This question comes up quite frequently, and the answer depends a great deal on the AOW class that your paticular instructor offers. The standard PADI or NAUI advanced open water class is designed to be taken shortly after OW -- it's not particularly demanding and introduces only a few new skills or ideas. It's basically a way to get introduced to some different diving environments and activities with an instructor, and to get a little more work on your navigation skills.
Some instructors beef up the AOW class significantly. My friend, NW Grateful Diver, teaches an AOW you definitely would NOT want to attempt until you had a bunch of dives under your belt and had your buoyancy largely under solid control. But these classes are definitely the exception, rather than the rule.
I'm not sure having your AOW will make a big difference in your desirability as a dive buddy. You will still be a new diver after the class. Some of us enjoy diving with novices, and others don't, and whether they've had the additional five instructed dives or not doesn't really matter.
Some instructors beef up the AOW class significantly. My friend, NW Grateful Diver, teaches an AOW you definitely would NOT want to attempt until you had a bunch of dives under your belt and had your buoyancy largely under solid control. But these classes are definitely the exception, rather than the rule.
I'm not sure having your AOW will make a big difference in your desirability as a dive buddy. You will still be a new diver after the class. Some of us enjoy diving with novices, and others don't, and whether they've had the additional five instructed dives or not doesn't really matter.