AUC vs Rest of the Big 4 - Page 3

nshams · #21 (**permalink**) 04-16-2008, 11:02 PM

SGU seems to have more matches into residency @ top programs - they've had people match @ John's Hopkins (IM/Peds); Ross has had people match into Radiology @ Yale; (I'm not sure what big-name programs AUC has people match into but I do know someone from AUC matched into neurosurgery (which I believe is helluva hard thing to pull off even as US grad) - I'm sure SGU & Ross have had Neurosurgery matches too).

So essentially, go ahead & pick your poison (although SGU is a little bit harder on your budget). Anyone of the 3 will give you all 50 states & Fed loans & the same label of "IMG"

...

slevit1 · #22 (**permalink**) 04-16-2008, 11:12 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by nshams

SGU seems to have more matches into residency @ top programs - they've had people match @ John's Hopkins (IM/Peds); Ross has had people match into Radiology @ Yale; (I'm not sure what big-name programs AUC has people match into but I do know someone from AUC matched into neurosurgery (which I believe is helluva hard thing to pull off even as US grad) - I'm sure SGU & Ross have had Neurosurgery matches too).

So essentially, go ahead & pick your poison (although SGU is a little bit harder on your budget). Anyone of the 3 will give you all 50 states & Fed loans & the same label of "IMG"

...

They only seem to have more because they have over twice the number of students per class. AUC has had ortho surgery at mayo, dermatology, neurosurgery, etc....

MDPWR · #23 (**permalink**) 04-16-2008, 11:18 PM

Hey,

I'm sure Both both AUC vs Saba are good schools.

I don't understand one point, so it's bad that Saba don't have Fafsa, but again AUC has it and it also cost around 5-6 k more than Saba.

If you have more loans thru fed aid with lower interest in comparison to Saba, where you will have less loans with a private loan company with a little higher interest in the end you end up paying the same amount or may be even less amount at Saba.

I appreciate your experienced opinion on how exactly you decided it's better to go to AUC because of Fed loans.

Sincerely,

MDPWR.

Quote:

Originally Posted by slevit1

this has been discussed many many many times, please run a search!

I would not put SGU above AUC for many reasons (I'd put them about equal). First, the residency matches (all that really matters in the end) are about dead even for the two schools. SGU does have supposedly guaranteed exclusive clinical arrangements with NY hospitals, but they have yet to start rotating through all of them and I have already heard that there could be problems with some of them. Right now though, neither AUC or SGU have any clinical problems (rumors, but no problems). SGU does have more graduates, largely as a product of their enormous classes, but that may or may not help come residency time, and it is also dependent on where in the country you'd like to practice (some places are better represented by SGU students, some by AUC).

Here are the things that turned me off to other schools, and made my decision to attend AUC:

Saba - No federal loans (this is big), very small island
Ross - HUGE class sizes, lots of clinical problems, bad island
SGU - HUGE class sizes, bad island, no Baltimore clinical sites, much more expensive

My rank would be AUC > SGU > Ross > Saba
Some people would argue AUC > SGU, but for me, it is.

BrendaB_MD · #24 (**permalink**) 04-16-2008, 11:23 PM

It is almost pointless to make match comparisons. The data are incomplete and unreliable. To determine a school effect, you would need to control for the rate at which people apply for each speciality at each school as well as their USMLE scores. You might get a very rough indication by comparing a broad measure such as percentage of matches to competitive vs noncompetitive fields -- but that would still be subject to the criticisms I mentioned above. It is absolutely meaningless to compare schools based on infrequent events such as the placement rates to highly competitive residencies such as ortho, derm, etc. -- its kind of like comparing places based on chances of being struck by lightning.

Quote:

Originally Posted by nshams

SGU seems to have more matches into residency @ top programs - they've had people match @ John's Hopkins (IM/Peds); Ross has had people match into Radiology @ Yale; (I'm not sure what big-name programs AUC has people match into but I do know someone from AUC matched into neurosurgery (which I believe is helluva hard thing to pull off even as US grad) - I'm sure SGU & Ross have had Neurosurgery matches too).

So essentially, go ahead & pick your poison (although SGU is a little bit harder on your budget). Anyone of the 3 will give you all 50 states & Fed loans & the same label of "IMG"

...

rokshana · #25 (**permalink**) 04-16-2008, 11:38 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MDPWR

Hey,

I don't understand one point, so it's bad that Saba don't have Fafsa, but again AUC has it and it also cost around 5-6 k more than Saba.

If you have more loans thru fed aid with lower interest in comparison to Saba, where you will have less loans with a private loan company with a little higher interest in the end you end up paying the same amount or may be even less amount at Saba.

I appreciate your experienced opinion on how exactly you decided it's better to go to AUC because of Fed loans.

Sincerely,

MDPWR.

normally i would not advocate money being a big deciding factor- we are all going to be in debt, so better to pick the place you will best suceed at...

but right now, there is a huge private loan issue and the fact that they are not lending (or its very difficult to get) to off shore students (go check out the smu and saba fora about this).

sure AUC cost more than saba, but if you can't get the little money that saba cost in loans, you are not going to be able to go there.

and even if they DO get everything straightened out, who is to say there won't be another crisis? With the federal loans (unless of course they pull them from the caribbean schools- which was a fear last year) you are at least secure in the knowledge you will somehow get the money from school.

StudentGirl · #26 (**permalink**) 04-17-2008, 12:23 AM

What are the things that make an island better than another island?

rokshana · #27 (**permalink**) 04-17-2008, 12:32 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by StudentGirl

What are the things that make an island better than another island?

well that depends on you and what you need to be comfortable....

if you need fast food of every type and the thought of living outside of the US is scaring you, then SXM and the caymans probably has the least culture shock (there WILL be culture shock, its just a little less!).

if you are fine with having some creature comforts of home, but can adjust to not having everything all the time, then islands like grenada, and saba (close enough to sxm so you can get your fix) are adjustable.

if you are more adventurous and more grounded with nature, then an island like Dominica is fine for you (this i'm going from Rossie stories- i've been to the other islands, but not dominica- but its not the eco-tourism island for nothing!).

in general the more developed islands have cheaper airfares to/from the US and therefore more of US influence.

StudentGirl · #28 (**permalink**) 04-17-2008, 12:36 AM

thanks!!

MDPWR · #29 (**permalink**) 04-17-2008, 12:41 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by rokshana

normally i would not advocate money being a big deciding factor- we are all going to be in debt, so better to pick the place you will best suceed at...

but right now, there is a huge private loan issue and the fact that they are not lending (or its very difficult to get) to off shore students (go check out the smu and saba fora about this).

sure AUC cost more than saba, but if you can't get the little money that saba cost in loans, you are not going to be able to go there.

and even if they DO get everything straightened out, who is to say there won't be another crisis? With the federal loans (unless of course they pull them from the caribbean schools- which was a fear last year) you are at least secure in the knowledge you will somehow get the money from school.

What about private personal student loans, these can be taken out before leaving for the Caribbean?

What do you think about this option?

Many thanks.

Scott1981 · #30 (**permalink**) 04-17-2008, 06:37 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by nshams

SGU seems to have more matches into residency @ top programs - they've had people match @ John's Hopkins (IM/Peds); Ross has had people match into Radiology @ Yale; (I'm not sure what big-name programs AUC has people match into but I do know someone from AUC matched into neurosurgery (which I believe is helluva hard thing to pull off even as US grad) - I'm sure SGU & Ross have had Neurosurgery matches too).

So essentially, go ahead & pick your poison (although SGU is a little bit harder on your budget). Anyone of the 3 will give you all 50 states & Fed loans & the same label of "IMG"

...

somebody already posted what i was gonna say.

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