American University of the Caribbean- Average class size: 100 in January and May terms; 200 in September.
Attrition (i.e. drop-out, transfer, etc): 13%
When I started class at AUC in January 2011, my class size was 112 students. One semester later (where most of the drop-outs, transfers occur) we are down to 107. Not bad. The starting class for September 2010 was 208 students, and I believe they are around 180 at the start of their third semester.
Saba University- Average Class Size is 80-100
Attrition: 40-50%
Saba is the smallest school of the "Big 4" but half the people who begin first semester do not make it to the end. Attrition is particularly high for this tiny school because the passing grade needed to advance is a 75%. I can't speak for the other schools, but AUC's passing grade is a 70%. Those 5 percentage points make all the difference.
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Attrition (i.e. drop-out, transfer, etc): 13%
When I started class at AUC in January 2011, my class size was 112 students. One semester later (where most of the drop-outs, transfers occur) we are down to 107. Not bad. The starting class for September 2010 was 208 students, and I believe they are around 180 at the start of their third semester.
St. George's University- Average class size 400
Attrition: 10%
The class size in St. George's is at around 400 currently per semester, however the big difference here in comparison to Ross is that the attrition rate is so much lower. About 10% or even less of the starting class ends up leaving or failing out of SGU.
Saba University- Average Class Size is 80-100
Attrition: 40-50%
Saba is the smallest school of the "Big 4" but half the people who begin first semester do not make it to the end. Attrition is particularly high for this tiny school because the passing grade needed to advance is a 75%. I can't speak for the other schools, but AUC's passing grade is a 70%. Those 5 percentage points make all the difference.
Ross University: Average class size anywhere from 400-600 students.
Attrition: 40-50%
For the Jan 2010 class at Ross, there were 600 students! 600! That's double the size of the largest medical school in the United States. And what's more alarming here is that I've read that anywhere between 40-50% of these students leave or fail out by the end of the 4 years. After looking at these stats, to me there's no question that Ross is a business first. It seems that the admissions committee preys upon people's dreams of getting an MD and proceeds to accept hundreds who have no business of becoming doctors in the first place. This isn't to take away from the other students who are meant to be there, however. All I'm saying is you have to be careful, work hard and hope you aren't one of the many that's meant to pay $10,000s only to be weeded out shortly after.
(Edit: It seems that Ross is making a concerted effort to reduce size. The May 2010 semester had around 300 incoming students.... but that may also be because it was the May term, which characteristically has the smallest class sizes.)
I have one article here about the "horrors" of Ross. To read, click here.
Let me remind everyone though that Ross is still a good school and if you work hard and pass all your classes/exams, Ross will take you where you want to go. After reading the article, go ahead and read the comments at the end of it to get a different perspective.
Of what I know of myself, I wouldn't do well in a school like Ross.
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Yeah, the class sizes was what turned me off from Ross and SGU, and the continue to increase as Ross opens new campuses (like their new campus on the Bahamas, or SGU's England campus). AUC's class size is slowly increasing, but I don't expect it to become 600 overnight. For example, my September 2009 class had 199 students. This past September 2010 class started off with 208. The current attrition rate at AUC is 13%. Good luck in the packing and I hope all is well!
ReplyDeleteHi Benji, thanks for writing and I updated the stats you just gave me, thank you very much. Three more weeks till the big move!
ReplyDeleteHello Andrea,
ReplyDeleteI have a question about my current situation. I was caught cheating in my third year of undergraduate, but since then I've brought my GPA back up to 3.4 not including my grades from a community college (because most of my pre-med courses were taken at the community college with a 3.8 GPA). I am a licensed Respiratory Therapist with 3 years of experience and I really want to become a doctor. Do you think I still have a shot at medical school in the Caribbeans? I will have my bachelor's this May and I will apply to AUC, St. George, Saba, and St. Antigua.
Try AUC or St. George, they have the lowest drop/fail rates. SABA and Antigua have real high ones, Antigua has much higher ones than SABA. Plus Antigua u have to maintain a 2.75 for financial aid, and doesn't cover anything past tuition and some housing at most (you have to pay for books, living expenses, transportation, air far and all else yourself). I highly suggest you stay away from Antigua, they have been caught doing all sorts of stuff including operating without accredation, lies about their sucesses, and mainly mistreating of students (not going to go into detail on this one, but stuff u deff want to go through), and so forth. Take the MCAT if u get solid MCAT you should be good for St. George, if not AUC is an option. If not either, try SABA (they are close to getting FAFSA) they have a higher fail rate, but they don't mistreat their students like Antigua (can't even apply for FAFSA because they aren't accredited, do not require MCAT, and have a first time pass rate far below the required 85% - the other schools have well above 85%).
DeleteHello,
DeleteIf I apply this Summer 2013, do you I think can still earn a spot at AUC or St. George for the January 2014 class? A lot of ppl have told me that my chances of getting in this fall is very slim, because the class size has probably filled up. So pretty much my choices are St. George, AUC, or Saba. I heard a lot of bad things about ROSS and from what you said, I can't trust AUA too. Can you tell me more about financial aid given by AUC, how much of aid do they give you and how much loan money did you take and expected to take to finish up medical school at AUC.
Try AUC or St. George, they have the lowest drop/fail rates. SABA and Antigua have real high ones, Antigua has much higher ones than SABA. Plus Antigua u have to maintain a 2.75 for financial aid, and doesn't cover anything past tuition and some housing at most (you have to pay for books, living expenses, transportation, air far and all else yourself). I highly suggest you stay away from Antigua, they have been caught doing all sorts of stuff including operating without accredation, lies about their sucesses, and mainly mistreating of students (not going to go into detail on this one, but stuff u deff want to go through), and so forth. Take the MCAT if u get solid MCAT you should be good for St. George, if not AUC is an option. If not either, try SABA (they are close to getting FAFSA) they have a higher fail rate, but they don't mistreat their students like Antigua (can't even apply for FAFSA because they aren't accredited, do not require MCAT, and have a first time pass rate far below the required 85% - the other schools have well above 85%).
ReplyDeleteHi Andrea, do you possibly have an email I could email a problem I'd like your advice about please?
ReplyDeletesend me your email
DeleteThe biggest thing is study habbits, no matter where you go, it's your studying that would yield you greater knowledge and understanding of the basic sciences and medicine in general.
DeleteRoss University gives the opportunity to almost anyone. And that's something that should be admired. The fact that many students fail out says more about the students than the school.
I was given an opportunity by Ross, took it with my two hands and small brain and busted my behind for hours, days, weeks, years. and today have a STEP 1 score that would practically get me anywhere I would want to go. And all thanks to Ross. (and my small brain).
What I'm trying to get across is that guys and girls going into medical school should worry less about how many people dropped out, and more about what can they do in order to succeed! and success is possible, by almost anyone, I am an example.
How do you feel about students who might get married during medical school?
ReplyDeleteAs long as your significant other realizes you are going to be working super hard for the next several years, by all means it works out fine
DeleteAttirition rate at SGU much higher than 10%. Not 10%. Almost 30%.
DeleteSGU website not true. Take lots of people at begiining and weed them out. School for profit.......make money
Hello Andrea,
ReplyDeleteThis is unrelated question, not a med student here, but I ran into your website while looking for real estate in St Martin. And it looks like you spent good amount of time there...
What do you think about the French vs the Dutch side, which one did you like?
I'd appreciate your views on this... my contact is imation09((at)) yahoo ((dot)) com
thanks! Dan
I am getting mixed understanding of how trustworthy AUA is...some say that the school has improved significantly, others say don't even touch the CMUs, and others yet say any accredited school is better than no school. What's the deal now? Is AUA reputable? I know all schools are money makers and we're desperate... but I want to direct my desperation in the right direction, you know what I mean? If AUA is a choice, is it a viable one or should I consider myself safer and better off not even considering it? Do the gains outweigh the risks...?
ReplyDeleteAUA is one of the newer caribbean schools to get federal loans and I believe is now accredited by all 50 states... with that being said however I would stick to one of the big 3 because of the hospitals/rotations they already have established relationships with will give you a better clinical experience. You may be better off reaching out to other people who have gone to AUA however as they will be able to tell you more about the school.
Deletewhy no collage show statistics of USMLE part 2 score
ReplyDeletecan anybody give comment on current class sizes and attrition rates for AUC and ROSS?\
ReplyDeleteAs of 2019: St. georges University has accepted > 1200 students for the fall semester and > 500 students for the spring semester of 2019.
ReplyDeleteThe attrition rate is 30 - 40 % because BSCE 1 is 20% of the grade in term 2 and BSCE 2 is 45% of the grade in term 5. Thus, increasing the numbers. I was told by a source in the department of students that they calculated to have 2/3 of the class to pass term 5. Currently it is not the school it onced used to be to teach medicine instead its become more for-profit.
This list needs an update of the schools in 2019.
These posts are older. Alot has change since regarding the schools listed above esp. AUA. I'm not enrolled in any, but prospective interviews. Please read on present day posts for 2020.
ReplyDelete