If you have the means available I would go to Morgan City Community college in louisianna if you are planning on going the offshore route, or santa barbara community college if staying in cali is a must for you. NU has a great program however Morgan city is extremely low cost and in the heart of the offshore gas and oil diving industry. Santa barbara is also low cost and a very well put together program for a fraction of the cost of NU. If money is not an issue than go with NU. I know the instructors there very well and they have worked extremely hard to make it a competitive educational institute. Just know that school is to teach you how to put on a dive hat and not kill yourself or the diver in the water, don't expect to come out of school being some big dick deep sea diver. This is a very cut throat industry and we eat our own, have thick skin, do what your told, learn everything about the equipment that you can and don't **** it up when you are given the chance to finally dive.