Not sure where in Orange County you are, but I got PADI certified through the Sport Chalet in Brea and have very positive things to say about the instruction I received. Admittedly, I didn't know what to look for when I was signing up for my OW class, and if I had found this board before I took up SCUBA, I would have known a lot more of the questions to ask before signing up (look through the archives, there's lots of advice on searching for an LDS and instructor) but I got very lucky with them.
I know the Sport Chalet programs look to be the "quickie" and "one size fits all" certs, but I personally had a difficult time with some of the skills and just getting comfortable with all the gear at first, and received very personal and individual instruction. They were very patient with me and allowed me to progress at my own pace, with very individual instruction, without any pressure or problems. I actually ended up sitting through 3 classes before I got my certification (without having to pay any more $ for instructor's time or rental fees, even though I had my rental gear for months longer than normal, and ended up doing more than 3 times the # of pool dives done for their normal OW certification - not sure if that's normal, or they were just nice to me). In that time I was able to observe a number of their instructors and divemasters deal with many different types of students, and feel that all of them have handeled the variety of situations encountered in a safe and professional manner.
I would highly recommend them - if you're interested in the name of the specific instructors I worked with (there are a lot at the shop, and I can't guarantee they are all as good as the ones I worked with) pm me and I'll give them to you, so you can make sure to get in their classes.
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