Help me understand this...

[Toadie]

I've decided to pursue my divemaster cert... I'm paying x amount for the course, x amount for the books, and I understand I'm about to become an instructor slave. I'm cool with that.... but now I'm being told that as long as I'm a DM student, when I'm assisting with pool work, I have to pay my own pool fees? Now, it's only six bucks per time but....is that odd? I understand that I"m the student on one hand but if I'm the student then how can I assist in the course?

Am I being silly?

 

[plongeursousmarin]

That doesn't sound right. When I did my DM I was never told to pay for pool time. I noticed you're in the Denver area. Don't know who you're doing this with but I did mine with A1 and they were always very accommodating. Does the store have a pool on premises or do they rent a community pool? That could be the reason.

 

[jbd]

I've decided to pursue my divemaster cert... I'm paying x amount for the course, x amount for the books, and I understand I'm about to become an instructor slave. I'm cool with that.... but now I'm being told that as long as I'm a DM student, when I'm assisting with pool work, I have to pay my own pool fees? Now, it's only six bucks per time but....is that odd? I understand that I"m the student on one hand but if I'm the student then how can I assist in the course?

Am I being silly?

Is it the local practice for other students(OW, AOW, Rescue) to pay for the pool time? If so, then as a student you should pay for your pool time as well. I understand that you are assisting but at this point tin time you are doing so as a student. Once you have your DM certification then the shop or instructor should cover those costs for you.

 

[dbg40]

Seems to me that you PAID for the course, period. When I was certified years ago I paid for the course once, and was not made to pay every time I went to the pool as well. You shouldn't either, (my opinion). If things have changed, It's wrong. And it only being six bucks, only makes it worse! My 2 cents.

 

[Scot M]

As jbd stated, you should be paying for the same things as the other students. You may not realize it but, as a DM candidate, you still count against the instructor:student ratio. Depending on the size of the class, it's entirely possible that your instructor is having to pay for another assistant because you are there. There's no reason that the instructor should also be expected to pay your expenses.

 

[Hemlon]

I'm working on my DM cert too and I don't have to pay those fees. That seems silly to me that you have to pay it!

 

[pt40fathoms]

If you still can, shop around!

You are not an assistant, and your being under the water counts as a student when it comes to the student/instructor ratio. But you are most certainly working, at the same time you are learning. If they expect you to haul gear, set up gear for discover scuba groups, clean up afterwards, and in general....work! Then the charge of 6.00 per pool session is completely unreasonable. The "work" part of the DM course is very much needed in order for you to know how to do what and when, and is a vital part of the learning prosses. But, you may be going to 10 or more pool sessions, and at 6.00 each, that's just insane.

DM candidates should get the following in consideration for the effort they put out and benefit they bring to the LDS:

1) free pool time!
2) free air fills when in class or when helping with other classes.
3) reasonable discounts on equipment purchases.


....like I said, do a little shopping.

 

[pete340]

DM candidates should get the following in consideration for the effort they put out and benefit they bring to the LDS:

1) free pool time!
2) free air fills when in class or when helping with other classes.
3) reasonable discounts on equipment purchases.

Ten pool sessions at six dollars apiece could be a bargain, if the alternative is a course fee that's a hundred dollars more. It's really about total cost, not about what's included and what isn't.

 

[carlislere]

IMHO, the pool fees should have either been included in the cost of the course or waived since you are assisting in the courses.

 

[Saipanman]

In Saipan, most of the pools count the DM as "staff" and there is no charge for the pool time.