| Learning how to scuba dive is your ticket
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| | 5. How Long Have They Been An
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| to the ultimate underwater adventure. The
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| | Instructor?
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| scuba certification that you earn is
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| | 6. How Many People Have They Certified?
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| internationally recognized, never
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| | 7. How Many Certification Courses Have
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| expires, and allows you to rent or
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| | They Taught?
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| purchase your own diving equipment.
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| | Good instructors, who have an extensive
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| You'll soon discover, however, that there
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| | resume of experience teaching scuba
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| is no shortage of dive companies out
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| | certification courses, are extremely hard
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| there competing for your hard earned
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| | to find. Dive shops have a notoriously
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| dollars. It can be a daunting task trying
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| | high turnover ratio of scuba instructors
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| to find one that has a proven track
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| | to staff. Many of the ones who are there
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| record of honesty, integrity, and
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| | are recent hires, and have very little
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| reliability, while at the same time
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| | real world experience. They also work
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| providing a positive certification
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| | long hours for very little money,
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| experience for both you and your family.
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| | generally getting paid by the activity,
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| To help you comparison shop, I've
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| | not by the hour. Insist on someone who
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| compiled a list of questions any
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| | has certified at least 25 people, and has
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| potential certification student needs to
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| | been teaching a minimum of one year.
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| ask before getting certified. (There are
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| | 8. Is The Instructor First Aid/CPR
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| a number of different scuba training
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| | Certified?
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| organizations that a dive company can be
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| | While PADI doesn't require its scuba
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| affiliated with. This article deals
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| | instructors to hold these important
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| primarily with certification courses
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| | certifications, any instructor who's
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| sanctioned by PADI: Professional
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| | serious about teaching a certification
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| Association of Diving Instructors, the
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| | course needs to go the extra mile and
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| largest scuba training organization in
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| | make this a requirement, not an option.
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| the world).
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| | 9. Will The Course Be Taught Using
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| 1.How Long Does The Certification Course
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| | Rotating Instructors?
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| Last?
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| | This is a common practice some dive
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| Scuba certification is performance based,
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| | operations use where one instructor "Team
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| meaning there is no set amount of hours
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| | Teaches" the course with another,
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| required for completion. You move from
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| | exposing you to differing personalities
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| one level to the next during the course
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| | and teaching methods that will only
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| at your own pace. You will find that most
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| | confuse you. Unless you are doing a
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| PADI certification courses advertised are
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| | referral certification, where you are
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| based around an estimated 3 day time
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| | starting and finishing your course in
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| frame for completion. For the average
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| | different locations, steer clear.
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| person, however, this may not be enough
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| | 10. Will Both Instructor And Student Use
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| time. 4 days for certification is a much
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| | Similar Equipment Setups During The
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| more realistic goal.
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| | Course?
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| 2.How Much Does The Certification Course
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| | When both instructor and student are
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| Cost?
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| | using the same brand of scuba gear, and
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| Lowball prices are designed for 2
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| | have similarly designed equipment
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| reasons.... to attract your attention,
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| | configurations, it allows students to
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| and to get you in the door. The hidden
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| | learn faster and easier, both in and out
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| charges for the course, such as books and
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| | of the water, during the certification
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| equipment rental, are conveniently never
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| | course.
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| advertised. Look for an all inclusive
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| | 11. Will The Course Incorporate A Giant
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| certification course experience.
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| | RDP Table Into The Academic Sessions?
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| Remember, in the end, you always get what
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| | Learning how to use the dive tables is
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| you pay for.
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| | perhaps the toughest academic challenge a
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| 3. Are References Available From The Most
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| | student faces during the certification
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| Recent Students?
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| | course. A quality dive operation will
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| Always ask for phone or E-mail references
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| | have available a giant version of the
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| from the most recent certification
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| | standard dive table, allowing students to
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| students who have just completed the
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| | more easily master this important
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| course. Don't settle for written quotes
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| | academic information.
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| that are years old and taken from some
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| | 12. Can I Get A Student Discount After
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| database of generic customer comments. If
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| | Getting Certified?
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| a lame excuse or noncommittal answer is
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| | Any reputable dive operation should give
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| given, take your business elsewhere. A
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| | you a generous student discount towards
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| quality dive operation that has nothing
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| | future diving activities and/or equipment
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| to hide will be happy to provide such
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| | purchases you make from them, in
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| references.
| |
| | appreciation for taking their
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| 4. Who Is The Instructor?
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| | certification course.
|
