LateAntique

If it is important that you study the New Testament from an Evangelical perspective, I recommend you apply to schools where this is the stated nature of the program. If you're comfortable with writing papers that do not appeal to inerrancy or some other Evangelical belief, you could attend some of the places you listed. Places like Duke, Vanderbilt, etc, are going to have professors who are Christians of some stripe, but this will not necessarily be the underlying basis of their methodology. You ought to look into programs at places like Fuller, Dallas Theological, Wheaton, New Orleans Baptist, etc. Those places are quite comfortable with people doing NT scholarship within the bounds of Evangelicalism. Those schools will also have more currency in the circles in which you would likely teach.

This is bologna, to put it simply. The Theology department is an incredibly ecumenical place. I have numerous Protestant friends who feel quite happy at Notre Dame. The department itself has loads of non-Catholic professors (Protestants, Jews, etc). I don't know when your Bishop did his Ph.D there, but his experience is exactly the opposite of everyone I've ever heard of at Notre Dame in recent years.

When I applied for that fellowship, I was canonically resident in the diocese of Pennsylvania and we were without an acting bishop at the time.....which meant the best I could do was a retired Australian bishop who happened to be in the US and had never met me before!  Truth.  It was either him or some bishop from the Solomon Islands that some friends knew!  But the bishop who wrote for me was very nice, and made an appointment for a long conversation with me and wrote a letter afterwards.  So, honestly I don't think it matters a lot!  If the bishop where you live now would be willing to meet with you and then write for you, I might do that (and even write him directly asking for a meeting).  If he doesn't know you now, he would afterwards! But I certainly don't think it would be bad to ask your former bishop either.  I'm not sure who your former bishop is (although I think you and I know each other!), but bear in mind that if he is bishop of a diocese that includes a major divinity school then he might well be writing for several other people, including people whom he knows better.  That doesn't necessarily hurt you, but it's worth keeping in mind.

As I've been told by various professors, admissions committees like to see a story like yours. The person who makes all As at Harvard is less exciting than the person who was a train wreck their first year(s) and then managed to turn it on and do some good work. You've proven you can do that. It's a good story. It works to your advantage. It shows a trajectory toward success. 

I've currently got a letter of recommendation, meant for Lutheran School of Theology at Chicago, floating around somewhere in Gaithersburg, MD. Thankfully, my file is already complete and the letter is only additional. Still, though. I mailed that thing from TN and it went to Chicago, a suburb of Chicago, Omaha, back to the suburb, back to Omaha, and now Gaithersburg. 
 
#THANKSOBAMA

The question would be: why? I would apply to that MA program as a back-up in case you don't get into Duke/Yale/Harvard/Notre Dame/Chicago/BC/wherever you want to go. Even then, you sort of have to wonder what the M.A. would do for you educationally. Would it give you time to work on language ability? Your GPA is very good, so it's not as though you would need this program to smooth that over. If it were me - and take this with a grain of salt - I would not apply to the MA there at WKU. It seems like a waste of time. You will most likely get into one of the better programs so long as your GRE comes through and you have good letters of rec. 

If you're applying to any of the programs I have listed below, here's my advice:

1) Show up drunk. I don't mean have one or two at the bar before you show up - I mean start drinking at 7am so that you're absolutely blitzed when you get there. This will help with the nerves and make the faculty like you.

2) Who doesn't like t-shirt tuxedos? Wear one. And shorts - jean cut-offs if you have them. If not, Umbros are pretty fancy. You're dressing for success here and you want to let them know you're serious.

3) Mock the professor while they ask you a question. Repeat exactly what they're saying to you in a stupid voice while making crazy facial gestures. The faculty will eat this up. Who doesn't want a jokester in their program?

4) Disregard fuzzylogician's advice. If you don't know, it's time to turn the BS on. This will show them you're prepared for the wide world of academia. As long as it sounds convincing, you're home free. Another tactic is to answer all questions with "That's what she said."

5) Also concerning fuzzylogician's advice: if you don't understand their question (or even if you do), just answer one nobody asked. As long as you use the field's buzz words, you're bound to hit on the right answer somewhere. When the professor tries to stop your speech, don't take no for an answer. Hold up your finger or wave your hand dismissively, then sit back in your chair, gaze at the ceiling, and continue with your monologue.

6) Talk about the great offers you just got from the other schools on your list. Tell them a small fee might be able to retain you.



If you're applying elsewhere, I suggest disregarding my advice entirely.

The question would be: why? I would apply to that MA program as a back-up in case you don't get into Duke/Yale/Harvard/Notre Dame/Chicago/BC/wherever you want to go. Even then, you sort of have to wonder what the M.A. would do for you educationally. Would it give you time to work on language ability? Your GPA is very good, so it's not as though you would need this program to smooth that over. If it were me - and take this with a grain of salt - I would not apply to the MA there at WKU. It seems like a waste of time. You will most likely get into one of the better programs so long as your GRE comes through and you have good letters of rec. 

I know lots of people who did not have 4.0s who got admitted to ND's program. As was said, it's not purely a numbers game. It's a matter of how you fit. I've heard that the most important things here are your statement of purpose and your letters of recommendation. Is someone going to get admitted here with a 2.0? Unlikely. But programs tend to look at the whole package. That said, having a 3.8/3.9 is very, very good. On the GPA front, you have nothing to worry about. 

I'd say 90th percentile or higher should be good enough. A low GRE will keep you out, but a high one will only get you in the running. I had a friend (white male) who got into a bible program Ph.D. program at Harvard with a verbal GRE score somewhere around the 85th percentile, so it really depends on the complete package you bring to the table.

As for the revised GRE, I thought it was easier than the previous one. I like the emphasis on reading comprehension rather than on analogies, so I'm biased.

Hey everyone! Yes, Duke Divinity called me this morning to notify me of my acceptance. Thought I'd see who else got accepted and whether they were told of any scholarships.

Caleb

I have 7 more to go. One due in 2 days. With a paper due for a doctoral seminar a day after that. So.Tired.

Notre Dame's "History of Christianity" track is within the Theology department. HC requires that you have a major period (early/medieval/early modern/modern) and a minor period as well as an 'external' minor (meaning another track in Theology, like systematics). If you came to ND, you could do HC with a minor in systematics and do what you want.

Notre Dame's "History of Christianity" track is within the Theology department. HC requires that you have a major period (early/medieval/early modern/modern) and a minor period as well as an 'external' minor (meaning another track in Theology, like systematics). If you came to ND, you could do HC with a minor in systematics and do what you want.

This may be a shot in the dark, but is ANYONE going to HDS looking for a roommate? I am freaking out about housing over here! Haha

Ahahaha, I should check into who is doing that to me as well! I'm at -114 -.- lmao

Marcone,

I know we spoke over PM, but I thought I would share. I'm also excited, moving from Boston, looking at the price of housing. However, like you said, there appears to be a lot of lame apartments/gated communities rather than actual houses. Perhaps we are spoiled by Boston?? Anyways, I posted a couple weeks back in the City section of the forum and got some decent advice about what part of town one should live in, ect. I have also heard some of the surrounding areas are suspect (crime) and the 'best' parts of town are the ones farther away from Duke. Old West Durham and Trinity Park area seem to be pretty nice and are fairly close to campus (within a mile or two). I'd like to be able to walk to class, if possible, and keep my car just for weekend errands.

Also, I posted a 'wanted' add on craigslist for Durham and have already got half a dozen options with other (Duke) students.
*edit* Also, I contacted the Divinity school and added my name to the list for seeking roommates. I doubt this matters to you, but others might find it useful.

Congrats, Fish!

Also, congrats to those accepted to HDS!

No, it's not too soon. Speak with the prof you would like to work with and ask for advice about coursework, ect. Focusing your graduate coursework to a particular professor(s), I think, would give you an edge (If that is indeed what you really want to study, of course).

I should also mention I officially accepted Duke's offer. I still haven't heard back from ND concerning the ECS program, but quite honestly Duke is a way better fit. I was just having a hard time convincing myself of that because I will be taking on more debt from Duke...oh well.

Hope to see some of you in Durham this fall. Oh, and if anyone wants a roommate, please feel free to contact me! I don't want to live alone. It's just too sad.

Any idea when you will hear from Duke?

If it helps, BC (both the dept. of theology and the STM) have their fall courses up. You might find something interesting.

cheers

The cheap part is the Ph.D. What you need to do is find some way to do the very best you can in your undergrad so that you can get into one of the top M* programs and go on to a Ph.D from there. The best programs are going to be fully funded.

Secondly, I don't know of any program where you can just do general "religious studies" and study everything. That sort of training works well in an undergraduate model, not so well in a doctoral program. You will have to specialize within a tradition and then specialize within that. Any program you could do online would not get you hired anywhere. In an environment where people from top schools are flooding the market, one who has a Ph.D from an online program would obviously stand no chance of being hired.

Wow, I'm surprised they took them without any Hebrew!