I'll be wrapping up my OW this coming weekend and going for the AOW next month. I'm doing this for several reasons:
1. I really like my instructor and his assistant and he's teaching the AOW next month. His next AOW class isnt until June.
2. Frankly, OW as tought through PADI isnt long enough. I'm grasping all of the concepts and I feel I'm doing well in the class, but it has a rushed feel and some of my mates are struggling. Our instructor has added an extra pool session at no charge. I think an extra shore and boat dive with an instructor would be great.
A couple of suggestions...How about signing up for some "extra" lessons past OW? I know some instructors will invite recent OW certs on boat dives if the class is not too big. That's a good way to get a little more experience with a pro nearby to help tune the skills. Another possibility is breaking up the Advance course into two seperate events (some of the Adventure Diver courses count towards the Advance cert).