Yetanotherdegree

I think it's too soon. They're still trying to get rid of this year's students, they've just acquired a new crop for next year, and you're basically 18 months ahead of when they would actually see you. Can you wait until summer when this year's students are out of the picture and they have time and energy to look ahead to 2014?

I've never heard of this association or this honor. A quick google search shows that it is extremely evangelical and it's associated with a series of bible colleges that aren't exactly top tier. My favorite is "God's Bible School" in Cincinnati. I mean, who wouldn't want to go to a place with a name like that? If your goals include getting a degree from a small evangelical bible college, then by all means, add the honor. If, on the other hand, you want a degree from a more mainstream institution, then this honor society probably won't do much for you. In fact, if you're not a member of the denominations that participate in this society, you might find that it works against you.

Sooo.... The absolute deadline for my completed application in March 1, close of office hours. The majority of my references have very kindly completed and submitted the promised letters. One letter isn't done yet. While I hate to be a nuisance, I'm starting to think I might need to say something a little stronger than "so, letters must be received by March 1, which is one week away, hint, hint." Does anyone have any tips for effective strategies? Obviously, I want to encourage them to write the letter without annoying them enough to affect the letter Did you have any slow writers? If so,what did you do and how did it work out? Thanks! Oh, and I know this is a bit premature, but the writer in question isn't exactly known for his ability to meet deadlines well. I am absolutely certain the letter won't be there by Monday.

Thank you! My application deadline is the end if the month. Somehow I suspect that on Feb 27, I'll be sending more than one frantic email regarding references... But the good news is that I will probably know what's up by mid-march.

Thanks, Seatbelt Blue! That's kind of what I was thinking/hoping. Now I just need to "encourage" my remaining references so I can actually get to the "completed application" stage

Just wondered if anyone has any idea of how quickly a div school might get back to me with a rolling admission date? I know that means they aren't comparing me to a pool of applicants, but I'm not sure what is a reasonable time frame. Does anyone have any experience with this? If so, how long was your wait after all your stuff was submitted? Thanks!

Make sure you set up your environment appropriately, sit somewhere that looks professional or studious, make sure you will not be disturbed under any circumstances (if you have dogs, get them out,) and dress yourself as if you were interviewing in person. Not the same thing, but for a graduate-level workshop for my last degree, one participant skyped in. From her teen daughter's bedroom. Where the girl was still sleeping. 5 minutes into the discussion, the kid got out of bed wearing a bra and panties and walked across the background. Awkward. And inappropriate. 30 seconds later the instructor "lost the connection." Anyway, good luck tomorrow. Prayers. Am I right in thinking this is your first choice?

I'm always looking for new things to read. What's on your reading list these days? Right now, I'm reading "Life, God, and Other Small Topics" Ed by Eric Metaxas. It's a series of short pieces that were originally part of a lecture series. Includes authors like John Polkinghorne, N.T. Wright and lots more. Mostly, they talk about various books they've written (NT Wright on his "Simply Christian" for example) but the book also includes the Q&A from the lectures as well as the (kind of rambling and not all that funny) introductions and jokes that accompanied the series. It's ok, I would mostly recommend it, but it's a bit lighter than I had expected (which makes sense given the context, I was just expecting more somehow.)

I know Duke's ThD stipend is $15,000. They are hoping to increase it but have not done so yet.

What does a retired pope do in retirement anyway? Maybe a nice senior academic appointment is exactly what he's looking for...

Well, Hauerwas is retiring but not disappearing. He'll be around for at least a couple of years in a senior/emeritus role. So that "stellar big-name reference" might still be possible

If you were guaranteed admission and $ was not an issue, where would you want to go and what would you want to study? Who's your dream POI? I suppose in a different world, I would want a PhD from Durham or Oxford/Cambridge. No specific POI for those places, but I love the idea of several years of study and life in an English University town. I'm married with small kids so picking up and moving isn't going to happen. I'm very fortunate in that we live just a few miles from an excellent Div School, so no complaints here, but my fantasy escape degree is the UK PhD You?

This depends. Is your husband canonically resident in the CofE? Or is he an American priest, currently working in the UK? If your husband belongs to the diocese where he is now serving, then the bishop in that diocese most likely considers that you belong there too, and would want/expect to be a part of your process.

Is there any way you can check in once a day or so? Or are you genuinely cut off from all access?

I know the contents are the most important aspect of a reference. However, how helpful is it to have references from better known faculty members, or from those with more ties to the institution you are applying to? Just wondering. And maybe scheming a little for a future application...

I'm feeling a little stuck. My last writing project was a thesis for another (relevant) degree. I'd like to just use a few pages from that, but am wondering if that would be too strange. What did you use? And do you think that a piece of a larger project is ok? Or should I come up with something that can stand alone? Oh, and I'm applying for a ThM.

"Wow! Thank you so much! I'm thrilled to hear this!" (And that's most likely where the conversation will end. If not, continue as follows.) "So...are you coming?" "Well, I need to look over the offer/financials, but I'm very happy to receive this acceptance. I look forward to receiving the paperwork. Thank you!"

I think it depends on the degree, the area, and your sense of vocation. If you're getting an MDiv, you will need some exposure to the practices of your own tradition. If you're doing a doctorate, you will want to find an institution that is at least somewhat compatible with your own beliefs and goals and that provides appropriate resources for your chosen area of study. Some areas and denominations require that you stay closer to home, while others are more open to a wider range of possibilities. And if you have more than one vocational ball up in the air at any point in time (ordination? Academia? Family commitments?) you may find that the best choice is not necessarily the "best" school.

Bermuda. It's lovely here. Just kidding. The Raleigh-Durham-Chapel Hill area is known as "the triangle."

I might.. Any info would be much appreciated! And how'd you guess?

Thanks for the great suggestions. I had a good meeting, very positive and informative. I'm going to go ahead with my application to the ThM. Because there's no funding and my marks are good, it seems likely that I will be taking classes in September! Oh and I learned quite a bit about the process, scores, funding etc. I'm glad I went. Very useful. And thanks for the language suggestion. That's something I now know I need to be competitive for the doctoral program.

So I've posted a few times about how I'm considering applying for a ThM and then a ThD at the local, really excellent Div School. If I do go ahead, I will apply to the ThM for September and then work toward the ThD from there. I'm meeting with the director of the ThD program tomorrow. I have a list of questions that I want to ask and I'm sure my list is nowhere near comprehensive. If, in your earlier stages of discernment and planning, you had had an hour in which to speak to the program director (without trying to "sell" yourself) what would you have asked? What questions do you wish had been answered at the beginning for you? So far I'm thinking about stuff like fit and funding and stats for the program. I'm sure there are other areas I should be thinking about. Any suggestions would be much appreciated. Thanks.

Those degrees are expensive! And it looks like there are more students enrolled than there are scholarships and grants available. So what's your plan? How do you hope to fund your doctorate? And what will you do if you don't get the scholarships or grants you want?

Thanks for asking. Your question helped me to clarify things a bit more, I really do love teaching and reading and writing etc etc. I'm surprised how many people seem to have a similar story. And I don't think it's a bad idea to approach the idea of helping to teach and form future clergy with some practical experience of ministry. It's not the only way, but there are definite benefits And I'm not sure what area I'm interested in yet. I did really well in my MDiv with NT (won the prizes for it every year etc). But a significant part of my DMin thesis focused on Aquinas, and the readings I seem to gravitate towards (the topics that might be taking shape...) focus on the ideas of sacred space in the writings of some of the Cappadocians. Which is probably another reason why a ThM course or two prior to applying for a ThD would be a good idea... What's your focus? What area of OT?

Well I would be able to use an academic doctorate to teach at a university level. Like most people considering a PhD/ThD, the goal would be to find a teaching job at the end of it. The goal for the additional Masters would be primarily discernment (about whether or not to invest years of my life pursuing another doctorate) as well as the possibility of strengthening my candidacy at the one institution close to home. Unlike many applicants, I don't have the flexibility to move wherever I get accepted. Although, given my husband's career path, I probably will have considerable flexibility to move for a potential teaching job in about 8-10 years. I've always felt called to teach and write, but I also feel called to family life and to ministry. Finding the balance between these different directions (as well as my husband's own needs and opportunities) has at times been hard and not everything was possible at all times. Now I'm in a place where I might actually be able to explore the academic option, but I'm debating whether or not it's worth it at this point in my life. And I know there's no funding for the ThM here. I'm fine with that. One of the advantages of being slightly older and having a job is that a part-time program is not out of reach for me financially