We have been asked why SDI over the other guy? What's the difference? Is one better than the other? What's the difference in the actual class?
What I ask people is do you like apples? Do you prefer Golden Delicious or Granny Smith? They are both apples right? The difference is in the flavor and how juicy it is. The same with Scuba Diving Agencies. It's in the details.
Both have world wide recondition, are accepted certifications anywhere you do. Both follow RSTC regulations. So why one over the other? In a word versatility.
With the other guy, class structure is strictly regimented. Everything must happen in a strict order. Where this presents possible issues is if a Student Diver has a challenge with a particular skill, they may not proceed until they have mastered that skill.
With SDI if a Student Diver has a challenge, rather than them hitting the brick wall and stopping until they can complete that skill, it is put to the side for now and they can continue. Then when they have a little more confidence and are ready they can perform that skill again and successfully complete it. Making the Student Diver not become frustrated and disappointed.
As with all Agencies, all the required skills must be completed sucessfully. With the versatility and adaptability that SDI allows the class remains a safe exciting educational experience for the Student Diver.