Finally, another positive person has joined the forum. If everyone would only slightly investigate the rumors at this school, they can be quickly discarded. Everyone gets frustrated when there are administrative changes, even when the changes being made at SMU are mostly positive. I've even said some silly things on here because of how confusing it was when the dean resigned.

All I know is that I'm studying extremely hard and actually learning things. After receiving an incredible education at Texas A&M, it's quite easy for me to determine whether another program is good or bad. And SMU is a good program.

After making a personal visit to Ross and learning about the program, I congratulate every single Ross transfer student for coming here in pursuit of their dreams. Especially to D.R. who had to start all over again. That takes passion.

SMU will be fine. Being in a first world country that supports you helps alot. If it wasn't for the government and department of ag's support, the veterinary clinic might not even exist yet. Some new, outstanding professors will be joining us soon as well. Good luck everyone!

"One of ross' dirty little secrets is the incredibly high suicide rate amongst those who didn't make it there."

I'm sorry to comment about the negative, but that statement is truly disturbing and needs to be addressed. I go to SGU and couldn't be more proud of my decision to go there. I can only speak for myself and my experience thus far at SGU and want to let everyone know that it has been wonderful, between the friendships made and most of the teacher's and faculty's concern, I have made it through a lot of troubling times...

As for transferring, it is to my understanding that SGU doesn't have advanced placement because it causes more problems later on down the road for licensing, so make sure you look into that and check with the licensing board to make sure those credits will be accepted. So on that note, if it came down to transferring to SGU and starting over as opposed to staying somewhere where you are miserable and suicidal, I think the choice is obvious...

Life is all about hardwork and challenges, but how can you succeed if you're not living...don't sell yourself short and best of luck to all...

I think you might be missing the point here. I in no way was dissing SGU or their policies. I have many friends there who came from Ross and started over and they love it. Some of us, who are of advanced age, and have families to provide for, do not have the luxury of starting over. When a school like SMU came along and offered us advanced standing, we of course jumped at the opportunity. Had it not been there, those of us who are truly dedicated to finishing would surely have chosen to start over at SGU. If problems should arise when we try and get licensed, we will cross that bridge when we get to it. Having already passed the PAVE and having shown the willingness to finish our degrees will hopefully hold a bit of water with the powers that be.

When I wrote "those who didn't make it there", I meant those who had failed-out. The former rossies who chose to end their lives did not do so while still on St. Kitts. They were sent home packing, labeled failures, and saddled with huge student loan debt. When one is dismissed from Ross, there is no counseling offered, no help in getting off the island (and since your loans are canceled, you basically have no money to do so), and the administration pulls your I.D. and bans you from campus. You aren't even allowed to pick up your mail or to collect recommendation letters from professors should you have continuing at another school in mind. Basically you're treated like a criminal. THAT'S the dirty little secret, that many are treated so unfairly once they are dismissed, and feel so down about themselves and life in general, that they chose to end it. It's very sad, and kept very much under the radar by the administration.

Again, I in no way was trying to cast SGU in any sort of negative light. From what I hear, it's a fantastic program.

I, in no way, thought you were dissing SGU and I am sorry that it might have came across like that. I thought everything you wrote was extremely valid and I was just responding to how terrible I think it must have been to go through such hard times while at Ross. And I was just trying to shed some knowledge on SGU and their transfer policy, but I never thought you said anything bad about it. Congrats for you making it out of Ross and into SMU and good luck...sorry for the confusement

From what I have been told recently you pretty much would have to start over at SGU if you decided to go down there. And SMU recently created a similar rule to where you have to complete 75% of your credits at St. Matthew's. Personally, I'm really glad that we now have two caribbean veterinary schools that are on safer ground. And each school is a bit different so prospective students have more options when they are deciding on which school to attend. For example, SGU isn't on a trimester program, which is very appealing to alot of students. But I personally like the trimester program however, so that became one of the main reasons I chose to come here instead.

Either route you choose will be fine. It's the same degree. Just be happy.

[quote=calmustang;627207]
When I wrote "those who didn't make it there", I meant those who had failed-out. The former rossies who chose to end their lives did not do so while still on St. Kitts. They were sent home packing, labeled failures, and saddled with huge student loan debt. When one is dismissed from Ross, there is no counseling offered, no help in getting off the island (and since your loans are canceled, you basically have no money to do so), and the administration pulls your I.D. and bans you from campus. You aren't even allowed to pick up your mail or to collect recommendation letters from professors should you have continuing at another school in mind. Basically you're treated like a criminal. THAT'S the dirty little secret, that many are treated so unfairly once they are dismissed, and feel so down about themselves and life in general, that they chose to end it. It's very sad, and kept very much under the radar by the administration.
quote]

That is absolutely nuts...not what you are saying, just if that is true...that is rotten.

Is Ross really that terrible? How are they still in existance?

__________________
Mongo

Be good. If you can't be good, be careful. If you can't be careful...Name it after me.

Yes, unfortunately, it's true. I must say though that I did make several local friends on the island whom I will always remeber, and there are a lot of great professors at ross, from whom I learned an awful lot; as evidenced by my performance here at SMU. It's just that the school took a new direction with the new owners and the new dean, and some professors and administrators there have followed suit with his abusive pardigm. Hundreds of truly good people have made it through the program and no doubt they are/will become great vets, and surely more will do the same. It's the ones that have fallen victim to the dark side of the school that makes it all very sad indeed. Given that the school grossed over $27 million last year, it will surely continue for a long time to come. This might of course change as word gets out about the downsides of the place. As for the dean, he came from NC State, and has many connections there. This school is on our list of available universities that we can chose to attend clinics at, however, when the time comes, I will not list it as a choice as I truly fear this man and what he is capable of. If I never see either him or his minions ever again, I truly will be a happy man. The very mention of any of their names still makes me physically ill. On that note, given that this is an SMU info. thread, this will be my last addition along these lines. I'd rather focus on the positive, and Grand Cayman and SMU have truly given me hope that I will someday achieve my dream. Peace and the best of luck to all of you.

Hello:

Obviously I am in the minority here. I will not deny that the progress has been incredible; in two years the school grew from nothing into what we see today.The curriculum is set, a teaching hospital is built, and the clinical year rotations are in place. However, much of that growth was the direct result of the efforts of one person, the former dean, who is not longer at the school. (what rule did she break, by the way).

The dean was not the first nor the last person to leave, and that is the problem, I think. A new school cannot survive if faculty leave at the rate of one or 2 per term. They all seem(ed) to work very hard, even the ones that were not particularly liked, and it does not matter whether they were fired or left on their own volition. If they were fired it means that the hiring procedure was not adequate, and if they left willingly, it means that they thought there was something wrong with this place (or something better elsewhere). Something must have made the dean abandon the school she started!

Are the standards high enough? it does not really matter. We will all make the best out of our education, but I would like to know my instructors are going to be there from one term to the next.

I am sure that everything will be fine for those of already enrolled; the school has the resources to make sure of that, one way or another, but it would be misleading to say that everything is as it should. It would be nice to have some continuity and a stronger commitment, that is all.

Your thoughts are not in the minority stevie. You're just choosing to think about the wrong things. I don't want to say what rule she broke because I don't want to get in trouble with the administration. The only thing that prospective students need to know is that the professors who have "left" is not going to have an impact on their education here in any way.

This school has the same issues that other schools have, especially the newer ones. I've never met a faculty member at any university that was not frustrated with some aspect of administrative policy.

I think it's a waste of time to get caught up in issues that students have no control over. It either works or it doesn't. With the school pumping 200 million into the economy each year, I doubt the government is going to pull the plug. One of the main issues right now is developing a healthy relationship with the local veterinarians and the department of agriculture.

Every career path has its obstacles, and if you think your life will be a bed of roses by going to an AVMA accredited school then you're silly. My parents just hired a new graduate from Texas A&M and she has had very little experience in surgery. She's done about 5. And that's from a top 5 US vet school. I don't know what the hands on curriculum is like in the states, but we are already learning basic surgical techniques in first semester and I wasn't expecting that.

Does the school have problems? Yes. Doesn't every school have problems? Yes. Is SMU a viable alternative pathway to pursuing a degree in veterinary medicine? Yes. That's all that matters.