Is this SGU Admissions Info Accurate?

[Hopeful DO]

These are the MCAT/GPA information that SGU gives to prospective students. I was expecting the GPA to be around there, but the MCAT seems surprisingly high. I was hoping people could shed some insight into this, and if anyone has heard of people getting into SGU with MCATs in the 22-24 range. Thanks everyone.

This is the info SGU presents to us:

Average MCAT Average GPA
Verbal Reasoning 8 Undergraduate 3.3
Physical Science 9 Science Undergraduate 3.2
Biological Science 9 Graduate 3.6

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[spawa]

These are the MCAT/GPA information that SGU gives to prospective students. I was expecting the GPA to be around there, but the MCAT seems surprisingly high. I was hoping people could shed some insight into this, and if anyone has heard of people getting into SGU with MCATs in the 22-24 range. Thanks everyone.

This is the info SGU presents to us:

Average MCAT Average GPA
Verbal Reasoning 8 Undergraduate 3.3
Physical Science 9 Science Undergraduate 3.2
Biological Science 9 Graduate 3.6

Hi hopeful DO...when i went to the SGU open house the person there said that the MCATs of accepted students range from high teens to about 34 or 35.....hope that helps

 

[djquick83]

Even lower than that. As long as u apply, u pretty much get in. But dont be surprised if they weed out the whole class after the first semester and u dont make the cut.

 

[Leukocyte]

Hi hopeful DO...when i went to the SGU open house the person there said that the MCATs of accepted students range from high teens to about 34 or 35.....hope that helps

As a student who was previously accepted to St. George (I am at Ross now), I have to say that this information is inaccurate. I strongly believe that the avarage MCAT of accepted students at St. George is between 20-24, with an avarage GPA of 3.2 - 3.4.

I would not get too worried about getting accepted to Carib. Schools. They are not US schools, you know.

Good Luck.

 

[rokshana]

That is as it says an average of 26 (which won't get you anywhere in a US school) so there are people who got higher (in the 30s) and those who got lower(low 20s) so if you you have a low MCAT score it won't nix you out, you just have to have do something to balance it out(higher GPA, health-care experience, research)- SGU looks at the total package- but it is not true that SGU accepts everyone and weeds you out after the 1st year. That may be the case at some other schools(this I heard from students at other schools, so I don't know that 1st hand), but people do recieve rejection letters from sgu. The decel and alternate programs give people a chance(whether this is a good idea who knows)to take school at a slower pace, so they can do better, so they don't necessarily get booted the 1st year.
Same goes for GPA it too is an average, some have higher, some lower(I personally am of the high MCAT low GPA variety- MCAT was competitive, Undergrad GPA was definitely not).

 

[Brian Pavlovitz]

That is as it says an average of 26 (which won't get you anywhere in a US school) so there are people who got higher (in the 30s) and those who got lower(low 20s) so if you you have a low MCAT score it won't nix you out, you just have to have do something to balance it out(higher GPA, health-care experience, research)- SGU looks at the total package- but it is not true that SGU accepts everyone and weeds you out after the 1st year. That may be the case at some other schools(this I heard from students at other schools, so I don't know that 1st hand), but people do recieve rejection letters from sgu. The decel and alternate programs give people a chance(whether this is a good idea who knows)to take school at a slower pace, so they can do better, so they don't necessarily get booted the 1st year.
Same goes for GPA it too is an average, some have higher, some lower(I personally am of the high MCAT low GPA variety- MCAT was competitive, Undergrad GPA was definitely not).

I concur with rokshana--not everyone gets accepted to SGU, and they do tend to look at the entire package. My MCAT was low (22), and my GPA was decent (3.3). After starting my third year clinical rotations and doing my clinicals right along side of students from other schools (including those from the US), I can safely say that there is basically no difference in medical knowledge between us. Sure, there are some really smart students from the "US" schools, but there are some very smart ones from SGU too. No one knows where you're from unless they ask.

Brian
MS-3, SGUSOM

 

[EMT036]

Actually, those stats are about right. No, they don't let everyone in - they accept approximately 20-25% of applicants.

 

[Leukocyte]

These are the MCAT/GPA information that SGU gives to prospective students. I was expecting the GPA to be around there, but the MCAT seems surprisingly high. I was hoping people could shed some insight into this, and if anyone has heard of people getting into SGU with MCATs in the 22-24 range. Thanks everyone.

This is the info SGU presents to us:

Average MCAT Average GPA
Verbal Reasoning 8 Undergraduate 3.3
Physical Science 9 Science Undergraduate 3.2
Biological Science 9 Graduate 3.6

Hey Hopeful DO, do not listen to anyone who tells you that a Carib. school is as hard to get in as a US school. Do not be discouraged. Go ahead and APPLY.

As for the Stats., I can only speak from my personal experience with SGU:

-Undergraduate GPA: 3.4
-MCAT: 20
-No significant research experience
-No significant extracurricular activities

Accepted to the Fall 2001 Class.

Good Luck.

 

[rokshana]

Hey Hopeful DO, do not listen to anyone who tells you that a Carib. school is as hard to get in as a US school. Do not be discouraged. Go ahead and APPLY.
.

I don't anyone here has said that its just as hard, in fact quite the opposite. A 26 on the MCATs isn't very high at all and certainly won't get you even near the door at a US school, but is certainly acceptable at any of the Top 3 in the Caribbean. Also the GPA stats are on the low side, and again, probably not near the GPA you need for US school(the Grad GPA is kinda high, but let's face it, Grad GPAs are usually inflated a bit, so...)
The 20-25% acceptance rate, while I would think it was higher, is still much much higher than the US rate(which I think is closer to 7-10%), so you still have a good chance.
IMHO(and I am biased), I think it is harder to get into SGU than some of the other Caribbean schools, but certainly not THAT much harder...apply, the worst you'll get is a no and lose $75- if you get a yes, then the 75 bucks was worth it!
The biggest thing is show that you want this, that you're focused, and ready to work, to get good grades, scores, and residency placement- they want to know you will be a good reflection of the school and make a good, competent doctor- shine in your interview and you won't have a problem.

 

[tiredofwaiting]

Hey Hopeful DO, do not listen to anyone who tells you that a Carib. school is as hard to get in as a US school. Do not be discouraged. Go ahead and APPLY.

As for the Stats., I can only speak from my personal experience with SGU:

-Undergraduate GPA: 3.4
-MCAT: 20
-No significant research experience
-No significant extracurricular activities

Accepted to the Fall 2001 Class.

Good Luck.

It's very easy to sit here and talk about how easy it is to get into a carrib. med school. The goal of these schools is not to take everybody and over the last 20 years these schools like SGU have raised the bar. I'm convinced that before we know it, a school like SGU and Ross and whoever else makes it, will eventually be just as competitive as US schools. As of right now, i would argue that a school like SGU "out performs/rivals" a school like meharry or finch, etc... a school like SGU has no where to go but up. from a business stand point (now i'm just rambling) a few years ago you couldn't even give away satellite radio (believe it or not, it's been in existence for years) now it's become much more popular, everyone wants it, and it's expensive because people will pay for it. the point is, right now, we can say that the carrib. schools (like SGU) are "easy-ins" but only time will tell for sure what becomes of a place like SGU. perhaps one day they'll be accredited if the LCME extends its arm beyond canada and the US. I will argue that 5 or 10 years from now, SGU will be a top medical school and difficult to get in to. like anything else, henry ford (of the US) invented the automobile and the germans make mercedes. nuff' said.

 

[Lotsof77]

It's very easy to sit here and talk about how easy it is to get into a carrib. med school. The goal of these schools is not to take everybody and over the last 20 years these schools like SGU have raised the bar. I'm convinced that before we know it, a school like SGU and Ross and whoever else makes it, will eventually be just as competitive as US schools. As of right now, i would argue that a school like SGU "out performs/rivals" a school like meharry or finch, etc... a school like SGU has no where to go but up. from a business stand point (now i'm just rambling) a few years ago you couldn't even give away satellite radio (believe it or not, it's been in existence for years) now it's become much more popular, everyone wants it, and it's expensive because people will pay for it. the point is, right now, we can say that the carrib. schools (like SGU) are "easy-ins" but only time will tell for sure what becomes of a place like SGU. perhaps one day they'll be accredited if the LCME extends its arm beyond canada and the US. I will argue that 5 or 10 years from now, SGU will be a top medical school and difficult to get in to. like anything else, henry ford (of the US) invented the automobile and the germans make mercedes. nuff' said.

1. Er, I don't know why you failed to apply the law of suply and demand (as you did for the satellite radio) to SGU. Pretty soon every respectable Caribbean school will be licensable in all 50 States and have improved images, etc. When that time comes, do you think SGU will raise the mark or lower the mark due to increased competition from other "equivalent" schools?

2. Germans make mercedes? I'm not a car buff, but I was under the impression that mercedes was an American car. Anyways, I do sort of see the connection what will all the numbering of car types instead of giving them names. What the heck is the difference between a 520i and a 510i? (I'm just making those numbers up).

 

[Leukocyte]

Dear Hopeful DO,

I am a "straight talker", and do not like to sugar coat words. I was once in your situation (3 years ago). I was very vulnerable back then (since I was getting rejected by US Medical schools and desperate to go to medical school) and I wished that people were more honest with me. However, I do understand why some people feel that they need to "over-represent" their school. When I was a MS-1, MS-2, and even through the first half of my MS-3, I, as well, was very defensive about my Carib. school. But now that I am starting my MS- 4, and learning more about things like state licensure rules and residency, life is getting more surreal, and I have become more realistic.

Well, this is my God honest opinion:

1=1
2=2
US MD=US MD
US DO=US DO
US MD/DO=US medical graduate
Caribbean MD=IMG
IMG=IMG
IMG does not equal US medical graduate

It is very important that you know that if you go to a Caribbean school, you will ALWAYS be an IMG. IMGs have different state licensure requirements, and some residency directors discriminate against IMGs. It is important that you understand the difficulties and the disadvantages of an IMG before making your final decision; I know I did not.

These are my personal recommendations:

1) Try to go to a US MD school. Any US MD school. I would sell my left and my right nut to get into Meharry or Howard.

2) Try US DO schools. Although some residency directors might discriminate against DOs, you are still a US MEDICAL GRADUATE in the eyes of the State licensing Boards.

3) Try the IMG route. Consider Israel, Europe, Australia, or the Caribbean. The only advantage I see in going Caribbean is that you do your MS-3 and MS-4 in the USA, which can be a big bonus come residency or match time.

If you go the Caribbean route, I personally recommend St. George University. NOT because they offer a better education, but because they have a better clinical program. I personally would have gone to St. George's, but the tuition is too high for me (I can only take out Stafford Loans which does not cover St. George's tuition). If you cannot afford the tuition at St. George, then I recommend Ross University. Again, not because they offer a better education, but because I think they have a better clinical program compared to the rest of the Carib. schools. AUC is also a great school. Personally, if you go the Craibbean route, I would not look outside of SGU, ROSS, and AUC. Why? Well, these were the first off-shore Carib. schools ever established (SGU=1977, Ross=1978, AUC=1979) and have graduated the most number of practicing MDs in the USA (compared to the rest of the Craib. schools). They are also "recognized" by MOST state lisencing boards as "acceptable schools" for lisencure. I say most because Texas currently does not consider any off-shore Caribbean school that caters to US students good enough to be "substantialy equivalent" to US medical schools. Ross is currently fighting this issue very hard. If Ross gets "accepted" by Texas, I am sure that St. George and AUC will follow Ross. Please keep in mind that lisencure can be a complicated issue for IMGs, and takes more than just graduating from a given school to qualify. For some states you have to make sure that you do all your rotations at ACGME sites, and some even require that you do all your rotations at affiliated clinical sites! So do your homework before hand!

Good Luck.

 

[Lotsof77]

Quoting directly from Princeton Review:

"A licensed doctor is a licensed doctor is a licensed doctor."

Hmmm, I wonder what all those 85%+ of the Caribbean medical students who make the grades, make the boards, graduate, and obtain a residency in the US do after their residency. Probably driving Taxis for a living I suppose.

 

[rokshana]

I generally agree ( I would sell Leukocyte's left and right nuts to get into Meharry or Howard too!! ), because US grad is US grad and Caribbean is not. But, (and this is a small hinderence, but if its you its not), not all allopathic FELLOWSHIPS will take a DO while they will take an IMG MD(know of a resident at a school in Va that was looking at an MFM(Maternal Fetal Medicine) fellow and couldn't qualify because of the DO degree- go figure). Now, mind you, this effects a very, very small number of applicants, but something to think about.

 

[Hopeful DO]

I appreciate the candor in your posts. I don't know why it is so hard to get honest opinions from people, but I guess it truly is rare.

I think everything you said about Caribbean school's is completely true, and your MCAT/GPA requirements are what I had in mind too.

You know what really sucks is how St. George itself puts up these numbers. Instead of telling prospective students about the wonderful facilities, faculty, student body etc, they feel it necessary to put up this MCAT numbers "front".

Also this whole IMG classification is not so bad. There are countless physicians in the U.S. who are foreign graduates from all over the world. Also the stigma that IMG's are incompetent physicians is really unfounded. There are good doctor's all over the place.

Hey I mean here's my honest opinion. If someone gets a 40 on the MCAT and goes to say Harvard medical school they are intellectualy superior. There is no doubt about that. However it is important to realize that this does not automatically make them ideal physicians. Likewise, for us Caribbean students, yes it is true our MCATS on a whole are lower than U.S. graduates, but that doesn't say anything about our potential as physicians, and the care we will offer our patients.

You know if I do get into St. George the first thing I will do is go and thank the dean or president of that school. I will thank him for allowing people who have worked hard their undergraduate years a chance to become physicians, and for not denying us the chance to reach our potential just based upon one test we take one day in our college careers. Once again, if you did great on the MCAT all the more power to you, but where does it say Great MCAT Score = Great Physician?

Well hey once again, truly appreciate the honesty

 

[tiredofwaiting]

I appreciate the candor in your posts. I don't know why it is so hard to get honest opinions from people, but I guess it truly is rare.

I think everything you said about Caribbean school's is completely true, and your MCAT/GPA requirements what I had in mind too.

You know what really sucks is how St. George itself puts up these numbers. Instead of telling prospective students about the wonderful facilities, faculty, student body etc, they feel it necessary to put up this MCAT numbers "front".

Well hey once again, truly appreciate the honesty

Hopeful,

SGU, and or any other school does not necessarily "put up" their numbers. In fact, these numbers are numerical means and /or averages. So for example, if your credentials are sub par, and they accept you, understand that they've also accepted a person with a 30 MCAT and 3.5 GPA.

 

[ssman]

IMG=IMG
IMG does not equal US medical graduate

It is very important that you know that if you go to a Caribbean school, you will ALWAYS be an IMG. IMGs have different state licensure requirements, and some residency directors discriminate against IMGs. It is important that you understand the difficulties and the disadvantages of an IMG before making your final decision; I know I did not.

So? I'll be an IMG what's the big deal. People will think your a subpar doctor?? That matters more about the way you look at your own degree and the impression you give off. I bet if you were that guy that went to sgu and invented some surgical procedure (was on one of their advertising posters) you could care less what some other cocky docs think. People can tell when a doc worries that other docs think he sucks (you can apply that to almost anything).

You speak of difficulties & disadvantages and then list only 1 real difficulty (I don't consider state licensing as one). As for directors discriminating, as an FMG:

I think it takes more guts to be an FMG. When you can stand confident against prejudice that you suck, people acknowledge that the more. You know you're going to have to compete at a level that tops most US med grads on the USMLEs, In fact I would be extra proud of my Carribb FMG at each step of the process to when I get a residency and everyone knows the system fought to down me.

 

[Jkl103]

As a student who was previously accepted to St. George (I am at Ross now), I have to say that this information is inaccurate. I strongly believe that the avarage MCAT of accepted students at St. George is between 20-24, with an avarage GPA of 3.2 - 3.4.

I would not get too worried about getting accepted to Carib. Schools. They are not US schools, you know.

Good Luck.

Why are you at Ross now if you don't mind me asking?

 

[drcrispmd]

You do realize you replied to a thread that is almost 10 years old. Hopefully they are not still at Ross.