, feel free to PM me and I can tell her what I've experienced and saw with myself and my peers.

 

[Shinythings]

Given any thought to school in Canada? University of Victoria on Vancouver Island (50 miles from Vancouver) is a great place to go to school (I would know as I currently go there). Tuition is actually cheaper here than in the US for a lot of people. You pay per class here and it works out to about $20,000 a year (for an American citizen, about $6,000 if you are Canadian). PM me is you have any questions, I'd be more than happy to answer them.

UVic Scuba is super active. We run PADI courses and have a scientific diving program, run international trips, local trips up island, 1/2 price charters ect. Awesome place to go and study marine biology. You should also have her look into Bamfield Marine Science Centre which is about 150 miles up island - world class place to study biology for a semester. Vancouver Island has the best cold water diving in the world and a drinking age of 19... so your granddaughter can't go wrong lol.

We have our own gear to rent including drysuits. Rentals are $30 for a full kit, tank, drysuit ect. and lunch included - you really can not go wrong.

UVic Scuba - UVic Scuba Home Page