xypathos

I come from a tradition where it depends on how you use your notes. That is, if they're all strictly citing a source then you should use footnotes. However, if you need to use a note to elucidate on a point and it isn't appropriate to do so in the paper (or if you're going to cite a source for further information on a complimentary topic: "For more on X, see...") then you should always use Endnotes. That said, if you need an extra page or two and can't find a solid way to expand your material, use footnotes. If in your case you have too much, convert to endnotes if it's beneficial. I don't know of an Adcom that cares, honestly. It seems even in the Humanities that footnotes are becoming more and more outdated but alas, I love them dearly so I use them unless instructed otherwise.

As per the GRE, you're in the 94th percentile on V and 93rd on AW. These aren't numbers to balk at, you're going to survive all of these institutions' cutoff, presuming they have one. There are far more potentially disastrous things in your application to work on.

Thanks for the correction marXian! I did not mean to imply a direct 1:1 correlation. Rather that MDiv students tended to have more credits "transfer" and shorten the coursework stage of their PhD.

M.Div or PhD? Yes on both accounts. Their PhD graduates are often found at lesser known seminaries. Understandably Harvard, Yale, and Chicago graduates dominate faculty ranks at those respective schools. So on that end, they're fairly incestuous but PTS is still a very highly regarded school.

Howdy folks, I've been sending out emails left and right to potential supervisors trying to find someone interested in working on a project centered around transhumanism. I am particularly interested in theology and ethics but I am willing to negotiate a specific field. I am particularly interested in transhumanism where it applies to end-of-life concerns but also a much broader interest in how Christianity has engaged transhumanism. I am especially interested in Nikolai Fedorov and a slightly lesser extent into Teilhard de Chardin and Francis Bacon. I am also interested in any potential inter-religious dialogue on the issue, especially Buddhism as I have traveled in Tibet, Nepal, and China and have a nominal knowledge of Buddhist philosophy. The responses I have gotten from professors is that I have a legitimate project. The problem is, is that the academy has not caught up to transhumanism yet. Those that do engage with it primarily do it on the side and through issues raised in bioethics. Originally I thought maybe I needed to pull back but after conversing with faculty at Harvard, Yale, and others - go for my original interest, there are legitimate concerns there. As noted earlier, there are just too few faculty for the time being doing work in the field, and it will likely be another five years before scholars turn to issues raised by technology, at least in the nature that I want to discover. Diana Cates at Iowa has expressed a lot of interest in my work and ideas thus far, so that's promising. That said, I am hoping to crowdsource other potential POIs that I may contact from any of you. I still have some emails out that I am waiting to hear back from. It's a long shot, I know but we'll see what turns up.

If it's strictly a numbers game (since I don't know your story, essays, LORs) - I suspect you'll easily get in at Vandy and Emory. I suspect your chances at Yale are quite good too.

Don't bother sending GRE scores to Vandy or Emory (pretty sure Emory doesn't ask for them). Neither school asks for them and honestly, a 149V isn't going to come across as good unless you're an URM with English being a 2nd or 3rd language. MDiv acceptance at Chicago is quite low. I use to have an email from the Director that had the actual breakdown of applicants and acceptances but from what I recall, it's 75 applications and they shoot for roughly 12 people that will actually enroll. So, they accept around 18 or so. You'll get in somewhere but if you want to do PhD work, you're going to have to get your V and Q score up another 10-15 points, each.

An MDiv at a top-tier school will 1) look great and 2) almost always be cheaper than a MTS at a lower school, and often cheaper than an MTS at the very same school. Reason being, the top schools have large endowments and often denominations and benefactors gift money to the school which is used to underwrite tuition for students. Fortunately, or unfortunately depending on your situation, MDiv students almost always receive more money than MTS students. Also, the acceptance rate for MDiv students is generally far superior than the MTS rate - probably not leaps and bounds but it's very significant. I can speak from personal experience that that is the case at Vandy and friends at Yale and Harvard have confirmed the same as well. Here's how I suggest playing the game: Apply as an MDiv and see what you get offer wise. If it's ultimately still cheaper to do an MTS, check to see what funding if any is impacted by switching programs. For Vandy at least, it's far harder to go from MTS to MDiv, than it is MDiv to MTS - due to funding and credits. Unless there's some real pressing financial situation, you're not saving much if anything doing an MTS. From my limited experience of MDiv friends that went on to do a PhD, they had shorter programs than MTS friends due to having an extra year of coursework.

State side: absolutely Mary Jo Iozzio at Boston College. She's absolutely amazing and I cannot recommend her enough! If you're willing to travel to Europe, University of Aberdeen has a PhD in Practical Theology where you could focus on disability and theological issues. Contact John Swinton, he oversees the Practical Theology program and is very warm and open to talking with prospective students. My partner is currently doing a PhD in Disability Studies through Syracuse University - when it comes to theological issues, Mary at BC is the go to person from her experience.

Regarding writing samples - The advice I was given is that if your article is 30 pages and they ask for 20, send 18-19 pages and use the additional space of 1-2 pages to outline how you wrap up the paper so that they can see how you conclude. While anecdotal, I've had several professors tell me at Vanderbilt that when reviewing writing sources they look at the first 1-2 paragraphs and the last 1-2 paragraphs and move on. On the one hand, they don't have the time to read through and dissect every paper submitted and often they're well versed enough in the material that they can predict the writer's outline by reading the conclusion.

I shoot for no more than three very concise paragraphs. The advice I was given by professors is introduce yourself in a paragraph, a paragraph for what you want to study, and a paragraph on how you got there - coursework, particular scholars, etc. This could be reduced to two paragraphs but for flow purposes I've found that three works better. It gives you some room to wiggle around with but you aren't writing an essay.

I contacted a professor at Oxford that I shared research interests with and laid out a primitive proposal of my interests and potential figures I want to engage through. I contacted this professor last week and have not heard back from them. That said, I realize it is way too early to be worried after only a week passes but it raises the question of how long is sufficient before you send a followup to inquire if they missed the email, were using silence as disinterest, said email found its way to their Spam folder, etc. I was imagining two weeks. I know this particular professor is teaching this semester but I do not know of their workload or outside engagements.

The comment made wasn't that VDS doesn't care about GREs. The comment made was that VDS wanted to see 160+ on Verbal.

Vandy's GDR uses an AdCom system with each field getting one student a year.

Grats you two on VDS

VDS was indeed closed on the 17th. I know GDR made some notifications over the iceageddon break but it was to people being denied to the PhD, that their application was being redirected to the Divinity School for a M*

They did last year, yes. So, I presume that will also be the case this year. Merit awardees were notified first and invited to a Scholar Day, then "gen. pop" was notified shortly after.

From my source, it looks like applicants can expect something by Friday, March 6. It's not guaranteed though but VDS realizes that it works in everyone's favor for applicants to have more time, as opposed to less, in making decisions. I'm, at times, not a patient man myself but do know that decisions are coming sooner rather than later I've been where all of you are and realize that February - March 15 is torturous. Also, if any of you will be coming to VDS' campus - toss me a PM and we'll set something up. I'll introduce you to students and/or groups that you're interested in, you can say hello to the Admissions Office people that have officially welcomed you into our community, etc.

VDS was shut down for two days last week so that has probably affected decision notifications some. I'll see what I can find out.

Keep in mind that VDS was shut down for two days last week so this may have altered decision notifications some. I'll see if I can find out.

Duke Div has begun notifying their top finalists regarding acceptances and aid. Source: A UG received a phone call from Admissions, while in a meeting with a campus ministry team, that he had been accepted with full funding and stipend for M.Div

I didn't wear boxers or pants during my merit award interview. I realize this is/was odd but I knew it would calm me, even subconsciously - if I started to get nervous, just remember - I'm sitting here naked from the waist down. EDIT: For the people who know me at VDS, you're welcome for that mental image.

Thanks! Dr. Fudge responded a month or so after I sent my initial email but I also knew he was in Germany at the time doing research and when he got done there, the term was starting up at UNE. I'll put together another email for Haberkern and try again. I exaggerated a little when I said there's only one professor that my interests line up with. Haberkern is a possibility perhaps, Palmitessa at Western Mich. said he was interested but from a more socio-cultural perspective and if I wanted to stay theological, Fudge would be better. Also, its been suggested that Howard Louthan at Minnesota (he literally just moved there a bit ago to take over the Center for Austrian Studies) might be interested.

I reached out to him several weeks ago but he never responded, so I took it as sign of him not being interested

I guess I'm a medievalist but my focus is on the Hussites and Bohemian Reformation history - probably one of only three people in the world Since my interest is at the intersection of history and theology, Tom Fudge is really the only person qualified to supervise my work. Everyone I've contacted, literally, has replied back "You need to be in dialogue with Tom Fudge. He would love to have you as a student." Which is nice, since he's told me the same! That said, I'm in year one of a M.Div program so it'll have to wait.