University of the Virgin Islands

Steff,

I attended and graduated from UVI. What is your major? Are you starting as a Freshman or transfering? Any specific questions besides what you asked - I will answer once I know your major.

--Islander

Hello,

I just got accepted (as a transfer student, I'll be entering my third year of undergrad) to the nursing program at USVI in the spring. Being from Washington state, everyone thinks I'm a little crazy. I chose it for the diversity, way of life, and hopefully they can teach me something about tropical medicine? However, I've never talked to anyone that went there or visited myself, so if you could give me some pro's and con's or just some information about campus activities, the typical student, academics, etc. I'd really appreciate it. Thanks!

~ Eva

Hello Eva,

I think one of the biggest pros is the small class size. Your professors get to know you, you can ask them question whenever, they are avialable for assistance, e-mails, calls, office time... whatever. I thought that was great.

I also liked walking down to the beach to read and study - LOL! Brewers Bay is right there.

The nursing program is good, one of their strongest programs, after marine biology other sciences. They have a program with the hospital so that nursing students work there for experience while going to school - not sure if thats in the junior or senior year.

Cons for transfer students - I have seen many many of them get caught up in the party scene and the adventure of it all and lose their purpose; failing or dropping out... UVI is not a party school by any means, however the environment of the islands lends to a relaxed, laid back atmosphere not necessary condusive to studying.

Campus activites: there aren't as many as a typical large US school.... no large football games, ralleys... basketball games yes and other sports but just not as big and not as much fanfare. There is student government associations, french club, honor society or honor groups for various majors, science club... there are plays to join if you like put on by the theatre, music is fairly big - and there is choir, steel pan, orchastra..., computer club is there too.

Typical student - there are quite a number of students from other islands, many local students for St. Thomas as well, usually about 50 or so transfer students from the states, most students are pretty serious students... reason being two fold - some students from other islands are there by scholorship from their government so they must do well to continue... other students are older, have jobs, families. Its really a mixture... I had several students in my classes that were grandparents 🙂 and there were a few that were 12th graders on early admissions as a freshman. It is a prodominately black student population, almost all the students are from the Caribbean. I didn't experience any negative issues in terms of student interactions nor did I meet anyone who said they had, folks are friendly. One trasfer student once told me that she thought the professor was picking on her because she was from the states.... I knew the professor and asked and it turned our she had a final paper due and it was late and the professor said points would be deducted for each day late.... sounded resonable to me - that was written in the syllabus.

Academics: I found all my junior and senior level professors to be very good, classes were well structured, professors were helpful but did not tolerate much in terms of absense from classes, late work... The freshman classes had a few professors that were sort of anything goes... There isn't a large assortment of "fun" classes... I know some schools have dance, art, pottery, yoga... things like that - there aren't any really. As mentioned some teachers were easier then others.

I am going to try and get in touch with a student who is in her junior year of nursing and see if I can get some feedback from her for you .

Will you be there for a semester, a year or do you plan to finish up there?

--Islander

Why isnt there a Marine Biology Grad degree at UVI? It would seem a natural fit.

Thanks for the info, it really sounds like my kind of place. I plan to finish up there. Boy, do I have a lot of questions for you: What do you know about living in the dorms? Do most people live on or off campus? Also, how easy is it for a college student to get around without a car? What do people generally do for fun (the ones that want to stay in school, of course ;-)? And, last but not least, how's the job market for college students in search of employment for spring and summer?
~ Eva

I would be transfering from a local community college, and presently I am not sure about what to major in. I was thinking something in biology, marine biology sounds great, but it all depeneds on whether or not I can attain a real job after college doing what I got the degree in. It's all very well to get a degree in something, but if you can't find a job to fill it, what's the use? Anyways, so probably something in Marine Life/ Zoology Biology.
Islander, you said the school was pretty serious. Does that mean the school as a whole is on a very challenging and competitive school environment? That it is very difficult to attain a degree? Were you from the Caribbean origionally, or did you transfer from the states? And do you know the chances of a Biology major finding a stable job down there?

Thanks and any information is greatly appreciated!

~~Steff

Seth - not sure why there is no marine biology grad. program. Perhaps e-mail the chair of Science and Math for the university and ask or suggest.

His name is Robert Stolz rstolz@uvi.edu Teresa Turner was the head of Science and Math for a while and she is still there - tturner@uvi.edu

I would say they would be better able to explain or even say if they plan to have a grad program in the future.

--Islander

Eva and Steff....
I will try and answer both your questions as best I can.

Eva in terms of finishing up here... do you plan to then work in St. Thomas? As far as getting employment as a nurse here - yes you will find work, and as mentioned the university has a program in place where students work at the hospital while attending school, like a work study - so this gets your foot in the door.

I didn't live in the dorms but spent a fair amount of time hanging out there with friends that did; that was a while back but sure things haven't changed that much. The dorms are not co-ed.... there is a living room area in them and then the rooms... lets see if I remember - the older dorms had 6 rooms on each floor and a bathroom to share for the 6. The newer dorms I dont know much about - just that they were nicer - LOL because they are newer. They are building a new cafeteria but I was there about a month ago and it didnt seem near completion although the sign said it would be done in 2003. The old caf is down the hill and accross the street - you get your work out to get to it. 🙂 Students have little get togethers but no big parties... although students will all go out together and sometimes there are dances or events on the campus it self.

I would say that more students live off campus.... these would be St. Thomas students, older students... transfer students from the states and from other islands are generally the students you find in the dorms - and from what I have read the residence halls have room for about 230 students...so definately more students off-campus.

If you are working in town and buy small groceries and stuff at say Pueblo for keeping in your dorm room (Pueblo is in long bay which is not far from UVI) you could take the public bus... and get around to start out with. On weekends to do laundry there is one in long bay also... or you can take the bus to Tutu and go to the mall, k-mart, laundry there.

For fun... beach, go out at night, learn different watersports, go to the movies...

The job market for college students; you can definately find something... I would say with your line of study try for assistant/office help/receptionist jobs at doctors offices so you are around the field... but you can find work in sales in town if you wanted too. You will find work.

Steff,

UVI is not a good atmosphere for non-majors... there aren't that many non-degree related courses to take and they don't really have a general degree program... by your second year they want you to pick a major... and if you don't it causes you to be in school longer... also there really aren't that many majors to choose from so isn't the atmosphere to take different things and see what you like... so its either marine biology, chemistry, psy, education, social science, english, nursing or business basically. there are a couple others.

Marine Biology is a strong program at UVI. I knew five marine biology majors (well more, but five that I know what they are up to now)... two are teachers at Antilles - a local private schoool one of which does a summer program at UVI for high school students and also does research with the university... another worked at Coral World for a while and then moved back to the states where he got a job at an aquarium there, the fourth was doing research with a marine vessel that traveled in the Caribbean - lost track of him so not sure what he is up to now. And the 5th was a lady who moved to Australia and is working there at a university (she went for a higher degree though at another school). So there are jobs to be had. Suppose this is something you need to look into more... what jobs are out there for a BS in biology holder... in the areas you might be interested in living... and jobs you would enjoy doing.

When I say the school is serious - I mean its not a party school... I don't think it was a very competitive environment but there were of course students that were competitive and some teachers promoted this. And there are scholorships to be had and awards so for good reason students try to excell to acheive these awards. I don't think it was a piece of cake school either... I have spoken to some students in other schools that tell me 'they can hand in papers late' or leave class in the middle without an excuse... this was not acceptable in the higher level courses I took... the classes were small - some of the classes I had - had only 10-12 kids in it - if you weren't there you were missed and if you got up with your bag to leave the professor would ask you 'where are you going' LOL.... as for handing in stuff late - you would be docked points... I had one professor put us in police state - LOL... he said the students were too relaxed - he was an ex-marine I think he went overboard... I don't think unexcused absenses and handing in papers on time is being tough.... if thats what the professor says they want and you have 2 months to write a paper then do it. Thinking back some courses were pretty challenging... maybe they were classes I just was not good in. I think this depends greatly on the course of study... the stuff I mentioned applies to science/math/social science and some of the humanities. I don't think its difficult to the extent that students flunk out and dont get degrees - if you do your work then you do fine. Some of my hardest courses were in Science and Math though. If you don't do your work you will fall behind - that applies to any school - I would think???

I am from St. Thomas.

As a biology major - I think you would be able to find work in teaching or research. Research would be through the university. Also there is Coral World. There are some other research programs the school has set up with other facilities - that you would need to look into - contact some marine biology professors and ask about.

Hope this helps answers some of your questions, if it created more questions - then go ahead and ask. 🙂

--Islander

I have several young friends in the marine biology program at UVI. I think the first semester they had a little fun, then quickly discovered they would be on their way out if that continued. Now they are very serious! There are exchange students who come for a semester or a year, however their classes don't count toward their GPAs- duh?! So those are the UVI students you see at Duffy's every night!! The degree students keep them at arm's length! It is pretty much necessary to go to graduate school, which is why the students are so serious. They had a presentation this summer of their research and I was very impressed! Great kids!

Wow, thanks for all the info!
No, I am not looking into this school as a "party place". School is for work, party's are for vacations. I graduated my high school with a 3.4 ish G.P.A. on a 4.0 scale. I work hard when I need to, but if something's way over my head, its pretty obvious. That's why I asked if it was a very competitive school. The last thing I'd want to do was spend all this time, research and money into getting down there and then not being able to handle it mentally. But from what you said, it sounds like it wouldn't be as competitive and difficult as Harvard or Yale, some big time school like that.
Are teachers in demand down there? How's the education program, as far as you know?

~~Thanks! Steff

Steff - with your gpa I think you would do fine, obviously you applied yourself to high school or you were smart and breezed through. 🙂 The school is not a harvard or yale... type compeitive - not at all. And the good thing about the small class size is that if things are over your head your professor is there and willing to help.

Teachers are in demand. The education program at UVI is pretty good.

My one additional point on that would be to make sure if you intend to return to the states that your education system there accepts out of state teachers degrees... I have heard that some states require that you are "licensed" in that state... licensed is not the word but can not think of it right now... certified maybe a better word.

--Islander

Yeah, I know what you're talking about. I know there's alot of internship-type things in my state, teachers at my high school were doing it all the time. They were in college to become teachers, and they'd have to do volunteer time at a school to get some experiance and further their interest and get their degree accomplished. I'm from Michigan, so I'll have to double check on that, and what getting the license actually entails and all that good stuff. Thanks for the info!

~~Steff