Advantages of SABA over SGU/Ross?

[navevan]

Just curious what you all thought. I am contemplating applying to caribbean schools, but am weary because of the problems I have heard about getting back into Canada and because I would have to leave my wife for 2+ years. But I would like to at least make the right decision in regards to the school I attend. Thanks for any info you can provide.

[SunDevilDoc]

I never completed my appy to Ross. However, I was accepted at both AUC and SGU and chose Saba for the following reasons:

Estimated cost of attendance
AUC: $231k (per fin aid packet)
SGU: $265k (per fin aid packet and speakiing with fin aid rep)
Saba: $150k (we have no Stafford loans available, but the costs are so much lower that it offsets for me)

Class size per semester
AUC: 300-350
SGU: 350
Saba: 60ish

I look at Saba's match lists and I'm happy with the selection of residencies that Saba grads are getting. One argument in favor of going to Ross is that it would be MUCH easier to get a Texas license. However, that doesn't sound like an issue for you.

Honestly, I had withheld my app to Saba because they didn't have California approval at the time. Once they got it, it made my decision a lot easier. SGU has such a great set of clinical rotation sites that I would love to have. However, at least I know that with Saba, I can have ALL U.S. clinicals WITHOUT a gap in them, unlike some other schools. You'd need to talk to AUC students that have already completed clinicals to get an idea if they had gaps in rotations or had to go to the UK/Ireland for some of the clinicals.

I'm only a little into first semester here at Saba, but I'm glad I chose it. Maybe get back to me in a couple of years. :D

[kavoisier]

I was just wondering is there any specific reason that AUC, ROSS, and SGU are all eligible for stafford loans, while saba isnt? And how much would we be paying more by getting the TERI loans, etc rather than the stafford loans.

Thanks.

[rdecastro]

I was just wondering is there any specific reason that AUC, ROSS, and SGU are all eligible for stafford loans, while saba isnt? And how much would we be paying more by getting the TERI loans, etc rather than the stafford loans.

Thanks.

The regulations governing Stafford loans were changed, and the other schools were grandfathered - this was before Saba was around, IIRC.

[medschool22]

Class size per semester
AUC: 300-350
SGU: 350
Saba: 60ish


Was looking through some threads, thought I'd correct this.

AUC class size per semester is no where near 300-350. I have no idea where you got that from (maybe you confused AUC with Ross?)

[aspiringmedstudent]

I can tell you why I chose Saba over SGU, Ross, and AUC. (I was accepted to SGU and AUC and probably would have for Ross had I went to the interview)

Saba is cheaper. That was main reason. Almost $100,000 cheaper than SGU in fact. I just don't want to owe that much money. Also, I liked the smaller class size. I went from a very small undergrad program to a large masters program and didn't like the transition at all. I feel with a smaller class size, it's more close knit, and I like that. It is also my opinion that Saba will get me where I want to go for residency as well as SGU and Ross.

One thing that appealed to me about Ross was that it's easier to get a license in the state of TX. I'm from TX - but I am not positive I want to settle down here. There ARE options (from what I can tell) that will allow you to be licensed in TX, so I will follow those just to be safe in case I do want to come back here. Other than that, I don't think it has much going for it in comparison to SGU. The island life is supposedly a bit crap too. (But that's just what I have heard from people)

AUC? Was very appealing to me because it's on St. Maarten. The island there is by far the best of the Caribbean medical schools. But along with that - you get a more expensive price of living. I did not like the fact that they don't do interviews before admission. I am not sure that means anything about the quality of the school, but it was a negative aspect for me, for sure. It's also a bit more expensive than Saba. And St. Maarten is only a boat ride away so it's easty to visit from Saba!

So in summary, Saba:
the cheapest of the Big 4
small class size
nice location
good residencies

Good luck with your decision! :)

[amyames]

I chose Saba for many of the same reasons as the other posters...my main reasons, however, were the small class size and the California approval.....

The only way to truly know which school is the best for you is to actually visit the school. I know visiting the schools gets expensive, but as people have said time and again, would you buy a car without test driving it first? So why would you base your entire career on some school you read on the internet? Going the carib route is more accepted these days, but there are still a lot of prejudices out there, so do your homework, and get the best education that fits your needs.... and as I said, the best way to find that out is to visit each school..

[Locuscoeruleus22]

Why people make such a big deal about class size? Professors have those things called office hours. I went to a school that had approx. 23k undergrad students. Class size never stopped me from learning anything. You're in an island for crying out loud. It shouldn't be hard to meet with your prof. In my opinion class size is not a big issue. Price yes maybe an issue for alot people specially those married with children. But the reality is that once you're practicing you'll pay it off. It might take a few years but you'll pay it off. You education is the most safe investiment, no one can ever take it away from you. You might buy a $400k house and loose it, but your MD degree is yours for life and so should your license if you behave yourslef :-)
There is obviously a reason why Ross and SGU costs more (e.g. better known, more clinical sites) those things matter because PD will be familiar with the caliber of students these schools produce.

[rdecastro]

Why people make such a big deal about class size? Professors have those things called office hours. I went to a school that had approx. 23k undergrad students. Class size never stopped me from learning anything. You're in an island for crying out loud. It shouldn't be hard to meet with your prof. In my opinion class size is not a big issue. Price yes maybe an issue for alot people specially those married with children. But the reality is that once you're practicing you'll pay it off. It might take a few years but you'll pay it off. You education is the most safe investiment, no one can ever take it away from you. You might buy a $400k house and loose it, but your MD degree is yours for life and so should your license if you behave yourslef :-)
There is obviously a reason why Ross and SGU costs more (e.g. better known, more clinical sites) those things matter because PD will be familiar with the caliber of students these schools produce.

Its all about anatomy lab. If you're in a lab where you have 'teams' that switch off on alternate days, you're limited in the amount of time you can spend on the cadavers....And that makes it much harder to get through the class. This is reflected in (say) Ross' first semester fail rates.

And as far as paying off debts, the difference between an education at Saba or Ross is easily the cost of a house...or more, when interest debt is included. So, you can continue to live like a student for another 5-10 years after residency, or go into more debt and be willing to accept less desireable offers (got to pay those loans back, after all) after residency.

[Strength&Honor]

Mine is undoubtedly the worst reason for choosing Saba over Ross/SGU (and I need to make this decision very soon), but I sort of prefer Saba simply because it's *less* well-known. Can anyone relate?

Mentioning Ross, SGU, Dominica, or Grenada immediately brings up images of DeVry, US military invasion, 3rd-world, diploma mills, etc. in the minds of many. Simply because of all the press these 2 schools have attracted. e.g., the Forbes 2001 article about Ross, the military invasion, the SGU "transfer" T-shirts (funny, but not so funny). I think their size just invites all of this attention. And will continue to do so as they (or at least Ross) expand at exponential rates.

But I think telling patients you attended Saba in the Netherlands-Antilles brings images of "Really? Where's that? Never heard of it." Sounds like it could be a legitimate international training experience.

And this garbage about a large alumni network being of any use? I'm not buying it. Do you honestly think any program is going to prefer a Ross grad over a Saba grad? Anyone making hiring decisions (assuming they are accepting/considering IMG apps) will necessarily be "in the know" and will be well aware that 4 schools in the caribbean are legit; and that the others aren't.

Even if the person doing the hiring is a Ross grad, I seriously doubt they'd prefer to hire a Ross grad over a Saba grad. They'd probably just go with the higher board scores or other CV info. A Ross grad would certainly be aware that many choose Saba over Ross. And reading many of the posts on the Ross forum makes me realize that a lot of the Ross grads aren't particularly fond of their alma mater.

Maybe I'm the only one thinking this way, but this is why I'm leaning heavily toward Saba. The small class size; the much lower tuition; etc. -- very nice, and all gravy on top.

[stephew]

saba is a perfectly good school. but choosing a school because it is "less well know" is a lousy approach. you want a school where program directors are comfortable with the name particuarly being offshore. you need to think from a functional standpoint. You do NOT want a PD saying "school x?? Where the hell is that? Ive heard of St. Elsewhere on the Island of Gorgeousness..what was wrong that he couldnt go there??" Don't take this as a comment on saba, but only a point in your rationale.

[Strength&Honor]

You do NOT want a PD saying "school x?? Where the hell is that?"
That's my point. There are only 4 legit caribbean schools. Any PD who has taken, or is seriously considering, a carib grad knows that. It's not as if the PD's fell into their positions directly off the turnip truck. PD's are at the top of their game. They know which programs are the strongest and weakest in their field; they know which PD's from the other programs are the best and the worst; and they know everything in between. That's why they're PD's. You think they suddenly become stumped and are unable to decipher the complex "big 4 Caribbean puzzle?"

Let's say, for example, that the PD of radonc at Harvard was considering 2 carib grads for an attending position at his program. Do you think that if those 2 carib grads finished the same radonc residency at Hopkins and applied to his program he'd start nodding to himself, "Yes, SGU, a fine offshore program that I've had lots of personal experience with. Why, just last night that they were featured on National Geographic's US Invasion Anniversary Program. But Saba? No, no definitely not. I've haven't seen them on TV at all. Haven't even seen any novelty t-shirts mocking the school."

I think this is what goes down so hard with SGU/Ross grads. They want to justify all the extra cash they've spent; and they want to try to find some sort of possible excuse for outrageously large classes. I can't blame them. But the sad truth is that they've just padded the pockets of the DeVry & SGU execs.

[gianefiasco]

That's my point. There are only 4 legit caribbean schools. Any PD who has taken, or is seriously considering, a carib grad knows that. It's not as if the PD's fell into their positions directly off the turnip truck. PD's are at the top of their game. They know which programs are the strongest and weakest in their field; they know which PD's from the other programs are the best and the worst; and they know everything in between. That's why they're PD's. You think they suddenly become stumped and are unable to decipher the complex "big 4 Caribbean puzzle?"

Let's say, for example, that the PD of radonc at Harvard was considering 2 carib grads for an attending position at his program. Do you think that if those 2 carib grads finished the same radonc residency at Hopkins and applied to his program he'd start nodding to himself, "Yes, SGU, a fine offshore program that I've had lots of personal experience with. Why, just last night that they were featured on National Geographic's US Invasion Anniversary Program. But Saba? No, no definitely not. I've haven't seen them on TV at all. Haven't even seen any novelty t-shirts mocking the school."

I think this is what goes down so hard with SGU/Ross grads. They want to justify all the extra cash they've spent; and they want to try to find some sort of possible excuse for outrageously large classes. I can't blame them. But the sad truth is that they've just padded the pockets of the DeVry & SGU execs.

hehe nice writing