Quick Question--Just a Little Confused on All of the Cert Agencies

[Pittsburgh_Mom]

And mixing is not a bad thing, as with using different instructors and different agencies you might find a better path as you develop as a diver.


Bob

Thank you! I was thinking it seemed more like martial arts, kind of style-specific, but I'm getting the sense it is not quite that exclusive. I appreciate the help!

 

[Pittsburgh_Mom]

I am just down the road from you in Canonsburg, PA. If you like, give me a call some evening this week or you and your husband can stop by the shop I work with in Washington, PA on any Thursday evening.
You can mix and match certs from different agencies.
What you do also need to realize is that even though, as far as operators are concerned, an OW card is an OW card, the courses are by no means the same. There are different standards for each one and the instructor you take the class with will make a huge difference.
Standards are generally the minimum ones they have to meet and you have to meet to be issued a card. At that, there are shops and instructors that may not meet the minimums but will still issue a card to you as long as your credit card or check clears.
There are also shops and instructors that go way beyond the minimums to ensure that you are safe, skilled, educated, and comfortable in the water even if it takes extra time. The shop I am with is the only one in the area with an onsite indoor heated pool specifically for scuba training so I'm not limited by having to wait for a minimum number of students, I can often work with your schedule, and if you need more time in the pool or classroom, there is no extra charge.
If the shop does not have its own pool, it's likely that you have very limited choices on class times, smaller classes may require extra cost because the shop has to rent a pool for that, and you may be doing classroom at one location and driving a fair distance to another for the pool.
I also agree that mixing certs may be a good thing if you choose the courses and instructors carefully. For the above reasons. Advanced through shop XXX may be woefully less or much better than shop YYY.
If you'd like more info my number is 724-255-3765 and I'm available most evenings after 3:30 PM.
Feel free to give me a call.

Thank you for your incredibly kind advice and offer! For right now, I am in a good place, as I've already committed to and started with a particular instructor. It's actually at the pool where we're already members. I was actually asking for thinking down the road, where to go after the initial certs. I see my OW/AOW as just my foot in the door, but with nowhere to go but more learning. I am sure I'll be in touch in the future when I am less overwhelmed by all the newness. Please remember me! I'm Jamie from Murrysville!

 

[Pittsburgh_Mom]

Equivalent Diving Qualifications: BSAC, PADI, CMAS, NAUI, etc - SCUBA Travel


Bob

Thank you!!! That is not one on which I'd stumbled; it seems super helpful!

 

[Pittsburgh_Mom]

There is a matrix here which shows the equivalencies.

Thank you!

 

[Chidiver1]

Thank you for your incredibly kind advice and offer! For right now, I am in a good place, as I've already committed to and started with a particular instructor. It's actually at the pool where we're already members. I was actually asking for thinking down the road, where to go after the initial certs. I see my OW/AOW as just my foot in the door, but with nowhere to go but more learning. I am sure I'll be in touch in the future when I am less overwhelmed by all the newness. Please remember me! I'm Jamie from Murrysville!

Jim is probably the one you should go with. I'm not near him but have messaged him asking questions about taking classes there. So that should tell you something.

 

[Pittsburgh_Mom]

SDI seems to allow specialties from other agencies towards their Advanced and Master Diver ratings.

Thank you! I know we have some SDI on the other side of the city from me, maybe in the city. Def keeping it in mind for the future.

 

[Chidiver1]

As others said padi wants 5 specialist courses just with them for Master.
Ssi is similar in that you need a certain amount of special courses with them.

Naui has a master diver program in which it takes a long time to complete and isn't just filling out a form.

SDI allows Aow, rescue from other orgs to be used towards master as well.

Those are the most well known orgs. There's Gue, ianti, Andi and one other that used to be through Ymca as well.

 

[Pittsburgh_Mom]

As others said padi wants 5 specialist courses just with them for Master.
Ssi is similar in that you need a certain amount of special courses with them.

Naui has a master diver program in which it takes a long time to complete and isn't just filling out a form.

SDI allows Aow, rescue from other orgs to be used towards master as well.

Those are the most well known orgs. There's Gue, ianti, Andi and one other that used to be through Ymca as well.

Ah, wow, I did not realize there were so many, but that is helpful. Thank you! I am not sure in what direction to go after OW/AOW. I think as I get more experience, I will learn better and have a better sense of what I want or need.

Do classes like fish ID count? I would think not--but they won't hurt, either!

 

[Chidiver1]

As far as AOW with ssi I believe you need a couple of specialist courses and a certain # of dives(24) completed as well.

I like that approach for a course described as advanced.

 

[saxman242]

Ah, wow, I did not realize there were so many, but that is helpful. Thank you! I am not sure in what direction to go after OW/AOW. I think as I get more experience, I will learn better and have a better sense of what I want or need.

Do classes like fish ID count? I would think not--but they won't hurt, either!

Yes, fish ID will count towards master. Master diver, at least for Padi, is more of a "hey, I took a bunch of specialties and then paid for a master diver card" kind of cert. It isn't a course of its own.

This isn't to be confused with divemaster, which is a totally different thing.