which of the 4 top schools is cheapest?

[copacetic]

which of the 4 top carribean schools (AUC, ROSS, SABA, St. George is the cheapest)? im a canadian who recently got into an american med school, but i might have to face the real possibility that im to poor to afford it since i cant get a US or canadian cosigner . so which of the 4 above is cheapest?

---

Members don't see this ad.

 

[RussianJoo]

SABA is the cheapest. but if you need loans all those schools will require a US or Canadian co-signer.
If you got into a US school do everything in your power to go there, you'll be at a huge disadvantage if you go to a carib school over a US school. Rob a bank if you have to!!! I am seriouse don't waste this oppertunity.

 

[McGillGrad]

Saba

 

[copacetic]

i know im better off going to the states, but im looking at alternatives in case i cant get the money. i have to be realistic about this. money is money, and people are holding on to theirs tight. nobody wants to cosign, and the banks certainly arent going to take my word for it that ill pay back their loan. my parents cant cover it cause my dad is disabled=no income and my mom doesnt earn much. i dont expect some miracle to happen.

 

[McGillGrad]

You might survive on the RBC line of credit but you should try to secure at least 200k to make sure you will not run out of money towards the end, or if you need more for whatever reason.

How is your credit score?

 

[McGillGrad]

Oh and btw, you are INSANE for not working harder to find funds to go to the US schools that accepted you.

Damn, if I were black, I would find the money somewhere considering your good MCAT and decent GPA.

Try the NAACP, try other black foundations, try your church, try ANYTHING.

You have at least $150k Canadian available and I find it very hard to believe that you cannot find another source for the rest of the 40-50k needed.

HOLY CRAP DUDE! You are black and have great stats!! Use that to your advantage!

As a fellow Canadian, I am not going to let you lose this chance!

Let me see what I can find about extra funding for black students.

 

[copacetic]

the problem is that as an international i am not eliglble for alot of scholarships and grants. the only realistic option for me is to get a cosigner and the people i know are unwilling or unable to do it. most of the people i know are not rich, or do not have good credit. i actually have excellent credit, and so do my parents, but the banks dont care. they pretty much want a guarantee that my parents income alone will be able to cover it. they sayd they've been burned by canadians who have gone abroad and decide they dont need to pay their loans, so their not being trusting. the bottom line is they want a cosigner with alot of personal income or some heavy collatoral. (it is 150K). i am in the process of applying to scholarships and writing letters basically begging strangers to help out, but im not going to count on any of that. i am hoping at working for the best, but i have to understand that the world isnt going to bend over for me. it is what it is, and just because i am in NEED of money doesnt mean i will get it. i have approached my chruch, and 3 other churches in fact and they are reluctant to do it. i have 2 realistic options for cosigners. one is my mentor (a cardiac EP) who i havnt approached yet (due to the fact that he has alrady done so much for me). i will approach him as a last resort. if he refuses or cant do it, then im pretty much cooked. the other possible last resort is my aunt and uncle. they have a house, but their credit sucks major. so i dont know how the bank will look at that. i remain moderatley optimistic, and ive gotten started on the process early. is till have a couple months (like 7 or so), and i really wont know for sure where i stand financialy till mid april, so in a way im just treading water aimlessly right now, but im looking at backup options like the carribean in the meantime in case things dont work out. in either case, thanks for the immensely encouraging words, and thanks for listening to my rant, lol. i havnt given up yet. i understand that failure is an option that only i can choose! lets see how the next couple months work out!

 

[dragonfly99]

Agree with above comments...I think you've got to try everything in order to go to the US school you got into.

Have you tried talking with the financial aid folks @the US med school where you were accepted, to see if they have any input r.e. what you can do to find scholarship money, etc.?

Could you find a Canadian hospital that would promise to lend you money and/or guarantee your loans in exchange for a promise to work there for 2-3 years after you are done with residency? If you know you want to go back to Canada later maybe that would be an option. I think sometimes in the past US students made deals like that with rural hospitals in need of doctors, but I'm not totally sure. If Canadian hospitals don't do that, you might inquire at the state medical societies for some of the US northern states (? Montana, Idaho, North Dakota, etc.) to see whether any hospitals do things like that.

If you can't find the financing in time to start next fall, perhaps the medical school would let you keep your acceptance but defer for a year...that way you would have more time to look for a definite source of funding. It sounds like you need a rich uncle and I'm sorry you don't have one.

 

[DocDrex1]

Saba is by far the cheapest Caribbean school. The others are very expensive! I can understand your dilemma! Many of my friends have been in the same dilemma. I know some Canadians that turned down Wayne State because of funding issues. They are still applying to medical schools two years after this!

I wouldn't go to the Caribbean though. Definitely look into more reputable schools. UK/Ireland are very expensive. Australia is cheaper. Israel is a VERY good option. Sackler medicine is ~25K USD per year tuition. Many of the students studying there chose it over American MD schools. The Israeli MD schools have great matching in the US as well. Having said that, the matching won't be as good as US medical students since you'll be studying off of US soil. Also, take into account that your a Canadian citizen (not duel citizen I'm assuming) so that will put you at a disadvantage in matching.

The main point here is, if you got into Wayne for example...if you become a family doctor after paying Wayne tuition, that wouldn't be a good investment You could've become a family doctor MUCH more cheaply by going to Sackler. If you become a radiologist from Wayne, then that would be a good investment. You won't likely get a really competitive specialty from any international school. However, some Israeli grads tend to do quite well and the Cornell Qatar grads did VERY well this past year.

 

[Saipan]

Medical schools in the Philippines are inexpensive, $5-9,000 per year for tuition. If you're looking at for a primary care residency, then this pathway may make sense.

 

[2Boh]

Medical schools in the Philippines are inexpensive, $5-9,000 per year for tuition. If you're looking at for a primary care residency, then this pathway may make sense.

wow @ what quality.
That is pretty cheap if it will not demerit ur efforts in the end . when u are treated as a 3rd class all after going thru the same trainning.

And can u confirm if u cud use financial aid over there in philiphinnes. I am in a simmilar situation. well sort offfffffffffff....

This thread explains my own case. & I wonder what others have done in similar situations.
http://forums.studentdoctor.net/showthread.php?p=7578193#post7578193

 

[NAVYLABTECH08]

Oh and btw, you are INSANE for not working harder to find funds to go to the US schools that accepted you.

Damn, if I were black, I would find the money somewhere considering your good MCAT and decent GPA.

Try the NAACP, try other black foundations, try your church, try ANYTHING.

You have at least $150k Canadian available and I find it very hard to believe that you cannot find another source for the rest of the 40-50k needed.

HOLY CRAP DUDE! You are black and have great stats!! Use that to your advantage!

As a fellow Canadian, I am not going to let you lose this chance!

Let me see what I can find about extra funding for black students.

Being black is not the point. He is Canadian, which disqualifies him from most "African American" financial support. His stats = accepted to SABA and 150K, if used right, can get him through it. good

 

[NAVYLABTECH08]

Oh and btw, you are INSANE for not working harder to find funds to go to the US schools that accepted you.

Damn, if I were black, I would find the money somewhere considering your good MCAT and decent GPA.

Try the NAACP, try other black foundations, try your church, try ANYTHING.

You have at least $150k Canadian available and I find it very hard to believe that you cannot find another source for the rest of the 40-50k needed.

HOLY CRAP DUDE! You are black and have great stats!! Use that to your advantage!

As a fellow Canadian, I am not going to let you lose this chance!

Let me see what I can find about extra funding for black students.

Being black is not the point. He is Canadian, which disqualifies him from most "African American" financial support. Also, his stats are not that great. His GPAs are both below average in regards to applicants. His stats however will = acceptanve to SABA and 150K, if used right, can get him through it. good luck

 

[McGillGrad]

Being black is not the point. He is Canadian, which disqualifies him from most "African American" financial support. Also, his stats are not that great. His GPAs are both below average in regards to applicants. His stats however will = acceptanve to SABA and 150K, if used right, can get him through it. good luck

I sense a little racism in your voice.

Besides that, Canada has more available to minorities than the US, so educate yourself before making a fool of yourself.

 

[NAVYLABTECH08]

I sense a little racism in your voice.

Besides that, Canada has more available to minorities than the US, so educate yourself before making a fool of yourself.

Racism??? huh! You can sense "racism in my voice" How, by the words that I am typing. Were you in my home last night McG when I responded and you actually heard my voice. Educate yourself on what a "voice" is and take a Giant Canadian sized chill pill. Are you accusing me of being "racist" against black people? Professor X, I am black. This is a prime example of the fact that when someone does not agree with you 100%, you get extremely defensive and become an out right ass. Coming from a real "black" perspective, you can't just sit down and a scholarship will fall in your lap because you are black. It is not as easy as you think, unless your stats are a lot better than this OPs. You are the most insecure person I have ever "chat-battled" with. Relax dude, you are almost a doctor!

 

[McGillGrad]

You should really learn to grow a thicker skin or you'll never last in medicine.

I was just joshing you about the former, but I am serious about the latter. Canada offers a huge variety of minority scholarships (and free rides) and it is important to pursue all of them before going to the Caribbean after getting accepted to the US.

Racism??? huh! You can sense "racism in my voice" How, by the words that I am typing. Were you in my home last night McG when I responded and you actually heard my voice. Educate yourself on what a "voice" is and take a Giant Canadian sized chill pill. Are you accusing me of being "racist" against black people? Professor X, I am black. This is a prime example of the fact that when someone does not agree with you 100%, you get extremely defensive and become an out right ass. Coming from a real "black" perspective, you can't just sit down and a scholarship will fall in your lap because you are black. It is not as easy as you think, unless your stats are a lot better than this OPs. You are the most insecure person I have ever "chat-battled" with. Relax dude, you are almost a doctor!

 

[copacetic]

i have seen comparatively very few scholarships/full rides offered toc canadians in canada. and believe me, i know some pretty brilliant people. at the same time, many of the scholarships are for some modest sum, and carry some sort of stipulation (i.e. must be studying nursiing or something like that). the oceans are not as bountiful as you think. at the end fo the day this is a 'cheap' country lol. i dunno, im working hard on trying to find loans/cosigners. ill keep you guys posted. im thinking of starting a blog!

 

[NAVYLABTECH08]

You should really learn to grow a thicker skin or you'll never last in medicine.

I was just joshing you about the former, but I am serious about the latter. Canada offers a huge variety of minority scholarships (and free rides) and it is important to pursue all of them before going to the Caribbean after getting accepted to the US.

You are right...I do need a thicker skin. I describe myself as that really wound up tight guy that really complains alot. Haha. Sorry I took your joke too seriously.

 

[Diane Lane]

Are you seriously considering passing up a U.S. med school for a foreign one becasue of money?
Your career will be soooo much better if you go to a US school. There will always be an "IMG" stamp on your forehead if you don't and that limits your opportunities, future opportunites, and even respect from other docs.
Sell your soul to the devil if you have to, but go to a US school NO MATTER WHAT. And BTW, SGU costs a fortune, because it is the Harvard of the Caribbean schools.
Find that money!!!!!

 

[Pghboy18]

i have seen comparatively very few scholarships/full rides offered toc canadians in canada. and believe me, i know some pretty brilliant people. at the same time, many of the scholarships are for some modest sum, and carry some sort of stipulation (i.e. must be studying nursiing or something like that). the oceans are not as bountiful as you think. at the end fo the day this is a 'cheap' country lol. i dunno, im working hard on trying to find loans/cosigners. ill keep you guys posted. im thinking of starting a blog!

I'm assuming that Canada doesn't have similar military options to those available to U.S. students?

Have you called the financial aid offices of the medical schools to which you've been accepted and asked for advice? Sometimes there are scholarships/grants out there that aren't well publicized and may be specific to those individual schools, especially for URM students.