It sounds like you already have your mind made up about where you want her to go. The vast majority of us students (probably around 80% but that's a guesstimate) are taking out loans and will walk away with massive debt. If she was accepted to SGU, then that is where she should go. SGU is a top tier school while AUA is more of a second tier school. If the $$ difference really is that big of a deal to her, then she can go to AUA but again, the better school is SGU.

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AUA & Ross Forum Moderator

$50k is not a big difference for what you're paying for. Does she have. Look at the states at where SGU is approved and where AUA is not, if she has ANY inkling at all to practice in those states, then the choice should be obvious. Look at their match lists. Look at their infrastructure, clinical rotation sites, etc etc. $50k is nothing. I had that same logic and at times I regret it, and I went to a school comparable to SGU. As much progress as AUA is making, it's still not even in the running compared to SGU, and when you consider SGU is still not even a US school, where does that put AUA?

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what exactly is tangibly better about sgu than AUA? I'm honestly not trying to debate you, only get facts.

all 50 states approval, more clinical sites...

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Posterior Fornix!

Relaxing Lounge Forum Moderator

You can also get Federal Loans (lower interest rates) at SGU which are not available to you at AUA. AUA also has "hidden" costs that you will encounter in the future like having to arrange and pay for elective rotations on your own. Your daughter will probably have to move around a lot to complete her rotations (costly). You do not have to pay to repeat a failed course at SGU. Look into some of the additional costs that you will run into at AUA which you will not encounter at SGU.

SGU advantages:
More than enough clinical sites
All clinical spots are greenbook-very important if you want to be eligible to practice in all 50 states
Education services provide many different student support services (free)
Reputation
Modern campus
High first time Step 1 pass rate

Since this is a big investment in the future, I suggest that you visit each campus.

Sounds like sgu really "babies" you like an American college would - which I think is absolutely needed with the high stress of medical school. Am I right?

well "babying" is probably not the right word, but sgu does try to be as supportive as it can (at least in basics) and gives the most opportunities to complete clinicals in an orderly and timely manner. Sgu has some safety nets in place, but trust me, med school is hard and ultimately you have to put the effort out yourself to succeed...no school will push you along without it.

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why is auc,ross,saba out consideration in this situation?

if your daughter has a learning disability you want a school that will bend over backwards for her. i teach SGU, and AUC students along with US med students and can tell you that SGU has the best student services hands down and is the best med school in the caribbean. close behind are auc, and saba with ross starting to trail just a bit due to clinical situations

if cost is an issue you should look at saba. cheaper tuition, small class sizes, and ability to work anywhere. only thing it doesn't have vs auc, sgu, ross are stafford loans but honestly if your daughter has the grades to get into sgu then AUA does not even enter the conversation..

here is how it usually goes in carib schools:

get into sgu, ross, auc, saba all pretty much on par in the end with smaller things as determining factors. things that may cause someone to pick one over the other are cost, location, class size, knowing someone who went there or knowing someone who heard of someone whose neighbors cousins college roommate went there, availability of loan programs and gut feelings

can't get into one of the above 4 then look at mua-nevis, smu, aua. if you can't get in one of these work on your application and start from the top. if you can't get in then think about a change in careers (not for lack of wanting but maybe something is pointing to ability given the liberal admission criteria of these three) and if med school is still your goal then look at others further down

again, getting into sgu means the grades are there to get in the harvard of the caribbean and as up and coming as aua is it is not even in the same galaxy as the top 4 yet

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I see light at the end of the tunnel!!!...wait a minute its just another freakin tunnel!

Sounds similar to a stateside school from what residents and interns gossip about. I think support services are an asset of sgu and great for its students. Especially for someone like our daughter; her Adhd may be addressed better in this enivronment than at other caribbean schools.


ross and saba islands are too harsh from what I am told. AUC, never applied.