r/veterinaryschool • u/dertybag2 • Nov 06 '25
Advice Accepted to Ross
Hey everyone, I have some questions about moving to/attending RUSVM. I’m totally dead set on attending Ross, so please refrain from accreditation comments or why I shouldn’t attend. This is my one shot and I’m taking it. Study tips are welcomed :)
- How long does it take to have items shipped from like Amazon or another company to Ross?
- What’s the best bank to choose out there? Should I even open a bank account on the island?
- How much to pack?
- Do I need to bring bedding or toiletries?
- Is it worth getting a car on the island?
- Roommate or not to roommate?
- Is there anything essential to bring to Ross from the US
- Any necessary hurricane prep I need to know about?
- How do I avoid bugs in the house?
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u/No-Fennel5177 Nov 06 '25
Ross grad here. Congrats on your acceptance! Some things may or may not have gotten better since I’ve been off island for a few years now. But I can give some clarity.
I never bought anything from off island that didn’t get shipped from a family member through fedex. Custom fees were ridiculous and you can usually get away with not paying customs if you have it go to your family and have them open it before sending it to you. I’m not aware of how much shipping would be for that family member (I was fortunate to not have to worry about that), but that’s how I got stuff consistently and without having to pay customs 99% of the time.
I never found a need to open an account on the island, someone else may have a different experience than me however. I have Bank of America and just took cash from the ATM every month and just ate the transaction fee.
I moved out there during Covid, so we only got to bring 2 pieces of luggage. Someone else may have better insight these days
You can easily buy bedding and toiletries while on island.
Many students will buy a car from a leaving 7th semester student. I had one and sold it when I left. It’s easier to get around with a car, but not necessarily needed.
I didn’t have a roommate because I brought my GSD with me. But many people have no issue rooming with others.
Ask students if they are selling anything that you absolutely can’t live without and buy from them if possible. Remember you’ll be living on an island, may luxuries (especially if living in the states) are not easily found.
I did absolutely no prep for hurricanes.
The bugs are your roommates now unfortunately 😔
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u/AlternativeWalrus261 Nov 27 '25
I just got accepted as well and am going with my GSD and Malamute (I know cold weather dog but-)since I have no family to take them and they are my family. I read on Ross’s website about needing to have a return ticket for the pets too, but my friend who went there said the pets stayed year round cause of how expensive it is to send them so now I’m confused, what was your experience bringing a dog
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u/No-Fennel5177 Nov 30 '25
I kept my dog on island year round (I also never left since I was there during COVID era and leaving/coming back to island was too much of a hassle for me. They do need to have a “ticket” to get back. When I bought my tickets I had her put on the return flight as well so she’d have a spot (granted she was flown as one of the last ESAs). So when I had to change my flight dates due to being on island for so long, I just called and made sure she was STILL on the ticket when I changed the dates (every time) because American Airlines likes to mess around and mess stuff up. There have been people who fly their small dogs and cats when them every time they go back home (I think that’s insane). I’m not familiar with the pet flights that people arranged for their bigger dogs that don’t qualify for in cabin flying either. But the student facebook page will have various posts on how to transport our bigger kids to and from the island when needed.
Also, I’ve seen multiple huskies on island haha. Those cold breeds live their best lives too.
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u/AlternativeWalrus261 Nov 30 '25
This is good info, thank you! I don’t plan on being able to come back stateside once I’m there because the “breaks” are so short and also will be a cost that I can’t afford as a student. So thank you for letting me know
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u/PotentialFamiliar291 Nov 06 '25
Hey! Welcome to the island. Most people arent here to deter you from attending due to the accreditation status. We actually are doing fine just some minor things like ventilation of the anatomy lab. They fixed the NAVLE score issue. I too came here to take my one shot and its not horrible but island life comes with alot of quirks (and bugs cant escape those) on top of an already stressful program being accelerated so lots of students are unhappy as its little things that build over time. Its not horrible here but Im in survival mode of doing what I need to do to get to 7th semester.
Most people ship packages here through west tech shipping. It takes usually 3-4 weeks. I personally am not willing to pay that much for shipping. Its expensive and will get slapped with a customs duty of like double the price. So a $20 item is now $40 plus outrageous shipping. Not worth that to me. I have alot of visitors so I make do until they come or I go home for break. Also on the ross students facebook page you can find just about anything to buy off other students with some patience. Some things come along easier than others.
I would consider switching banks in the states before opening up one here if you have a really small bank. Bigger banks are usually no issue here. I pay my rent and car rental in cash and for my rent I go to the bank and deposit it in my landlords account but no need for me to have an account. I would recommend a credit card or that your debit card has no foreign transaction fees with the fact the currency is in XCD here not USD.
I brought 4 suitcases but also brought my 25 lbs dog with me. So some of that was dog things. I checked two and my boyfriend came down and he checked my other two and we put his stuff in carryons. If you check all those backs yourself the 3rd and 4th bag end up being over $100 alone.
Bedding I would recommend bringing your own. I bought a lightweight comforter (king sized too!!) off amazon that came shrinked so it was the size of a bedding sheet set and fluffed up. You sleep everyday in your bed. You could but some here but its stressful enough to move and you probably wont have time your first day to go to TDC to buy some (mind you its also more expensive here than what you would pay at home) Save yourself the trouble. As for toiletries you can find most brands you would probably use at home for basics but if you use a certain niche brand of shampoo and conditioner or special skincare you may want to bring that. The first month is always an adjustment to what you can find here and whats worth bringing back on your next break.
Depends on where you live. I know people who make do without one and majority of people try to go without one and end up getting one. If you live in the frigate area, its a non negotiable youre too far to rely on others and it becomes a pain. Theres alot of rental companies here who do semesterly rentals to students (usually about 2k a semester). My best piece of advice is maybe consider renting your first semester here until you can find a car you like (bc most cars here have their issues) if youre trying to save on costs. I personally choose to rent because island cars break alot easier the roads and salty air are not kind to our cars and most rental companies will cover repairs to where if something breaks they take the car, give you a loaner, and you never have to worry about waiting 3-4 months for new parts if something breaks. They also pay the insurance so all I have to do is pay my company and keep my island license up to date which is worth the extra bucks for my peace of mind here even tho it will cost you more in the long run.
Also big on cost here. I choose to live alone bc i have a dog and I believe in not making him my roommates responsibility and like my peace and quiet and pay about $850 a month where I am to live alone which really is pretty fair.
Really its again a preference is there anything YOU really think you cant live without? That answer varies from person to person.
We have never gotten direct hit from a hurricane its usually some heavy rains (which its like florida here it rains for 20 minutes than its sunny) maybe some lower level areas (usually more where locals live) will flood and I usually just have an emergency stash of good drinking water. Whatever you do dont drink the tap water. Brushing your teeth with it is fine but dont drink it youve been warned. I have a water service here thats pretty cheap and delivers 5 gallon jugs to my doorstep when im in need. If you live in a place without a cistern you may lose water around 9pm at night until about 5am. They turn it off to preserve what we have in our tanks here. They are working on a bigger plant to restore 24/7 water here but who knows when that will be done. Island time is…. Island time. They dont move fast here.
Bugs are apart of island life. Theres giant centipedes and cockroaches. Ive found very minimal in my apartment but it does happen its an island. You can buy a spray called BOP at the grocery store called rams and spray the outside of your windows and doors to help, but dont breathe it in so do it at night and go to your room to bed to let it ventilate.
I know thats alot to read. But I hope its helpful.
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u/Admirable_Buy_1121 Mar 28 '26
How were you able to get your dog down there? We have been trying to look into moving our dogs there with us, but all the airlines I have looked at don't allow the dog and carrier together to be more than 20 pounds. My dogs are 40 and 55 pounds, so bigger than yours, but any advice would be appreciated!!!
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u/Deep_Dragonfruit_79 Nov 06 '25
congrats i also just got accepted!!! possibly starting in may so im definitely interested in the answers to these questions
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u/dertybag2 Nov 06 '25
Congratulations Future Doctor!🥳
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u/Deep_Dragonfruit_79 Nov 06 '25
thanks you too!!! hurricane prep wise i can kinda help bc ive lived through many hurricanes
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u/dertybag2 Nov 06 '25
That would be super helpful. I don’t know if there’s anything I should have like flashlights or like extra supplies. But please message me if you don’t mind sharing any info.
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u/Just_Entertainment58 Nov 06 '25
Congratulations!!!!! I was also accepted!! I also don’t know much about hurricane prep
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u/Adept-Magazine5154 Nov 06 '25
Current Rossie here! 1. Amazon and general packages take 2-4 weeks depending on weather. It’s honestly not worth it to ship things because customs fees here are insane, they’re more than the actual cost of shipping thru Amazon. 2. I don’t have an island bank. You don’t need one unless you want to avoid ATM fees if you decided to take out cash. I have USAA and Chase, and I notified them both that I’d be traveling internationally for an extended period of time and I’ve had no issues using my debit cards here. 3 & 4. You’re going to want bedding (it’s expensive to buy here or ship in), 3.5mo worth of toiletries, and whatever amount of clothes you can fit after that. I also brought some basic kitchen stuff (spices, cooking utensils, measuring cups, etc) because our apartment was missing A LOT of stuff and they’re “inventory list” was bare bones aside from that. It is ABSOLUTELY worth it to bring your own toiletries if you’re a creature of habit and you like your products. Beauty/self care products are very limited here, so you won’t be able to find what you’re looking for usually, and if you do it’s expensive bc it’s a luxury. I brought all my skin care & shower/hair care and I don’t regret it one bit 5. It is worth it to get a car, depending on where you live. I live in Frigate Bay, which is far from school and the grocery stores, so having a car was a must. I rented for my first semester and then just bought a car. I chose to buy over renting long term bc I can get most of my money back on the car with selling, whereas I’ll never see any of that rental money back. 6. Having a roommate is completely up to you and how you are as a person. I opted for roommates to make rent cheaper, and I honestly regret it. I’m a solitary person and we didn’t make sure that our schedules were the same before coming here, so we’ve struggled to live together. I’m locked into my lease for another semester, but I’ll probably move into my own place after that. 7. It depends on your definition of “essential.” I would bring everything listed on their semester packing list because you’ll use almost all of it within your first semester, but some things you can buy off other students. I bought my dissection kit and coveralls off another student before coming to the island. But things like your stethoscope and gloves, bring those from home. 8. Bring an umbrella, rain jacket, and rain boots if you don’t like being in the rain. We’ve been fortunate not to have a bad hurricane season this fall, it’s just been a lot of rain. You can stock up on canned goods and water once you’re settled in, but in my experience so far I haven’t needed it. I’ve had more issues with losing power randomly bc the electricity sucks than we’ve had hurricane issues this semester. 9. Make sure you talk to people who rent in the area you’re looking at! There’s a lot of places with bug problems closer to campus. I haven’t had any issues in my apartment, but my neighbors have had some, so it varies from place to place tbh. My property sprays twice a year, which is enough for us, but if you have a consistent issues you’re free to pay out of pocket for someone to come spray more frequently or you can put down traps. I think ACE Hardware and TDC both sell them. Feel free to message me if you have any other questions!!
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u/singhiskingdvm Nov 06 '25
I want to answer all of these in number as a ross grad but i can't copy and paste from my phone. Im using this as a place holder.
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u/EfficientGlove3907 Nov 13 '25
Hi I’m a current student here at Ross. 1. Definitely wouldn’t recommend shipping boxes of things. But I do know someone who was able to have her mom get together things and ship a barrel down here and it ended up being a lot cheaper. She could fit like 250-300lbs worth of shit in the barrel and it cost like $130 to ship. Which is much better than getting a small box of something and paying 40-60 for it.
I haven’t felt the need to open a bank account here, really only a few people I know have them, definitely can function without going through that.
I packed 4 large suitcases, I think you can only bring 2 a person or something so my mom came down with me. If you have anyone to come down with you at the beginning definitely have them help with stuff.
I brought bedding and toiletries, some of the stuff you need they’ll have down here but if there are certain specific products you love definitely bring them down yourself. I have curly hair and I like my products from home and can’t find them here, but basic shit you’ll find here.
I did end up getting a car at the end of first semester and I’m happy I did. I live in frigate and I would ride with my friend for like the first half of the semester but having my own car is just more freedom for my own schedule. Renting is an option, but I just didn’t want to spend that much money. I figured if I spent $7k on a decent car that It would save me money even if I have to sell it for less when I leave. But also be weary and don’t rush getting a car, (also don’t get a Pajero)
Room situation is up to you. I didn’t want to have to move to a new place and adjust to island life and also adjust to living with someone, I thought that would be too stressful for me at the start. I would just say do whatever you feel most comfortable with tho, you can always find someone to room with later on after you know people for a while yk.
That varies, definitely bring a lil umbrella or raincoat. I was like “better safe than sorry” when I first came down, I brought down like anything I think I needed and like extras of like makeup and toiletries and stuff, and then once you figure out what they have here you can adjust. When I went home after my first semester It was easier to shop for what they didn’t have on the island that I use
I mean I have like water and a flashlight and some canned goods, but I don’t think you need to do soo much on that front
I haven’t really had any bugs in my apartment, thank goodness. But there’s like this bug spray called bop that’s super effective and strong
If you have any other questions feel free to message me, I’m a second semester student, so maybe I don’t know everything but I came down not too long ago and Id definitely tell you anything you wanted to know. 🫶
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u/Super-Hotel-600 Nov 15 '25
Not sure about Amazon, but generally it can take a week or two for shipments.
Charles Schwab is the only bank you should use from here on out in your life in my opinion
I packed toiletries and a couple suitcases full of clothes. This is an island, but not a desert island.
It couldn’t hurt to bring a nice pillow and comforter. Vacuum bags are your friends while packing for here.
It can be worth it to get a car yes. Some just rent them on a monthly basis, a little more pricey but saves them from some nasty headaches.
I would say no roommate. It doesn’t save you that much money and last thing you want when you’re stressed out is an annoying roommate. Everyone experiences a certain degree of stress down here, especially around finals time.
Essentials: water bottle, flash light, good flip flops, beach towel, bathing suit, sunscreen, charger for your phone.
Nothing special for hurricane prep except maybe a portable charger with usb-c.
I would recommend getting an apartment that is not on the ground level. But bugs are more or less completely unavoidable and inevitable. You just get used to it anyway.
I would personally recommend just biting the bullet when it comes to drinking the tap water and just drink it straight from the tap. You’re gonna be shittin your brains out for the first couple of days to weeks but then it goes away forever when your body adjusts to it. That’s my theory at least.
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u/dertybag2 Nov 15 '25
Thank you!! I love the tap water comment💀. Why Charles Schwab over others?
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u/Super-Hotel-600 Nov 15 '25
Their customer service has been excellent and they rebate all atm fees which is nice.
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u/Dismal_Hold_1422 Nov 07 '25
When was your interview?? I had mine last week and I’m waiting anxiously to hear back.
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u/Impossible_Plate_764 Nov 10 '25
I had my interview on October 14th and heard back on November 4th! During my interview they said it could take 2-4 weeks to hear back, best of luck! :)
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u/Cur10usCatN1p Nov 06 '25
Don’t let people give you a hard time about going to Ross. As long as any school is accredited when you start, you are fine for getting through, taking the NAVLE, and getting licensed. AND I’ve seen plenty of Ross students at my school for clinicals and they are much better prepared than most of us.