Wanting to Get Certified.

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Hello,

I have been researching on getting dive certified. So far in my area I know of PADI, and SDI/TDI. My ultimate goal is be able to do some technical diving. I'm looking for a school that is going to take the time teach me the fundamental basics without rushing me out the door to start diving. This is the reason I never did any resort classes, I understand that diving is dangerous sport when not taken seriously, and beautiful at the same time. Any input on which school will prepare me the most would be helpful thanks so much!
 
would help if you told us where you were located
 
yes sorry I live right in between Milwaukee and Madison WI

I should add that I do plan on diving both locally and in warmer vacation areas.
 
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I have been researching on getting dive certified. So far in my area I know of PADI, and SDI/TDI. . . . I'm looking for a school that is going to take the time teach me the fundamental basics without rushing me out the door to start diving.
I do not believe that the answer to your ultimate question - where to pursue dive training - is as much a function of agency (PADI, NAUI, SDI/TDI, SEI, SSI, etc., etc.) as it is the particular shop or facility, and the instructor(s) involved. At the Open Water Diver level, there are enough curricular commonalities across training agencies that the dissimilarities are of marginal importance. However, a good instructor can transform a good curriculum into a superb learning / training experience, while a bad instructor - and, unfortunately, there are a few out there - can turn a good curriculum into a dog's breakfast. So, I have three suggestions:

1. Ideally, you will receive location-specific feedback to your post, based on where you live, that will give you some possible sources of training. Heed those personal experiences.

2. Visit several dive shops in your area, perhaps shops with different agency affiliations (e.g. a PADI shop, a NAUI shop, a SDI/TDI shop, etc), and get a first hand 'feel' for the style of those particular shops. You may not find THE one and only one place you want to train, but you may very well find several places that you DO NOT want to train.

3. Irrespective of what you hear by way of feedback about a shop, or an instructor, find out who the instructor for a course will be and interview that individual. If a shop cannot accommodate such a request ('Uh, we're not sure who will be teaching the class, yet', or 'The instructor is too busy right now, just come to the Orientation session for the course and you can meet them there'), you have found out that the facility is NOT where you want to train. There are several threads here on SB that address some of the things you should look for in an instructor / class. One that I think is particularly useful was posted about 5 years ago: http://www.scubaboard.com/forums/ne...ng/287780-how-find-excellent-scuba-class.html.

There are many good shops, and many good instructors, out there, affiliated with a variety of good agencies. But, you want to find an instructor that matches well with your goals, and not every instructor may be a good fit, for YOU. (And, by the way, if you talk to personnel at a particular shop, or to a particular instructor, and they spend most of the time telling you how bad other shops, other agencies, or other instructors are - rather than sharing with you what they have to offer - you probably don't want to train with them, either.)
 
Hello,
My ultimate goal is be able to do some technical diving. I'm looking for a school that is going to take the time teach me the fundamental basics without rushing me out the door to start diving. This is the reason I never did any resort classes, I understand that diving is dangerous sport when not taken seriously, and beautiful at the same time. Any input on which school will prepare me the most would be helpful thanks so much!
This sounds like you'd might be a good candidate for the GUE Rec 1 course. However, it isn't run very often and mostly just in Hawaii and Florida (mostly because that is where the instructor who likes to run this course in the US lives). But it is a very detailed and more complete course than the usual open water course and is set up to help prepare you for further tech training with GUE. So if the GUE tech curriculum fits your plans it might be worth talking to Meredith. But you will probably have to travel to do this, it costs about a thousand dollars and it takes about a week to run.

However, the other suggestions are certainly viable. There are a lot of great instructors out there, they are not limited to any agency. But there are some poor instructors too, and also instructors who might be great for someone else but are just not a good fit for you.
 
It's not important about the alphabet agency that trains you. It's more important to find a good instructor. As Colliam said visit the stores. Talk to an instructor. Ask questions. Then chose the shop you feel most comfortable with. The actual agency then is secondary to a good instructor.

Learn to dive first and get the basics. Any thoughts on technical diving shouldn't influence your choice to get basic training. You have to learn to walk before you can run.

The sport is dangerous if you are not properly trained or if you exceed your training limits. But in reality it can be fairly safe if done properly and within recreational limits. If it was truly dangerous then I would not have let my daughter certify at 13. Show the proper respect for the inherent dangers and get solid training and you will be just fine.

It can be beautiful and exhilarating under water. There is nothing quite like floating weightless under water. And it really a unique experience to breathe under water as well.
 
I'm going to suggest that you go in to a number of shops and also try to locate some independent instructors. Then interview them. Not just talk to them but actually conduct a formal interview with pre thought out written questions.

If you don't think you know what to ask, there is a thread in the new divers forum on how to find a good scuba class. I also have chapters devoted to this in my book. Its available on amazon . the title is in my signature line. There are over 40 questions between those two chapters that you can ask.

Also ask to see the standards they need to train you to. If they say they don't have them handy or that they are for their use only walk away. There are good instructors in every agency. There are differences in the standards for ow classes that some agencies do not have for instructors to teach to while others do. I was just talking about this with the head of sei yesterday.

Look for shops and instructors that go beyond the standards. I personally prefer those with longer minimum class and pool times. Those that include rescue skills as well are what I would refer a loved one to.
 
It's great that Jim doesn't go around posting ads for his book. But, it IS a very good read for someone asking exactly the questions you're asking.

$9.99 for the Kindle version on Amazon. I bought it and found it to be exactly what the title says - a practical guide for new divers. And aspiring divers, for that matter. I wish I had read it BEFORE I selected my instructor and went through Open Water certification training.

Amazon.com: SCUBA: A Practical Guide for the New Diver eBook: James Lapenta: Books
 
As was suggested, talk to the shops to get a feel for what they do. You may want to take a private class. You'll pay a little more, but you can get what you want if you do.

You should also mention your goal of getting into technical diving. If a shop has no technical training as a part of its program, it won't make any difference in your class. But if it does, they may set you up with a private OW class with an instructor who also teaches technical diving. That instructor can teach the class with the two of you in gear that is associated with technical diving rather than the gear commonly used in OW classes. It is no harder to use that gear as a beginner diver, but it is different and requires some different procedures. Using it in the OW class provides you with a head start on that skill set. In addition, in a private class with a technical instructor, the focus on buoyancy and kicking skills will be different from what is commonly taught in OW classes. OW classes usually teach only the flutter kick, and a technical instructor can get you started on the kicks used by technical divers right from the start. If you were asking that question in the shop where I am associated, I am sure that is what they would recommend.
 
What kind of diving are you into? Deep open water? Deep cave? Sumps? I know there are some wild no mount dive sites in Wisconsin. Backmounted doubles or side mount?

Get involved in some independent, unaffiliated diving club. I know there are some in Wisconsin. You then need to talk to those people. As a bonus, you would get diving company.

A quick search reveals at least these resources:
Deep Six Divers - Wisconsin USA (seems to be an active club)
wiscuba.com - Technical Diving (not active, but lots of info)
Ghost Ships Festival 2015 - Milwaukee, WI (not a bad place to start a diving hobby at)
 
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