Short version: Best experience for the least money, can't beat that. Long version: I wanted to get my Open Water Diver rating, and looked into all the schools I could find in the Twin Cities. Midwest had the lowest price for the rating, and I didn't have to buy my own fins and mask and whatever from the start, so I chose to go with them - and I'm glad I did! Scheduling was easy - I didn't have to worry about cancellation because of too few divers or anything - I actually did all my lake diving as the only student! Mark (the owner - did I mention it's family owned and operated? Nice touch, if you're into that sort of thing) even did an impromptu class session with me when I came in unexpectedly. Not having to buy masks or fins? Awesome. I got to try out different types of fins and masks during my training, instead of having to guess and buy something I didn't even know anything about. Price - It's the lowest in the area, not much else to say. Staff - I had both Mark and Melanie as instructors, and I would recommend either of them to anyone. Friendly and efficient. It's simple - if you want to save money and have the best time possible with your training, Midwest is the place to go.

My daughter and I got certified here. The experience and skills we learned here help when we had a gear failure today and my daughters weights prematurely released. I looked at 45 seconds after seeing her and she was gone. Being under weight she was pushed to the surface. She could see us looking for her. Two dive master scouring the ocean. Midwest prepared is for this situation and I searched for 1 minute and started to ascend. As I get closer I see her waving at me. So proud of her and thanks for the skills Midwest!

I looked into all of the diving schools in the Twin Cities and chose MW because they offered more for the money. The equipment was included in the price and they made things much easier from my initial phone call through the certification. Mark (the owner) was fantastic. I was struggling a little on my book work and had a trip planned for the following week. He offered to have me come in before the next day's class and he privately guided me through the diving tables and issues that I wasn't sure about. It made a huge difference. I went to Fiji and Australia the following week and felt totally comfortably at 70-80 feet because of the instruction that I got from the training here. Mark also does work with veterans and everyone at the dive shop are stand up individuals. I would definitely choose MW dive again. Thanks!

I haven't bought much gear from here. But I can review their classes. So far I have taken open water and my nitrox. From what I have seen they have the best prices around. They dont have hidden fees, when you pay for the course you pay for everything and everything is included!! Midwest loans you gear so you can try out different equipment to see what you like. Other stores you need to some if not all the equipment before class costing you lots of money. The classes have been well done instructors make sure you are competent before moving on. I would definitely recommend Midwest for your future class needs.

Mark and his crew are top-notch! From the Divemasters (and candidates) to the instructors, these folks know what they are doing. Their patience and dedication to their students are stellar! Everyone is rooting for you from the first moment they meet you, and they all want to share their love and knowledge of scuba. If something isn't going right, don't fret because their willingness to help you get through won't stop. While it may have taken me a few tries to get through (for personal reasons), I was always encouraged to keep trying. All the staff was helpful because you aren't simply a number or a payment - you're a person, an individual, and that's respected in this environment. Really, I can't say enough great things about these folks, and I've observed other local scuba schools' interactions - not only with their students but with other divers/clubs/schools. Midwest School of Diving IS the school you want! Again, thanks for everything, and I can't wait to put my skills to use!

Just recently earned my open-water SCUBA certification and had a great overall experience from start to finish! Had the opportunity to try SCUBA in 2019 at the World Scout Jamboree in West Virginia, but this was for sure more exciting, rewarding, and challenging. The instructors we had (Natalie, Scott, Paul, and Dave) were awesome, too -- both in the Centennial pool and at Square Lake -- very professional and easy to work with. Mark has literally a ton of credentials in the world of diving and is a great source of information! Highly recommended!

My girlfriend and I took the open water course at this spot, we are first time scuba divers and really enjoyed ourselves. Our instructors, Scott and Pat were very helpful and patient, you could tell they loved the sport and truly enjoyed doing what they were doing. They have solid advice and aren't out to just take your money. Would highly recommend this place.

If I can't fill up air without certification on my 6.0 cu I go Amazon get compressor so I don't have to pay they need to change the rule let people fill the air so good luck with the business I know what i am doing with my tank I want go under 10 feet to do spear fishing video

I'm pretty sure Mark's gonna get a kick out of this but that book that I said my instructor gave me, with the "stingray" on it, it isn't even from the 21st century! It's dated at 1999! Now, a lot of you may be like me: new to diving, interested in diving, has an exciting first open dive planned out... Doesn't have any clue how rentals/gear selection works. If this sounds like you, and even if it doesn't, this is the place for you. The best way to describe the store is thoroughly thought out. There isn't an overfilling of every kind of diving product out there, only products that Mark (the owner) actually believes are useful to diving. He had me try on 5 different masks, safely, to find a good fitting mask, which I did. The whole time we were talking, he was giving sage advice from a lifetime of scuba experience, and my father and I were totally absorbed in conversation about the subject with him. If you want someone to care about you being in the water safely and within your budget (remember, you get out of scuba what you put into scuba) then Mark is your guy! There's a reason the building is called a school, not shop. So go there to be schooled... ... And shop. All in all, amazing experience and I came away with great fitting gear that I hope will last a long time! With the knowledge I was graced with, I know how to take care of my gear so that I can dive years in the future! Thank you again!

Midwest school of diving has been great for me and my family. They did a "discover scuba" class for my daughter's girl scout troop a few years ago and she just had loads of fun. More recently my husband myself, and our kids all got certified. Mark the owner has been super helpful when we planned our first family dive trip and the whole process was easy, affordable, and filled with fun. I would recommend everyone to go here. It's definitely worth the drive.