SSI or PADI or other dive institution?

[selfishshellfish]

What's the difference?
Background: I passed my OW with a PADI dive shop about a month ago in Mexico. I chose the shop mainly because it had pretty good reviews and was very cheap (I'm a broke college student).

The thing is...: I still don't feel ready to dive independently (not referring to solo, just diving without instructor/DM). I don't know if it's the PADI course, the particular dive shop, or my particular instructor, but I besides knowing how to perform the skills needed to pass the practical portion, I don't know much else. I did my theory and pool training within two hours on the first day. I understood the basic gist of diving: breathe, don't go down too fast, don't come up too fast...and that was about it. My instructor seemed to be in a rush that day and packed me off back to my resort and told me to look over the materials (he explicitly told me to just find answers to the questions in the manual and not to read it). There were a lot of things he failed to mention that he probably should have even when I was just perusing the manual. Needless to say I'm pretty sure I failed the exam... well I still got my OW. They also reused exams, so most of the answers were already circled by previous students. I did find some wrong answers so I tried to ignore the answers to the best of my ability. I went home after my vacation and read the manual page to page (almost). I'll probably reread it before my next dive (at least the emergency and the equipment sections).

He was a lot more attentive underwater than on land, almost overly so. He practically showed me how to do all of the skills before I repeated them back to him. He practically pulled me down when I breathed out and pushed me up when I breathed out during the buoyancy test. I think I would have done fine without his help, but... I also didn't need help swimming. I don't understand why he felt the need to hold my hand when there were four other students who were lagging far behind. We had to turn around and wait for them several times. He helped when no help was asked and neglected it when it was...

In short I don't feel prepared at all for my next dive, whenever that may be.

Funny thing is, he offered to certify me in the AOW right after I had completed my first two open water dives (DAY 2!). Told me that there was minimal theory work (I don't see how it could be any less than the thirty minutes I got with him on day 1), and that I would do perfectly fine in harder/deeper dives because my buoyancy was good (buoyancy was the part of the test he manhandled me on). He even offered to buddy dive afterwards... (more caverns/wrecks) I'm pretty sure he was fishing for money here . I get that, I'm broke too. I didn't mind, I work in hospitality, I also come off as a money vamp sometimes. Anyway, a convenient cold and reading all the horror stories that came along with inadequate training stopped me from pursuing that track.

On the other hand, there is a SSI shop located near where I live. It's a lot pricier... and they require more experienced and personalized help before handing out certifications. Albeit, the certifications will cost me a few times more than in Mexico, but it looks more legit. (If I choose to get my next certification there that is). I plan on taking a refresher course, dive with a DM until I feel comfy in the water, gain more experience diving, and then...well that's for later.

~SS

 

[cephasiii]

Looks like you made up your mind. It's not the company that is important when getting a diving cert, it's the instructor. Furthermore, there is a difference between certification and qualification. Most people believe once they are certified, they are qualified to make the dives. Sometimes you are, and sometimes your not. Depends on your instructor and how comfortable you are. On this case I don't think it's PADI that is the problem, but the instructor. Nevertheless I would recommend you find an experienced dive buddy and complete some 40ft dives and when you feel comfortable, go to 60ft. I am a PADI Instructor and Technical diver, and just because I am certified to dive to 165 ft on air and use stage decompression doesn't mean I am qualified. I need experience at deeper depths before moving to the "max" depth where I feel comfortable responding to problems.
Hope this helps.

 

[tstormdiver]

The efforts of the instructor & the willingness of the student to learn, makes up 99% of the course. More $ does not neccesarily mean better instruction. Students should not be made to feel rushed during the course. Too many times I have seen courses taylored to those who want instant gratification. In general, this produces less prepared divers. If you do not feel prepared for your OW dives, then I would suggest hiring an instructor to help you feel more confident in your skills. Yes, will cost a little more $, but oh, so worth it in the end. This is why it is so important for a prospective student to "interview" their instructor BEFORE the course begins.

It sounds as if you have a good head on your shoulders. Your common sense is overriding your ego. That's good. For now get the help you need to feel confident in your skills & just enjoy some diving for fun,... not any kind of a course. Then, when you feel the time is right, go for a course here & there to meet your diving objectives.

 

[Colliam7]

I passed my OW with a PADI dive shop about a month ago in Mexico. I chose the shop mainly because it had pretty good reviews and was very cheap (I'm a broke college student). . . . The thing is...: I still don't feel ready to dive independently (not referring to solo, just diving without instructor/DM). I don't know if it's the PADI course, the particular dive shop, or my particular instructor, . . . In short I don't feel prepared at all for my next dive, whenever that may be.

There are always at least two points of view in cases like this. But, taking your summary as fact, and at face value:

Your experience had little / nothing to do with the certification agency, and everything to do with the instructor and the shop who employed the instructor. Based on your description, you got a pretty cheesy course. Actually, it sounds like you probably got what you paid for. You could take a SSI (or NAUI, or NASE, or SDI / whatever) course next week, and have a completely different experience, or a very similar experience.

On the other hand, there is a SSI shop located near where I live. It's a lot pricier... and they require more experienced and personalized help before handing out certifications. Albeit, the certifications will cost me a few times more than in Mexico, but it looks more legit.

If you didn't have the money to do it right the first time, where are you going to find the money to do it over?

I chose the shop mainly because it had pretty good reviews and was very cheap (I'm a broke college student).

I see this lamentation quite frequently - 'I am a poor college student', or 'I am operating on a student budget', or 'I am just a starving student', and it frankly has no traction. As a college student, I had enough disposable income, to do what was important - to me. I certainly couldn't do everything that I wanted to do, so I just didn't do some things, and concentrated on others. My son got no financial support from his parents (he didn't ask for any) in undergraduate school but figured out how to make several cross-country trips to go climbing and hiking, buy a pretty nice bicycle, buy a car, etc. He worked two jobs during the school year and did well. If you don't have enough money to do something properly, don't do it. If you decide to do something, do it properly.

It sounds like you traveled to get to the site where you took the course. Masybe, you should have saved the travel money and invested in a better course.

 

[Scott]

was very cheap

I did my theory and pool training within two hours on the first day.

See quote above

My instructor seemed to be in a rush that day and packed me off back to my resort and told me to look over the materials (he explicitly told me to just find answers to the questions in the manual and not to read it).

So what prevented you from taking the necessary time to thoroughly read the manual and watch the required video?

Needless to say I'm pretty sure I failed the exam

The instructor did you no favors, they are required to review any missed questions on the quizzes (you did have quizzes right?) and the final.

well I still got my OW

Yes you did!

I went home after my vacation and read the manual page to page (almost). I'll probably reread it before my next dive (at least the emergency and the equipment sections).

It may be a wise to enroll in a refresher before the next dive and tell the instructor your story. They may ask that you sit through an entire OW course, I would.

He practically pulled me down when I breathed out and pushed me up when I breathed out during the buoyancy test. I think I would have done fine without his help, but

Would have been great for you to find out for yourself. Hovering motionless is one of the greatest feelings in diving.

In short I don't feel prepared at all for my next dive, whenever that may be.

That feeling is because you are not prepared. The good news is you recognize that fact, now find a local instructor that cares about the quality of the course they offer.

 

[TXreefer]

Looks like you made up your mind. It's not the company that is important when getting a diving cert, it's the instructor. Furthermore, there is a difference between certification and qualification. Most people believe once they are certified, they are qualified to make the dives. Sometimes you are, and sometimes your not. Depends on your instructor and how comfortable you are. On this case I don't think it's PADI that is the problem, but the instructor. Nevertheless I would recommend you find an experienced dive buddy and complete some 40ft dives and when you feel comfortable, go to 60ft. I am a PADI Instructor and Technical diver, and just because I am certified to dive to 165 ft on air and use stage decompression doesn't mean I am qualified. I need experience at deeper depths before moving to the "max" depth where I feel comfortable responding to problems.
Hope this helps.

Plus 1 on this. Practice, Practice, Practice.

If there are very few shops where you live, I would recommend choosing the agency that offers classes in your area so that you can continue your education and practice without being on vacation.

 

[IamScubaDog]

I got my OW at Eastfield College, Mesquite Tx, $90 for OW class. The book and trip to Athens Scuba park was extra. The instructor, Ken Balvin, has many divemasters who help because they share their love for scuba diving. Most of the time, the ratio is one DM to two students. The class counts as PE credits as a bonus.

 

[drrich2]

A suggestion - whatever coursework you decide to take, get the manual well in advance, study & know the material before you sign up for the course. It seems me that a lot of modern scuba instruction involves self-education via book or online materials, followed up to instructor review (& with some things, formal testing), then wet work to teach/assess skills.

You have limited control over what the instructor teaches you, once you've hired him/her, but you can get more out of the course by not wasting time having him/her spoon feed you the basics, and by knowing what you want to ask. The more you know going in, the more you can add to your knowledge by associating it with what you already know.

People learn by associating new info. to what they already know, I believe. The more you know going in, the more I think you'll know coming out.

Richard.

 

[oly5050user]

As other have said "you get what you pay for"....it was not PADI that failed you..sounds like a lousy instructor and facility..PADI ow course is like a system..watch module 1 video-read module 1 book-do module 1 homework"knowledge reviews..attend academic presentation-review knowledge review-do quiz..First 4 modules work that way last module (5)has no quiz, has final exam..No way the academics can be completed in 2 hours..watch video-read book-do knowledge reviews for module 1 alone can take 2 + hours itself. There are 5 modules! Then the classroom presentations usually last 1hr to 90 minutes each..pool work should take maybe 4-5 hours minimum if student is a excellent swimmer/water person.Usually takes up to 8 hours of pool time for most people.

 

[MSDT476614]

Ima curious as to what transpired just prior to your signing up for this course at the facility you were at. Were you given options? Did you make any other or particular requests in relation to your course?