I think when choosing a course you don't choose the card you get in the end but you choose the instructor.

It's never about GUE this or TDI that but the person you are intrusting to teach you a potentially dangerous activity that takes a lot more then simply what the book offers.

Look for experience but someone who is active in the community. I've met a lot of technical instructors who teach expired information or teach cave diving techniques to someone who's interested in wrecks.

What i tell everyone who asks me this, is do a discover technical dive.. small commitment, no investment and get a feel of how the person teaches and how the center works.. then if you aren't happy you got a cool dive with very little expense.

I've dove with a lot of people who have a lot of technical dives that should not be in technical gear both with bouyancy and simple skills. Most of them stood in defiance of my comments by saying "i'm an advanced mega trimix diver from blah and here's my card"

good luck