I am certified thru PADI, my wife is certified thru NASE. Her NASE Basic Open Water course was equivalent to my PADI Advanced Open Water course and cost less. I have learned that NASE instructors pace their courses based on the students ability to grasp the material. In a nutshell, a fast burning class will get a little more in depth than a slower class. The only setback to NASE is that it`s not very well known or widely recognized like PADI.