Any successful transfers to Cornell from Caribbean Schools?

[vetmed1159]

So I applied to a bunch of schools, but there was a huge fiasco with my international transcripts which never reached on time (it’s been 8 months and WES still hasn’t sent them), hence my application was incomplete and all my top choices never even went through my application because it was technically incomplete and I was basically rejected. I did however get into a Caribbean school, and after weighing all my options I have decided to go (cost of Tution isn’t a factor for me since I’m anyway international and they all cost the same for me, and I eventually want to return to my home country as well) However, my heart is still set on Cornell. I mean sure Cornell is one of the best, and if I’m spending that much money to study abroad, I want to go to the best place, but more than that it’s their method of teaching that attracts me so much. I truly feel I would thrive in an environment like that. I want to apply to transfer, but don’t know if there have been any Caribbean to Cornell successful transfers. Has anyone experienced this or know anyone who has? Any help would be greatly appreciated!

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[Nigripes]

Honestly, going to the "best school" will not make you a better vet upon graduation. Please understand that the "best vet school" is a product or good PR and marketing. The work you put in during school, the work to find opportunities to support your learning and understanding that the work continues after graduation is one of several aspects of being a good vet. I am not dismissing Cornell as a choice, but please realise that an AVMA accredited Caribbean school has the same curriculum requirements as every other AVMA accredited school. To transfer from any other AVMA school requires contacting the school after you are already in vet school. If Cornell does accept transfer, you will likely have to repeat a year. This means if you transfer at the end of a second year, they may ask you to repeat their second year. This is what most schools do for transfers. Yes all the schools have the same requirements, but they all teach them a bit differently in a different order. Contact Cornell Veterinary school admissions directly and ask them about the requirements for transfer.

 

[JaynaAli]

If there’s truly such a stigma against Caribbean schools in your country then I wouldn’t go? I’d out a year, get those transcripts in order for next year and reapply to the schools you actually want to go to. If you were able to transfer you’ll probably have to repeat a year anyway and you’ll add on a year of costs. I know you said cost wasn’t a concern but why pay for an extra year when you don’t have to. Also, Transferring isn’t a guarantee. There has to be an opening at your target school, you have to be competitive (the couple people that transferred into my class back in 2011 were pretty much straight A students which is harder to do than you’d expect), and the school has to be willing to accept you. What happens if you don’t have the grades to transfer anywhere or if there’s no open positions for transfers? Are you okay with staying Caribbean all four (or three or whatever) years? I would only go to a school if you’re okay with receiving a degree from that school. Going in with the expectation of transferring somewhere else could set you up for disappointment…it’s the exception not the rule.

 

[battie]

And while money may not be a problem *now*, it can certainly be a problem *later*. 4 years is a lot of time for something bad to happen where money suddenly matters a lot. Just ask every person who lost their life savings from the Enron scandal through no fault of their own. This applies also to post-graduation as well (if you were to have loans). I would not be able to afford to live where I do without my husband's financial contribution (and I make 3.5x what he does).

 

[vetmed1159]

Hi everyone! Thank you so much for your guidance! Extremely valid points, some of which I had thought of earlier, some which I hadn’t. I did think about all of these things extensively before I decided to accept my offer at the Caribbean school (the pros definitely outweighed the cons, and it’s AVMA accredited so at the end of the day it is a great school). I’m not going there with the idea of transferring, I’d be very happy to graduate from there as well! Just that a transfer would make my life a whole lot easier, and I’m just trying to research my options and figure out if it’s possible at all, that’s why just looking for some guidance from people who have made the shift! I did directly contact the school but only got the regular response and was looking for more personal insights. I do agree that a transfer isn’t the easiest thing (even financially, regardless of whether I can afford it or not) but I just want to have all my options open! There are some other factors involved that are more personal and not really in my control, but yes they do favor my transfer. But thank you to everyone!!