Help with Fallout New Vegas

After over 100 hours of Fallout 3 and nearly 50 hours of New Vegas, I'm stumped. Maybe it's a bug, maybe I missed something obvious or perhaps I'm just dumb:

I have obtained the wault 34 security terminal password, but all I get is the message "A science skill of 100 is required to hack this terminal". How do I use the password? What's the point of obtaining the password if I still need the skill?

Read the bit about the 1st floor:

http://fallout.wikia.com/wiki/Vault_34

I remember having the EXACT same problem but I can't recall out I ended up solving it. I think it was either diving under something or something as simple as missing a door somewhere.

Yes. You have to dive to obtain the password from a corpse. Here is what the wiki you linked to has to say about it:

"To activate the terminal without hacking, backtrack a small amount to the flooded area which will be on your right when facing the armory door. Straight down at the bottom is another dead glowing ghoul 'vault technician' under another desk with the Vault 34 utility terminal password. Use this on the computer in the Utility room to drain the water from that same flooded area and gain access to the Security Room."

Now, how do I "use" the password? As far as I remember, the game usually recognises if you carry the key to a locked door or the password to a locked terminal. I Don't think I ever actively "used" any such item.

Been a while since i played New Vegas so the details are a tad blurry but i seem to recall being stuck in that same vault and i am pretty sure there were 2x flooded areas both with a corpse holding a key\password to some nearby terminal so perhaps you missed one of those?

Yeah, there are 2 underwater areas, one of them you can drain afterwards and walk there.
And you don't actively use passwords, I think the computer you have the password for will simply display like its open for everyone.

Thanks for the help. Still got plenty of other things to do in the game, so I found my way out, mission unaccomplished. Might be back later, though. (Having redirected the power from Helios and destroyed the plant growth formula earlier in the game, wault 34 is my only chance to complete Veronica's quest.)