When to take the AOW class depends a lot on the AOW class you are contemplating taking. Most mainstream classes are designed to be a close follow-on to OW (like an OW Part II) and give you some more dives under the supervision of an instructor. The class Bob (NW Grateful Diver) teaches is different, and much more challenging, and not suitable for someone straight out of OW.
I took AOW immediately, because I simply didn't feel safe in the water without professional supervision. I learned very little in the class, but I did get five more dives with an instructor. Honestly, I could probably have learned as much from five dives with a patient and experienced buddy, but I didn't know any of those people. It can be difficult to figure out how to do that, if you are feeling a bit shy as a beginner, and your shop doesn't have a big, inclusive diving community. Local dive clubs can be great for this, but the downside is that there is no guarantee that even people with a lot of dives know what they are doing.
There is a LOT of good information on the web on how to improve your diving. Reading it won't give you the skills, but it will show you the bar you're trying to reach, and give you tips on how to get there. This is one of my absolute favorite websites, with a whole set of great articles on theory and practical exercises: divedir.com. Another is Bob's website, nwgratefuldiver.com. Look for the 5thD-X videos on YouTube for great visual models of excellent diving. Think about those articles and videos when you go diving, and try to emulate the stability and quietness of those divers. You'll get it if you keep working at it.
I took AOW immediately, because I simply didn't feel safe in the water without professional supervision. I learned very little in the class, but I did get five more dives with an instructor. Honestly, I could probably have learned as much from five dives with a patient and experienced buddy, but I didn't know any of those people. It can be difficult to figure out how to do that, if you are feeling a bit shy as a beginner, and your shop doesn't have a big, inclusive diving community. Local dive clubs can be great for this, but the downside is that there is no guarantee that even people with a lot of dives know what they are doing.
There is a LOT of good information on the web on how to improve your diving. Reading it won't give you the skills, but it will show you the bar you're trying to reach, and give you tips on how to get there. This is one of my absolute favorite websites, with a whole set of great articles on theory and practical exercises: divedir.com. Another is Bob's website, nwgratefuldiver.com. Look for the 5thD-X videos on YouTube for great visual models of excellent diving. Think about those articles and videos when you go diving, and try to emulate the stability and quietness of those divers. You'll get it if you keep working at it.