Hey guys,

I just started in May across the pond at AUC. I'm from Orillia, Ontario.

I was wondering how your initial experiences have been so far at Saba, as Canadians. AUC just implemented a huge tuition fee hike that made me poop my pants a little bit. It made me realize that it's probably not a bad idea to consider my other options outside of this school.

So, any judgments, thoughts, comments?

Kataryn,

I was in a tricky position some time ago and wanted to share with you my experience.

I was accepted to AUC and sent in my deposit and started to prepare for life in SXM by buying things from students on the island before arriving, booked my plane ticket and so on. The more I looked into the way loans in Canda work the more I realized that maybe my gig at AUC would not happen.

Canadians are in a totally different boat from our U.S. colleauges as far as funding goes. Unless you have at least $100,000 in your own pocket to shell out in case fiancial plans do not go as planned, I'd rethink starting med school at any of the $250,000+ med schools.

Basically we as Canadians are alotted a guaranteed limit of $150,000 for our professional school education, and any monies above that limit the bank may not necessarily give. American students, on the contrary, from what I understand can secure $250,000 at least. If that figure is inaccurate feel free to correct me.

This is a point that many Canadians choose to ignore when starting med school due to over-excitement of starting medical education and what not.

Please research the way loans work in Canada before signing up to any of the $250,000+ medical schools. You may be left hanging with depleted funds 3 years into your studies, but once the bank has got your signature they basically got your bullocks and there will be nothing you can do. I've seen a good number of Canadian students in very bad situations because of this.

So I decided not to go to AUC and accepted an offer to come to Saba instead, which I am most thankful Saba gave me.

IMHO, unless you got that extra $100,000 stashed under your mattress, Saba is the best international med education option that there is out there as far as Canadians are concerned.

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York University - B.Sc. (Hons.)
Saba University - M.D.