im going to Commercial Diving Academy, jacksonvill, florida in feb. anybody have anything to say about this school? i cant seem to find anything online about them.

I want some outside info on this school before I drop 26k on it I’m set up to go through the air\mix course and the dive medic training along with the sport scuba instructor all of my gear for the commercial and the scuba side are in this price as is the books and dorm and food expenses wile attending the 7 month course. Am I getting ripped!! Or is this a great school?

Thanks to all that reply!

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Permalink Reply by A.. Parnell on December 14, 2010 at 5:30pm

ahahaha you dont even have a diploma yet kid not to mention a drivers license a resume,a dive hat. etc. etc. well you do have a limited vocabulary now how smart is that ??

Permalink Reply by Will on December 13, 2010 at 11:18pm

dude if your gung-ho then go for it. Everyone has given you their 2 cents. You have a trade to fall back on or jump between when times are slow. The only advice I have to give is do it for as cheap as you can. Your gonna come out of dive school and the dive company is gonna tell you to forget almost everything you learned there. Most people wash out but there are some who make it, you might be a wash out and you might make it you never know.

Just trust me and dont spend much money on it. If you are dead set on spending alot of money I would lean towards DIT in Seattle or something like that that will give you a DCBC card.

Thats my 2c so do what you want with it

Permalink Reply by Shannon Gould on December 14, 2010 at 4:08am

Are there any other cheaper schools out there that have housing that’s a big deal for me right now I recently lost my license and i cant get it back until Aug 2011

Permalink Reply by A.. Parnell on December 14, 2010 at 8:24am

So you lost your license ! Now how are you going to get to a school ??  How are you going to  to get to work? who is really going to take you to a real job?? Was it for drinking ? or just being irresponsible? You have already shot yourself in the foot and screwed yourself up for supporting yourself in a responsible and adult manner. How old are you ? Join the military and see if maybe they will baby sit you till you get your prioritys strait. If you cant take care of yourself how are you going to responsible dive team member? We are dealing with other dive team members life here bud.

Permalink Reply by A.. Parnell on December 14, 2010 at 8:32am

Great advice Will.

Permalink Reply by Dirk Hanson on December 14, 2010 at 6:39am

I have tried to keep out of this uniformed conversation, but the lack of correct information is so overwhelming that I yet again feel compelled to respond. You Americans think the world revolves around the Gulf and it does not!  The U.S. schools that do not give IMCA recognised certification are a total waste of your money! period. Youngs will not prepare you for the global work force and unlike the divers posting on this board things overeas are fairly busy and I am working with more and more US divers.  The difference between spending 10, 20 or 30 thousand dollars on your career is insignificant if you make it a career! If you are not sure then you should not venture into the field.  Only 2 US schools offer IMCA recognised certifications and they are more expensive do to the rigors of training to a much higher standard.  Both DIT and CDA offer IMCA and either school is a good choice-cheaper isn't always better-look at the big picture if you can't work globally you can see by the divers on this board you will spend alot of time not working. BE safe and good luck with your decision

Permalink Reply by Nate Melnik on December 14, 2010 at 6:59am

thanks for sheding some light on this situation. im going to CDA in jan, have a valid passport and a valid TWIC card and will take any job i can get on a DSV so i can see the world cant wait!

Permalink Reply by Blaine Celestaine on December 14, 2010 at 4:07pm

    Dirk if you dont mind Please give us some real wage examples? In the different areas you are speaking of. We get a lot of people in other parts of the world on the forum looking for work. Some of the wage examples are low and some Divers have complained of being "stiffed" on pay.

    Also only a small percentage of the people who even stay in the business ever go over seas as divers. The financial burden of 22k plus interest could probably ruin some peoples credit future even if they are responsible "go getters". What about the irresponsible folks ,taking the path of the least debt saves them from the worst reality 97% of dive school grads face. Thats the good advice these prospects have been given.

 

Tailing red -- Housing is a big issue but if you want to do it right save up the money for six months of housing in Morgan city or Santa Barbara. You are probably gonna roomate anyway. There will be ways for 4 or 5 guys to live in the same apt.  That was the way it was when I was in school. If you believe you will make it .Thats all the more reason to do it in a prudent way. Work at night in a convenience store .I worked when I was in school. Not saying its you  but I met alot of guys that used school as a way to get a place to stay and have a adventure with no intention of ever being divers. If I were you I'd use that school loan money to get my lpn or RN right where I live now.  Then get a job around Santa Barbara or Morgan City and go to school .Then you would be far more respected than any DMT. and thats spoken by a DMT. When its slow you will probably earn more as a nurse than when you are working as a diver. As to the SLAVE comment. You should think of why you were asked  that . I seen a hundred guys like you Ace has seen a thousand. Even if you last you will be a slave to that debt.

Permalink Reply by A.. Parnell on December 15, 2010 at 9:07am

Tailing Red "make it hot" you now have what you have come here for its been a long trail and your now in the root groove.. We have a break thru here Houston Tailing Red is now on board. Thanks for listening it was all things that will be good for you to think about in the future in what ever you do. Good luck..

Permalink Reply by Shannon Gould on December 15, 2010 at 9:20am

thanks man!

Permalink Reply by Ethan Cromwell on February 15, 2015 at 2:39am

So any updates?  I know this is an old thread but I was wondering where you are in the dive industry these days.  Did you go to CDA or another school, and if so what did you think of the experience?

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