Caribbean Vet Schools

[yesseniarod_15]

Hi there, I am currently applying to some vet schools and was considering to apply to either Ross or St. George. I was hoping I could get some feedback about what pros and cons each of these schools have. I've read a few threads about this but they seem to be out of date. I have a GPA of 3.2, working as a vet assistant for about 8 months now, have done research, and have been an instructional assistant at my current university. I am really just getting to the point where looking at applications makes me incredibly nervous and makes me feel like I won't be accepted anywhere. Anyways thanks in advance for any helpful hints and tips provided.

P.S. I am new at this whole thing forum thing, just a heads up.

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[BirdsinMyHouse]

I was accepted into Ross with a 3.2 (this was in 2012, mind), and I know people who got into the school with lower cumulative GPAs than that. This is not to diminish the reputation of the school; most of the Rossies I know are or will be good veterinarians, they just had a tough time in undergrad.

Now, that being said, the cost of attendance is much higher. Tuition is very high, as is the cost of living on St. Kitt's. You have to factor in airfare, electricity on an island where prices fluctuate with the cost of diesel fuel (meaning it can be low one month and ridiculous the next), etc. Island life is very different, too. Many things we take for granted in the US/Canada/etc are not readily available, and business hours, etc, are different (example: almost nothing is open on Sundays). You do get movies a day ahead of the US! It's a beautiful place, but crime is a factor (not a HUGE one, but a factor nonetheless). You'll likely have to buy a car and then sell it for less than you bought it for when you leave. The school gives its students a lot of hands-on experience right from semester one, and the professors are very helpful. There's some unique research opportunities and really, the views on campus make it all a little easier. A little. You also graduate quicker than you would at a state school, which means (theoretically) you can get to practicing sooner.

Joke bonus: if you want a dog on St. Kitt's, go outside with a hot dog and wait 😛 Coconut retrievers everywhere!

Honestly the biggest con is the cost. You can adjust to everything else given time, but the debt will stay with you. 300k might not be scary now, but when you've got to pay it back... it is not just a number you can push to the back of your mind. If you choose Ross, don't be the person who attends the financial lectures in Intro to Vet Med and leaves depressed because the amount of debt you're in just occurred to you. Remember also that grad plus loans (which account for some of many Rossies' loan money) accrue interest while you're in school, and the government does not cover it (as it does with other loan types), so you are stacking debt on even as you're in class.

Ok, I lied, the biggest con is the giant centipedes. *shiver*

 

[DVMDream]

Remember also that grad plus loans (which account for some of many Rossies' loan money) accrue interest while you're in school, and the government does not cover it (as it does with other loan types), so you are stacking debt on even as you're in class.

The main loans that you can get for vet school accrue interest while you are in school. Since subsidized (unsubsidized? can't remember which one, but one is gone and one remains) loans have been removed as a source of loans for students (those were the ones not gaining interest while in school). I am taking out both the unsub and grad PLUS and believe me, they are both racking up the interest. Sucks big time, but just be aware it isn't only the grad PLUS loans that gain interest while you are in school.

 

[LuckySpartan]

Disclaimer: I am totally ignorant when it comes to Caribbean schools as I have no intention of applying (although sunshine and beaches would be super nice)

I heard from a respected surgeon/faculty member at a state vet school that if you intend to do a residency (which I do), and you go to a Caribbean school, your odds of matching at a institution (not necessarily private practice) are greatly decreased along with your chances of a fellowship?

If this is indeed the case, that is a HUGE con. Please share your opinions/ experiences....

 

[BirdsinMyHouse]

The main loans that you can get for vet school accrue interest while you are in school. Since subsidized (unsubsidized? can't remember which one, but one is gone and one remains) loans have been removed as a source of loans for students (those were the ones not gaining interest while in school). I am taking out both the unsub and grad PLUS and believe me, they are both racking up the interest. Sucks big time, but just be aware it isn't only the grad PLUS loans that gain interest while you are in school.

D'oh! I meant to include the unsubsidized loans in that statement 😛

As far as matching, @LuckySpartan , I think it depends. I don't know for sure, though.

 

[KCgophervet]

Remember also that grad plus loans (which account for some of many Rossies' loan money) accrue interest while you're in school, and the government does not cover it (as it does with other loan types), so you are stacking debt on even as you're in class.

D'oh! I meant to include the unsubsidized loans in that statement 😛

Right but they don't do subsidized loans for vet school. If it exists anymore at all, it's only for undergrad, so no matter where you go your loans will be accruing interest during vet school.

 

[Vet1234]

Right but they don't do subsidized loans for vet school. If it exists anymore at all, it's only for undergrad, so no matter where you go your loans will be accruing interest during vet school.

There is still the health student practioner loan (some order of those words) and that does not accrue interest while in school. Granted you have to supply parental information to get that loan and if your parents make too much money, no loan for you.

Disclaimer: I am totally ignorant when it comes to Caribbean schools as I have no intention of applying (although sunshine and beaches would be super nice)

I heard from a respected surgeon/faculty member at a state vet school that if you intend to do a residency (which I do), and you go to a Caribbean school, your odds of matching at a institution (not necessarily private practice) are greatly decreased along with your chances of a fellowship?

If this is indeed the case, that is a HUGE con. Please share your opinions/ experiences....

There is an equine surgery resident that graduated from Ross where I go to vet school. So I don't think it is frowned upon as much now if you go to a Caribbean school vs US school (especially since they are accredited). Aside from the money and debt a few other cons would be you do not get a long break like the students in the states and you go to school pretty much all year round. I don't know about anyone else, but I greatly appreciate the summer break for a multitude of reasons. Additionally, you spend around 6 semesters on the island doing the classroom work and then you have to transfer to a vet school in the US for your clinical year.

 

[yesseniarod_15]

I was accepted into Ross with a 3.2 (this was in 2012, mind), and I know people who got into the school with lower cumulative GPAs than that. This is not to diminish the reputation of the school; most of the Rossies I know are or will be good veterinarians, they just had a tough time in undergrad.

Now, that being said, the cost of attendance is much higher. Tuition is very high, as is the cost of living on St. Kitt's. You have to factor in airfare, electricity on an island where prices fluctuate with the cost of diesel fuel (meaning it can be low one month and ridiculous the next), etc. Island life is very different, too. Many things we take for granted in the US/Canada/etc are not readily available, and business hours, etc, are different (example: almost nothing is open on Sundays). You do get movies a day ahead of the US! It's a beautiful place, but crime is a factor (not a HUGE one, but a factor nonetheless). You'll likely have to buy a car and then sell it for less than you bought it for when you leave. The school gives its students a lot of hands-on experience right from semester one, and the professors are very helpful. There's some unique research opportunities and really, the views on campus make it all a little easier. A little. You also graduate quicker than you would at a state school, which means (theoretically) you can get to practicing sooner.

Joke bonus: if you want a dog on St. Kitt's, go outside with a hot dog and wait 😛 Coconut retrievers everywhere!

Honestly the biggest con is the cost. You can adjust to everything else given time, but the debt will stay with you. 300k might not be scary now, but when you've got to pay it back... it is not just a number you can push to the back of your mind. If you choose Ross, don't be the person who attends the financial lectures in Intro to Vet Med and leaves depressed because the amount of debt you're in just occurred to you. Remember also that grad plus loans (which account for some of many Rossies' loan money) accrue interest while you're in school, and the government does not cover it (as it does with other loan types), so you are stacking debt on even as you're in class.

I was accepted into Ross with a 3.2 (this was in 2012, mind), and I know people who got into the school with lower cumulative GPAs than that. This is not to diminish the reputation of the school; most of the Rossies I know are or will be good veterinarians, they just had a tough time in undergrad.

Now, that being said, the cost of attendance is much higher. Tuition is very high, as is the cost of living on St. Kitt's. You have to factor in airfare, electricity on an island where prices fluctuate with the cost of diesel fuel (meaning it can be low one month and ridiculous the next), etc. Island life is very different, too. Many things we take for granted in the US/Canada/etc are not readily available, and business hours, etc, are different (example: almost nothing is open on Sundays). You do get movies a day ahead of the US! It's a beautiful place, but crime is a factor (not a HUGE one, but a factor nonetheless). You'll likely have to buy a car and then sell it for less than you bought it for when you leave. The school gives its students a lot of hands-on experience right from semester one, and the professors are very helpful. There's some unique research opportunities and really, the views on campus make it all a little easier. A little. You also graduate quicker than you would at a state school, which means (theoretically) you can get to practicing sooner.

Joke bonus: if you want a dog on St. Kitt's, go outside with a hot dog and wait 😛 Coconut retrievers everywhere!

Honestly the biggest con is the cost. You can adjust to everything else given time, but the debt will stay with you. 300k might not be scary now, but when you've got to pay it back... it is not just a number you can push to the back of your mind. If you choose Ross, don't be the person who attends the financial lectures in Intro to Vet Med and leaves depressed because the amount of debt you're in just occurred to you. Remember also that grad plus loans (which account for some of many Rossies' loan money) accrue interest while you're in school, and the government does not cover it (as it does with other loan types), so you are stacking debt on even as you're in class.

Ok, I lied, the biggest con is the giant centipedes. *shiver*

Thanks for all the info! And if you don't mind me asking, are still currently attending vet school? 🙂

 

[yesseniarod_15]

There is still the health student practioner loan (some order of those words) and that does not accrue interest while in school. Granted you have to supply parental information to get that loan and if your parents make too much money, no loan for you.




There is an equine surgery resident that graduated from Ross where I go to vet school. So I don't think it is frowned upon as much now if you go to a Caribbean school vs US school (especially since they are accredited). Aside from the money and debt a few other cons would be you do not get a long break like the students in the states and you go to school pretty much all year round. I don't know about anyone else, but I greatly appreciate the summer break for a multitude of reasons. Additionally, you spend around 6 semesters on the island doing the classroom work and then you have to transfer to a vet school in the US for your clinical year.

Oh I did not know the breaks differed or that the clinicals would be done at another school. Are students simply transferred to vet schools that the institution is partnered with?

 

[allieh8607]

Oh I did not know the breaks differed or that the clinicals would be done at another school. Are students simply transferred to vet schools that the institution is partnered with?

You don't necessarily "transfer"...you're placed there. You learn where you go during the first few weeks of your last semester on the island. You still graduate from Ross though. But I know Ross is affiliated with quite a few US vet schools, as well as some international ones in the UK, Australia, and Canada. There are some that they don't have contracts for because some schools don't have room for Ross students and I'm sure a myriad of other reasons.

 

[Vet1234]

Oh I did not know the breaks differed or that the clinicals would be done at another school. Are students simply transferred to vet schools that the institution is partnered with?

I have no idea how it is determined where the Ross students go for their 4th year, someone who has attended Ross can give you a better idea of that.

Yes the breaks differ and are shorter. Plus Ross has students starting 3x a year. The major downside that I could see with the shortened breaks is in the summer. There are some job opportunities offered in the summer to vet students that you may not be able to participate in due to differing or shortened breaks (summer scholars comes to the top of my head).

Again someone who has actually attended Ross can you give you a better idea of what it is like.

I think you still could have shot at a school in the states a 3.2 GPA is not terrible. Poke around in the other school threads or look at what are my chances to give you a better idea of your chances.

 

[yesseniarod_15]

Thank you everyone for all the information, I really appreciate it.

 

[BirdsinMyHouse]

Thanks for all the info! And if you don't mind me asking, are still currently attending vet school? 🙂

I will be! I had to withdraw for medical reasons from Ross and chose to apply to in-state schools (for a number of reasons, the main ones being cost and wanting a fresh start). Once I got all my medical issues taken care of, I reapplied and got in to my in-state school (I retook some undergrad classes to boost my chances, too).

 

[jmo1012]

i sincerely doubt being from a caribbean school hinders someone from getting a residency spot nowadays.

a few things to note:
-ross is more expensive than SGU
-SGU gives you normal summer and winter breaks
-SGU is 6 pre-clinical semesters like normal US schools, Ross is 7
-SGU lets you pick where you want to go for clinics, not sure how ross works
-going in state is almost always the cheapest option, but going to the caribbean isn't necessarily the most expensive option anymore (although it is definitely expensive)
-some people make it through vet school at ross quicker than a normal 4 year curriculum, but theres a decent number of people that end up having to repeat a semester making that part not worth it. i also have known people that graduated in january, but didnt necessarily get a DVM job immediately because they pursued an internship, so they did other odd jobs and traveling in the interim (doesn't really make that whole life process faster then)
-i've heard good and really bad things about st. kitts (crime-wise). grenada is a safe island. dont let a jaded person persuade you otherwise, it is an absolutely lovely country with petty crime and the very rare major crime.
-you dont transfer for clinics, that implies that you became another university's student and are receiving your degree from them. you dont. you would be a caribbean student who completed their clinical training at x school
-SGU currently has clinical placements in australia, europe, and canada if you're interested in going abroad (but you can't get federal student loans to go abroad) [looks like ross now has a few international schools affiliated now too - this is new, and looks like the list is smaller]

there is some incorrect info posted on this tread so far, and it seems like you dont know very much about either program. i'd urge you to get in touch with the schools for more info and go spend some time perusing their websites. i'm a recent SGU grad and am happy to give insight (though i am extremely busy as an intern currently) and there are a few other island kids from both schools on here as well that are always happy to answer questions 🙂

the biggest thing to keep in mind is that not everyone who attends an island school is cut out to make that life change. i think someone else hinted that if you're willing to pay the money, you can eventually adjust and become happy, but i absolutely disagree. it takes a special personality to make this choice work, and i highly recommend doing a large amount of research to figure out whether or not you will be happy with making such a dramatic change.

 

[BirdsinMyHouse]

Right but they don't do subsidized loans for vet school. If it exists anymore at all, it's only for undergrad, so no matter where you go your loans will be accruing interest during vet school.

Yes. In my original post, I meant to include grad PLUS loans and unsubsidized loans as opposed to subsidized ones, which, as some of you noted, are no longer available to vet school students. They are, however, available to undergraduate students (as you said) and my intention was to mention the interest to compare to undergrad loans. I didn't phrase that bit of it well. Ooops!

i sincerely doubt being from a caribbean school hinders someone from getting a residency spot nowadays.

a few things to note:
-ross is more expensive than SGU
-SGU gives you normal summer and winter breaks
-SGU is 6 pre-clinical semesters like normal US schools, Ross is 7
-SGU lets you pick where you want to go for clinics, not sure how ross works
-going in state is almost always the cheapest option, but going to the caribbean isn't necessarily the most expensive option anymore (although it is definitely expensive)
-some people make it through vet school at ross quicker than a normal 4 year curriculum, but theres a decent number of people that end up having to repeat a semester making that part not worth it. i also have known people that graduated in january, but didnt necessarily get a DVM job immediately because they pursued an internship, so they did other odd jobs and traveling in the interim (doesn't really make that whole life process faster then)
-i've heard good and really bad things about st. kitts (crime-wise). grenada is a safe island. dont let a jaded person persuade you otherwise, it is an absolutely lovely country with petty crime and the very rare major crime.
-you dont transfer for clinics, that implies that you became another university's student and are receiving your degree from them. you dont. you would be a caribbean student who completed their clinical training at x school
-SGU currently has clinical placements in australia, europe, and canada if you're interested in going abroad (but you can't get federal student loans to go abroad) [looks like ross now has a few international schools affiliated now too - this is new, and looks like the list is smaller]

there is some incorrect info posted on this tread so far, and it seems like you dont know very much about either program. i'd urge you to get in touch with the schools for more info and go spend some time perusing their websites. i'm a recent SGU grad and am happy to give insight (though i am extremely busy as an intern currently) and there are a few other island kids from both schools on here as well that are always happy to answer questions 🙂

the biggest thing to keep in mind is that not everyone who attends an island school is cut out to make that life change. i think someone else hinted that if you're willing to pay the money, you can eventually adjust and become happy, but i absolutely disagree. it takes a special personality to make this choice work, and i highly recommend doing a large amount of research to figure out whether or not you will be happy with making such a dramatic change.

I do agree. What I meant there was this: for some, it can work. Island life is jarring at first to be sure. But for some, it works out. It is absolutely not for everyone. I did enjoy St. Kitt's while I was there, and had medical issues not made it impossible to stay, I would have finished my seven semesters there.

 

[yesseniarod_15]

i sincerely doubt being from a caribbean school hinders someone from getting a residency spot nowadays.

a few things to note:
-ross is more expensive than SGU
-SGU gives you normal summer and winter breaks
-SGU is 6 pre-clinical semesters like normal US schools, Ross is 7
-SGU lets you pick where you want to go for clinics, not sure how ross works
-going in state is almost always the cheapest option, but going to the caribbean isn't necessarily the most expensive option anymore (although it is definitely expensive)
-some people make it through vet school at ross quicker than a normal 4 year curriculum, but theres a decent number of people that end up having to repeat a semester making that part not worth it. i also have known people that graduated in january, but didnt necessarily get a DVM job immediately because they pursued an internship, so they did other odd jobs and traveling in the interim (doesn't really make that whole life process faster then)
-i've heard good and really bad things about st. kitts (crime-wise). grenada is a safe island. dont let a jaded person persuade you otherwise, it is an absolutely lovely country with petty crime and the very rare major crime.
-you dont transfer for clinics, that implies that you became another university's student and are receiving your degree from them. you dont. you would be a caribbean student who completed their clinical training at x school
-SGU currently has clinical placements in australia, europe, and canada if you're interested in going abroad (but you can't get federal student loans to go abroad) [looks like ross now has a few international schools affiliated now too - this is new, and looks like the list is smaller]

there is some incorrect info posted on this tread so far, and it seems like you dont know very much about either program. i'd urge you to get in touch with the schools for more info and go spend some time perusing their websites. i'm a recent SGU grad and am happy to give insight (though i am extremely busy as an intern currently) and there are a few other island kids from both schools on here as well that are always happy to answer questions 🙂

the biggest thing to keep in mind is that not everyone who attends an island school is cut out to make that life change. i think someone else hinted that if you're willing to pay the money, you can eventually adjust and become happy, but i absolutely disagree. it takes a special personality to make this choice work, and i highly recommend doing a large amount of research to figure out whether or not you will be happy with making such a dramatic change.

I appreciate all the advise you have provided me. I actually just got in touch with the director of enrollment and I registered for a web seminar this coming week. I just really want to be well informed and like you said making a drastic change like this isn't something everyone can do. Hopefully the web seminar goes well 🙂