Question For Ross Graduates and Students

Veterinary Science Graduate Certificate from UofI
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Jackie365

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I am currently in my Sophomore year and am looking to finish my pre-reqs and apply to vet school early without a b.s. in order to be able to pursue my goal of practicing in large animal or owning a mixed practice. I will have no debt at all from undergraduate due to scholarships. I have been investigating schools and I work for a Doctor who is a Ross graduate, and several other Doctors who spoke highly of Ross graduates. I am considering Ross as my top school, to the point that I may go even if accepted into my state school.

However, I realize that it would be approximately 50,000 dollars more in loans, and my family will not be able to help at all so my personal debt may end up being as much as 200,000 in loans. I was wondering if any Ross graduates or students could give me their views on this additional debt, and whether it was worth taking on (because of the early graduation, experience, ability to find a job) or should be avoided at all costs.

Thank you so much!
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I got into 3 state-side schools without a BS, so don't let that deter you. I'm a little confused why Ross is your top choice. I don't say this to bash on Ross at all, but it IS cheaper to go to (most) in state schools here.

Remember that you'd also be paying to travel home, which is very expensive. Living expenses are a bit pricier there, too, right? Living on the island is different than living in the states, and where you do your clinicals could be a bit of a grab bag.

And while I think you do technically finish a little earlier, you're doing just as much work as everyone else, and it's only about a semester less, right?

Ross is accredited now, so that's not the huge issue it used to be. I guess the fact that you have to leave is a bit of an issue to me-- are you going to get the same "extracurricular" learning experiences that state schools often have?

I'm not sure I see a reason to pay more to go to Ross if you have the option of an in state school. Historically it's been kind of a "last resort", but that's not really true anymore. I am still not sure I'd want to go if I had the option to stay here. Can you elaborate about why Ross is your first choice other than just knowing vets who went there?
 
breenie said:
And while I think you do technically finish a little earlier, you're doing just as much work as everyone else, and it's only about a semester less, right?
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common misconception-less time, but students actually do one semester more than US/SGU students. 7 pre-clinical instead of the more common 6 :) this extra semester costs as much though
 
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jmo1012 said:
common misconception-less time, but students actually do one semester more than US/SGU students. 7 pre-clinical instead of the more common 6 :) this extra semester costs as much though
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I thought less time = they did a summer semester sort of thing? Like I think they get off the island a little speedier, but are still doing the same amount of "school time"?

I might still be wrong though.
 
breenie said:
I thought less time = they did a summer semester sort of thing? Like I think they get off the island a little speedier, but are still doing the same amount of "school time"?

I might still be wrong though.
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its less time because they only get 7 weeks a year for breaks. its 3 semesters a year. 1st 2 years 4 months are on the island and then the next is in the US so they graduate at 3 yrs 4 months. so it doesnt take the same amount of time it takes US students, but you do add in another semester (http://www.rossu.edu/veterinary-school/academics/curriculumdescriptions.cfm)
 
Sorry it took me a bit to write back,

It seems to me that the costs for Ross would be approximately equivalent to or only a bit more than getting an out of state state side school . My in-state school would be about 40,000-50,000 less. However my gpa really isn't that high (3.35 , taking GRE this summer) , and I know it (and I feel my chances for out-of-states are non-existent) isn't as competitive so although I may get in state side it may take a couple of years , so I feel that the opportunity cost of waiting is just as expensive to go to Ross.

Also the idea of living there is extremely appealing to me. I have also lived in Japan for three years and I love to experience new things and travel (although we had the benefit of being on a military base so there were Americans and it was extremely safe.) As far as the clinics being on a 'beggars can't be choosers ' type thing, that doesn't bother me either because locations and moving to new places is something I enjoy and the clinical would be at an accredited school so it should be of good standard.

When I said I like the fact that it is shorter I don't necessarily mean I want to do less work, I just don't want to waste time during breaks (We lived in New York before and I assume the schooling is similar to their year-round school) . Although I didn't realize its not quite as short as I thought (thanks for that!)

The only things I weren't sure about were safety, and the actual quality of the education and I feel these are no longer issues after talking to the vets I mentioned earlier.

As far as the extracurricular learning experiences, I'm not sure what you mean

Thank so much for replying!
 
A 3.5 is too low to get in out of state? Haha. You need to look at the successful applicants threads from past years...

http://forums.studentdoctor.net/showthread.php?t=776924
http://forums.studentdoctor.net/showthread.php?t=689494
http://forums.studentdoctor.net/showthread.php?t=589279

Seems like you aren't giving yourself any credit. Plus, if it could save you $40-$50k (though I suspect it would actually save you more than that, all things considered) then I would definitely at least try for in state.
 
Thank you, but I have a 3.35 :( and my science gpa is probably a 3.2 or 3.1) and I haven't even taken o chem yet. Also although I have varied animal experiences it doesn't add up to massive amounts. I will look through the applicants thread though. Thank you!
 
They said 3.35 not 3.5 although I still think it is worth at least applying instate.
 
Hah. Well, anything over a 3.0 won't faze my opinion (for obvious reasons) so... my advice stands. Apply in state if it could save you some cash, and if that doesn't pan out, it's awesome that you are ready and willing to attend Ross. :)
 
At this time, with the profession in its current state, I don't think I could encourage anyone to go to an island school. The debt to income ratio is horrendous for those attending IS schools, so going OOS or out of the country seems so scary! I got into Ross, but decided against financial suicide and am applying to my IS for the 4th time. If you default on your student loans many states now have a law that will allow them to seize your license...

Vet med is my dream - I want it so bad, but I also want a life and not owe my soul to some bank or the government. I know a vet who went to his IS school and is still living at home 3 years post-grad because he can't afford rent, car payment and student loans.

I highly encourage you to crunch your numbers more before deciding on Ross as your #1 school...
 
Jamr0ckin said:
At this time, with the profession in its current state, I don't think I could encourage anyone to go to an island school. The debt to income ratio is horrendous for those attending IS schools, so going OOS or out of the country seems so scary! I got into Ross, but decided against financial suicide and am applying to my IS for the 4th time. If you default on your student loans many states now have a law that will allow them to seize your license...

Vet med is my dream - I want it so bad, but I also want a life and not owe my soul to some bank or the government. I know a vet who went to his IS school and is still living at home 3 years post-grad because he can't afford rent, car payment and student loans.

I highly encourage you to crunch your numbers more before deciding on Ross as your #1 school...
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This:thumbup:. The vet I take my critters to (who is very good) is a Ross grad. She has been out of school for 10 years, and still owes $175k. Her loan payments are around $1600/mo. :eek:

So I'm in the same boat as Jamr0ckin, and this is also round 4 for me. :xf:
 
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I will just advise you to keep your options open when applying :)

as a current caribbean student, i have to tell you that i absolutely love it here and i wouldnt change anything. not even for a smaller debt burden. who knows if i will feel the same way in 10 years; unfortunately there is no magic crystal ball. my financial situation is also slightly unique though from the average person.

i LOVE grenada and i love everything about what i'm learning while being here. being in this atmosphere is so much more than vet school. even in the 7 weeks i've been here, i can already tell that i have become more accepting, more open, more adventurous, the list goes on. it's the life experience i desperately wanted to have.

i obviously can't speak for ross/st. kitts having never been there, but i have to imagine that it is some what similar. i will say that i've heard that grenadian culture is far more accepting of SGU than the islanders of Ross students. not sure if its actually true or not, but the Grenadians are VERY friendly and accepting of the students here. i have had all around positive experiences since coming here. our crime rates are very low (and most of it seems to be contributed to students against students rather than locals to students).

i am more than happy to talk to you about my SGU experience as well as why i chose SGU over Ross if you'd like.

Best of luck!

ETA: meant to address Breenie's extracurriculars comment :) again can't speak for ross, but we definitely have quite a few clubs here. they may not be the same as what you have, but there is always variation across schools. we do things you can't do and vice versa :) for instance, our exotics club does sea turtle watches in the spring where students go out to the beaches and watch egg laying and then hatching. probably not going to happen at most US schools unless you travel substantially. some of the clubs do eco tours and hikes for wildlife (we have critters definitely not found in the US). but we don't have the shelter spay club that UPenn has (or something along those lines-sorry if i've royally screwed that one up!). this is because our 3rd year students use the island animals for surgery. the school has a program that islanders can participate that spays/neuters/vaccinates their animals for free (or pennies). bottom line is we do have clubs and activities here just like any other school, even if they aren't all the same :)
 
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I recall something about St. Kitts having quite a few small ruminants but relatively little in the way of cows and horses, so you would have limited large animal experience until you come back to the states for 4th year rotations. Not that that's like, a huge deal, but it does limit one part of extracurriculars. Also, I don't know how many research opportunities would exist? The importance of this stuff is for individuals to decide, of course.
 
twelvetigers said:
I recall something about St. Kitts having quite a few small ruminants but relatively little in the way of cows and horses, so you would have limited large animal experience until you come back to the states for 4th year rotations. Not that that's like, a huge deal, but it does limit one part of extracurriculars. Also, I don't know how many research opportunities would exist? The importance of this stuff is for individuals to decide, of course.
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SGU has cows and horses and is thinking about getting other farm animals. (although we do have an awful lot of dissection donkeys! ugh)

SGU also has A LOT of research going on. way more than i ever could have imagined. probably not all in the same capacities in the US, but i find field study stuff way more interesting (would you rather go hike the island in search of tree boas to collect data or sit in a lab and and collect data from them in cages?). we probably have a lot more than Ross because we have the med school and MPH program here too, but who knows.
 
Thank you for posting some information about SGU, quite honestly I haven't looked into it that much because of the non-accreditation. I've also heard that Grenada is unsafe, but it looks like your experience is otherwise.
 
I have heard a million more horror stories about Ross than I have SGU.

Which isn't to say I believe 100% either way, I'm just pointing that out. Might as wellreally look into all your options, right? :)
 
Jackie365 said:
Thank you for posting some information about SGU, quite honestly I haven't looked into it that much because of the non-accreditation. I've also heard that Grenada is unsafe, but it looks like your experience is otherwise.
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we are now accredited, and Grenada is very pleasant. there are more safety "features" here than at Ross because our school is bigger (safety is a HUGE deal to me).

also, Ross definitely has horses, i just saw a picture of them eating on their farm haha
 
Twelve Tigers - I'd be interested to know about the "horror stories". I'm sure, though, that every school has them.
 
Personally I've heard a lot of rape/assault "stories" but dont know anyone that has directly encountered that.

I do know people who have had trouble with theft (apartments broken into more than once.), seen men walking around carrying machetes/weapons, ran into a full grown monkey in the woods, and been followed home by random men. In general, she says the locals are not big fans of the students.
She says that she does not feel comfortable going many places alone, but overall, she is happy down there.
 
I'm so glad it is accredited! I had no idea. I will definitely look more seriously into SGU. Safety is pretty much the biggest issue, along with the how to handle the debt.
 
cowgirla said:
I do know people who have had trouble with theft (apartments broken into more than once.), seen men walking around carrying machetes/weapons, ran into a full grown monkey in the woods, and been followed home by random men. In general, she says the locals are not big fans of the students.
She says that she does not feel comfortable going many places alone, but overall, she is happy down there.
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I have been wondering how much truth are in the stories about Ross "not caring" about their students. I have heard more positive things about SGU than Ross. I think SGU has cheaper tuition as well.
 
People get all freaked out about Philly too which is largely unfounded. If you're planning on going I would try to talk to as many current students as possible and try to get stuff firsthand.
 
bunnity said:
People get all freaked out about Philly too which is largely unfounded. If you're planning on going I would try to talk to as many current students as possible and try to get stuff firsthand.
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I know SGU is great for stuff like that. I requested an information package a year ago (it was HUGE). Shortly after that, I got a call from a vet school graduate asking if I had any questions.
 
This is from a different perspective as I am the wife of a first year vet student, but I have to say I am now a big advocate of choosing the cheaper in-state option.

I was one that was really cheering for an out of state and was even interested in an island school for my husband. I really just wanted to get away from our in state location. However, we ending up choosing his in state option and now I could not be happier. During the application process I was thinking the debt didn't matter and I just wanted the four years he would be in vet school to be an adventure. I didn't realize how much the accumulation of debt would bother me. It is a little more real for us while he is in vet school as we paid some out of pocket this semester and I am paying for all our living expenses by working, but I still hear several students (especially out of state) talk about money worries. I feel so much better knowing that we at least took the least expensive road.

Also where you live is what you make of it. I was not excited to move back to a college town considering I have not been in college since 2007, but I made sure to immediately get involved in a church, make friends with my neighbors, and take advantage of any opportunity to make new friends. We moved here a little before my husband had to start classes so we could get use to the area and learn all the advantages of the new town we are living in (farmers markets, dog walking groups, pubs and shops).

Just as a spectator of a vet class only a couple months into classes, you will have enough to worry about with the work load of vet school without adding more financial stress. Maybe you should consider moving to a tropical place after you graduate. This way you will have more time to enjoy your surroundings and will be better off financially.

I would suggest to look into your in-state more. Maybe start a thread asking what people love about it. Just keep an open mind, because the debt of vet school is very real. There are also opportunities for study abroad in some vet programs. Talk to your instate school about what trips are available. That may help to satisfy your desire to travel. Obviously you don't want to be miserable for 4 years, but if you could see yourself also being happy at your in-state why not save the money.

And on another note: There is a Ross student living in our complex and going to Purdue for clinicals. He said that the people on the island are not very friendly and it's not as cool as it sounds. Granted this is just one opinion, but it did make me feel better about missing an opportunity to live there.
 
Hi If you have any specific questions about Ross, the school, classes, island, price for food down here and anything else. Just PM me. I am down here now, only my first semester but still can be a good resource.
We just had our first exam (microanatomy) yesterday! I aced it.
The school is extremely supportive and there are tons of TA sessions and
the profs are always available.
So far I think this is a great school.



Jackie365 said:
Sorry it took me a bit to write back,
so I feel that the opportunity cost of waiting is just as expensive to go to Ross.

Also the idea of living there is extremely appealing to me. I have also lived in Japan for three years and I love to experience new things and travel (although we had the benefit of being on a military base so there were Americans and it was extremely safe.) As far as the clinics being on a 'beggars can't be choosers ' type thing, that doesn't bother me either because locations and moving to new places is something I enjoy and the clinical would be at an accredited school so it should be of good standard.

The only things I weren't sure about were safety, and the actual quality of the education and I feel these are no longer issues after talking to the vets I mentioned earlier.



Thank so much for replying!
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Also, for all the extra time spent applying to IS school if you don't get in on the first try, you could have already been halfway completed with your DVM program at ROSS.
So either way you are spending money.
 
Anjabryn makes a great point. I talk to so many students who have reapplied and reapplied to their in-state school, re-taken classes, added a Master's degree, etc. and that is taking away years of their career of earning a veterinarian's salary. In most cases it is cheaper to come to SGU than go to a school outside of your own state, and not a whole lot higher than some in-state tuitions. Right now the tuition at SGU averages to be $34,815 per year. (the first three years are a little lower, the 4th year is a little higher) SGU tuition is even less than Tufts' and Upenn's in-state tuition. So if cost is the sole factor, SGU should be the first choice of students living in Massachusetts, Pennsylvania, or states w/out a vet school, or contracts with one.


anjabryn said:
Also, for all the extra time spent applying to IS school if you don't get in on the first try, you could have already been halfway completed with your DVM program at ROSS.
So either way you are spending money.
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Jeff SGU said:
Anjabryn makes a great point. I talk to so many students who have reapplied and reapplied to their in-state school, re-taken classes, added a Master's degree, etc. and that is taking away years of their career of earning a veterinarian's salary. In most cases it is cheaper to come to SGU than go to a school outside of your own state, and not a whole lot higher than some in-state tuitions. Right now the tuition at SGU averages to be $34,815 per year. (the first three years are a little lower, the 4th year is a little higher) SGU tuition is even less than Tufts' and Upenn's in-state tuition. So if cost is the sole factor, SGU should be the first choice of students living in Massachusetts, Pennsylvania, or states w/out a vet school, or contracts with one.
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Technically no, Penn's in state is 32k, and no plane tickets involved. But I get what you're saying; there's not much difference.
 
Penn's website has their tuition listed as $34,602 per year. The VMSAR book has their tuition and fees listed as $35,482 which is what I had looked at. Either way very comparable.

Please don't misunderstand me. Penn has a great program with a long history, and I wouldn't tell a student who lives in Pennsylvania who got into Penn to come to SGU instead. I was just making a point that the cost of attending SGU is not as far out of reach as people believe. SGU also gives several scholarships that can award up to 40% of tuition costs, so if cost is the only thing holding you back, you should at least apply, and apply for one of the many scholarships offered, and see what happens. You may end up saving money coming to SGU.


bunnity said:
Technically no, Penn's in state is 32k, and no plane tickets involved. But I get what you're saying; there's not much difference.
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SGU found out on September 19th that their DVM program received full accreditation by the AVMA. The accreditation is backdated to their final site visit which was in April, so the SGU students who started there four years ago and just graduated in June, are graduates of an AVMA accredited school.


cowgirla said:
SGU IS accredidated, as of a week or so ago.
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Jeff SGU said:
SGU found out on September 19th that their DVM program received full accreditation by the AVMA. The accreditation is backdated to their final site visit which was in April, so the SGU students who started there four years ago and just graduated in June, are graduates of an AVMA accredited school.
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:soexcited: I get excited every time I read it!
 
I am currently at Ross and I LOVE IT HERE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I have to say most things people say about Ross is complete and utter BS!

We have horses, lots of donkeys, and I think 80 or so cattle on the Ross Campus alone! Plus sheep and probably some goats.:D

Its an amazing program and I am so glad I am here. I am only in the vet prep class, but I am glad that I choose to come do it. I would only be more in debt after going back to retake some pre-reqs and apply more. I am old and would like to be done sooner than later.

I feel safe on this island. Unless you go looking for trouble then I think you are fine. I currently live on campus, so burglary is not an issue. Yes, people places do get broken into, but if you are smart that stuff won't happen. Most frequently its when a door is left unlocked. :laugh:

The locals are all very nice down here and I have had nothing but good experiences with them.

Island life is different than the US, but its not third world down here at all. You can find what you need just fine.

Seriously, I love ROSS! :D:D:D:D:D:D:D:D
 
I'm going to bet that students will start thinking twice about the safety of living in central London (Royal vet college) after the riots this fall.

I'm a wimp about scary cities (although I'm getting a little better), and I think that I will end up being a commuter if I go to the school in the city. I don't mind them during the daytime but I have this terrible habit of walking a few miles at 2 am if I can't sleep.... which is just plain stupid in most cities. Then again, I mostly applied to vet schools in/near big cities b/c I love theater and ethnic food (have to trim down the list somehow!). So... just think about whether it would bother you not to be able to walk outside at night alone.

Anyway, I understand the Caribbean universities may have large animals for student use, but there's no way they have the same amount of exposure as, say, Iowa or Kansas. Probably won't be a big deal for most students because you can get experience outside of the semesters, but something to think about.

On a side note... I really wish they would come up with an actual ranking system for vet schools with all of these new ones added. It's hard to tell as a pre-vet how good each of the schools are. They all meet the minimum required standards. So what? Some of them have to be better than others. Just a fact of life when you have different educational philosophies and facilities and professors.

OP: Have you looked at any of the European vet schools that are AVMA accredited? They're another option to live abroad during vet school and I personally prefer their educational system. You would be attending with the best of the locals, rather than in the Caribbean where most of the students have been rejected from their local schools (not that it will make them a better/worse vet, but just something to consider). I applied to UK & US vet schools, and it'll be tough to choose if accepted into multiple.
 
CurrySpice said:
On a side note... I really wish they would come up with an actual ranking system for vet schools with all of these new ones added. It's hard to tell as a pre-vet how good each of the schools are. They all meet the minimum required standards. So what? Some of them have to be better than others. Just a fact of life when you have different educational philosophies and facilities and professors.
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You're absolutely right that different schools have different educational philosophies/facilities/professors, but how could they possibly rank that?

I think what's better will depend entirely on the particular person, esp what their learning style is and what their career goals are. Is pbl inherently better than conventional? Is tracking inherently better than a general education? Those are things people can't really agree on at all... and I don't think it's fair to rate a school based on that kind of thing. Are schools that have more research faculty that publish high impact papers inherently better? I guess that does bring money/fame to an institution, but it doesn't necessarily trickle down to a better learning experience for the students. And as for facilities... how do you take into account schools that don't have their own teaching hospitals? How do you take into account industries/institutions in surrounding areas that provide extra resources for their students?

I guess you could try to make a case that looking at outcome would be a fair system, but I personally don't think it's a good idea. Is a better school one with a higher NAVLE pass rate? One with a lower attrition rate? One with the lowest unemployment rate in their new grads? I think criteria like these don't really help unless there's one school that is doing a piss poor job in one of them. NAVLE pass rate is so high in most schools, that the fail rate is usually due more to personal circumstances than the shortcomings of the school. Same goes for attrition rate. And the employment rate gets iffy since a majority of students in one school tends to come from similar regions, and employment issues can be more a prob of location rather than the education.

Well enough of this rambling. But I guess my point is, I don't think there's any good reason to look at school rankings as a reason to choose one school over another. Instead, I think it would serve everyone best if they could think about the criteria that are most important to them, and personally rank the schools.


Question for Ross/SGU students:
So the biggest rumor that I've heard about the Caribbean schools is that there is a high attrition rate. Could you maybe give numbers to clear that up? How many people fail out? How many people leave out of their own volition? How many people have to repeat at least one semester? How many people actually get through in one go? When I was in college and looking at vet schools (2006-2007ish), I remember the Carribean schools advertising themselves as ones that provide opportunity for students who aren't competitive enough in US schools a chance. I think the advertisements may have changed now that both Ross and SGU are accredited, but that really stood out to me at the time. I have absolutely no doubt that they provide quality education and that the students who graduate from there make wonderful vets. But It really made me wonder about those that don't make it through... Is that an unfounded concern?
 
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Minnerbelle said:
You're absolutely right that different schools have different educational philosophies/facilities/professors, but how could they possibly rank that?

I think what's better will depend entirely on the particular person, esp what their learning style is and what their career goals are. Is pbl inherently better than conventional? Is tracking inherently better than a general education? Those are things people can't really agree on at all... and I don't think it's fair to rate a school based on that kind of thing. Are schools that have more research faculty that publish high impact papers inherently better? I guess that does bring money/fame to an institution, but it doesn't necessarily trickle down to a better learning experience for the students. And as for facilities... how do you take into account schools that don't have their own teaching hospitals? How do you take into account industries/institutions in surrounding areas that provide extra resources for their students?

I guess you could try to make a case that looking at outcome would be a fair system, but I personally don't think it's a good idea. Is a better school one with a higher NAVLE pass rate? One with a lower attrition rate? One with the lowest unemployment rate in their new grads? I think criteria like these don't really help unless there's one school that is doing a piss poor job in one of them. NAVLE pass rate is so high in most schools, that the fail rate is usually due more to personal circumstances than the shortcomings of the school. Same goes for attrition rate. And the employment rate gets iffy since a majority of students in one school tends to come from similar regions, and employment issues can be more a prob of location rather than the education.

Well enough of this rambling. But I guess my point is, I don't think there's any good reason to look at school rankings as a reason to choose one school over another. Instead, I think it would serve everyone best if they could think about the criteria that are most important to them, and personally rank the schools.


Question for Ross/SGU students:
So the biggest rumor that I've heard about the Caribbean schools is that there is a high attrition rate. Could you maybe give numbers to clear that up? How many people fail out? How many people leave out of their own volition? How many people have to repeat at least one semester? How many people actually get through in one go? When I was in college and looking at vet schools (2006-2007ish), I remember the Carribean schools advertising themselves as ones that provide opportunity for students who aren't competitive enough in US schools a chance. I think the advertisements may have changed now that both Ross and SGU are accredited, but that really stood out to me at the time. I have absolutely no doubt that they provide quality education and that the students who graduate from there make wonderful vets. But It really made me wonder about those that don't make it through... Is that an unfounded concern?
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The rumor of high attritions were my biggest concern going to a caribbean school to be honest. Here's some numbers from my class (approximately, can't remember exact numbers): We started out as a class in the 80's. We had two drop out in the first week (one got accepted to another school, one decided vet school wasn't for him). In the second semester, we lost one who also decided vet school wasn't for her. We gained two from the class above us. In the second year, we lost two (both were for personal reasons), we gained two more from the class above us. In the third year, we gained one from the class above us and we lost one because of grades. We had about 10 students transfer to different schools, mostly in the first year. So all in all, we ended with about 60ish students.

I'd have to agree with the above posts that living in a foreign country during veterinary school is not for everyone. I personally loved it and I don't regret for a second going to St. George's. However, the island life is a lot different than the US life and it's not a life for everyone. It's not a decision that should be taken lightly. It's a big deal to uproot your life and family and run off to a third world country and deal with culture shock AND veterinary school.

Speaking about the crime rate, it's not bad in Grenada. It's mostly petty theft. Don't be stupid if you go there; i.e. don't walk alone at night and especially don't do it drunk. Lock your doors. Don't place valuables by windows that can be broken. I felt more safe there than I have living in some places in the Northeast. But to each their own, I guess.

All in all I miss it a lot more than I thought I would now that I'm in clinics.
 
CurrySpice said:
OP: Have you looked at any of the European vet schools that are AVMA accredited? They're another option to live abroad during vet school and I personally prefer their educational system. You would be attending with the best of the locals, rather than in the Caribbean where most of the students have been rejected from their local schools (not that it will make them a better/worse vet, but just something to consider). I applied to UK & US vet schools, and it'll be tough to choose if accepted into multiple.
Click to expand...

Hmm, not sure about the part where everyone has been rejected from state schools. I know of a guy that got into every state school he applied to that even including cornell and he still chose Ross, so no everyone is a reject down here.

I never even applied in State. But I would have been rejected. :laugh:

Anyways, so Ross maybe easier to get into, but I think it maybe harder once you are actually in school. You don't just show up and get handed your vet degree. Its a rather intense program. Some people don't make it because of grades, personal reasons, etc...

One girl came down and peaced out during orientations week. Island life was not for her. I think we lost 3 or 4 in orientation week alone. I think its nice they have the week for people to get used to things on the island. I personally don't have a problem with any of it. Is it the US, no, but DUH!! I had been to the caribbean a few times, so I knew what to expect.

Truthfully, I am on campus all the time, so you forget you are on an island unless you look out to the ocean. Its nice when you are feeling stressed to walk outside and appreciate the beauty around you. I have been to the beach once since school started.:laugh: So, life is not a beach down here. Its hard work with lots of studying.

Failing out and repeating does happen. Ross just changed it though, so you don't have to repeat the entire semester, you can just repeat the class you failed which helps out financially.

Its a big decision. I left behind my whole life to fulfill my dream, but its all worth it to me because my 28 months will go by fast and I will be back in the US in no time. :)
 
i think a fair number of students here were waitlisted or simply chose here for the experience. a lot people have advanced degrees and/or did some serious field research around the world first.

i think it goes without saying, but we work really hard too, and our courses are on par with everything else other schools do. 2015ers can compare notes with me when we're in clinics in 3 years and decide if they think it's true for themselves.

we do lose people just like every other school. we lost 2 to personal reasons and 1 never registered. we gained 1 from the class above that chose to take 1/2 1st term last semester and the other half now (she's dualing an MPH elsewhere too currently). i expect the same trend will continue as we go on, and we'll have people transfer out too.

and lastly, as jlm said, the beach is pretty much non-existent in my life. its just always a nice 85 degrees out. but i hardly ever see the sun, except if i'm going to class. the sun sets early here too (5:30ish currently) so its not like we have time after class when we finish at 5! i'm still as pale as they come and i'm almost halfway through my semester (seriously, i glow in pictures). my days are 8 hours of class, 8 hours of studying, a few hours of sleep, repeat. the weekends are no different, except its usually 16 hours of studying and maybe a break depending on whats happening in the upcoming week.
 
What about St. Matthews? Did that caribbean school drop off the face of the planet?
 
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