Postbib Yeshuist

I did something like this last year, but without being so explicit about it. The rules of the post are simple: 1. Use the referral link in the post above yours to sign up for a free 2Gb of storage on DropBox (see below for details). Use a .edu address if you can for more space. 2. Download and install the small software package (easy to do, and it's not spyware or anything like that). This gives them up to 500Mb of space, and gives you an extra 250Mb. 2. After doing so, get your referral link from DropBox and paste it in a reply to this post so the next person can use your link and help boost your storage (up to 500Mb for each referral). I'll begin. here's mine: http://db.tt/2i64eSu OK, what is DropBox? The easiest way to think of it is an internet "flash drive." On signing up with dropBox, you get 2Gb of free storage. DropBox downloads a small (safe) program to your computer (Mac, PC or Linux) that creates and then monitors a folder. If you save something to the folder, DropBox copies it to their servers. If you log into another computer you own (say a desktop) and install DropBox, it will automatically download that file to the second computer. If you make changes on the desktop (say it's a thesis paper) and save, dropBox uploads the changes and then downloads them to your laptop next time you're on it. You can watch a short video at www.dropbox.com here are my semi-clever responses to good questions that might crop up: "But isn't the cloud potentially risky? I mean, hello, Amazon?" True, but DropBox is not the only place files are stored. They're stored locally on your computer as well as "the cloud." For instance, I have 3 computers linked to my DropBox account. As a result, i have 4 copies of the paper I'm working on right now. Talk about redundancy. "OK, that's kinda cool. But I still need a flash drive if I go to print at the library." Not so, You can log into www.dropbox.com and access all your files through their web interface. "But 2Gb seems kinda small." For the average grad student, if you just keep papers there, it's more than enough to store and secure your important docs (imagine never having to worry that your dissertation is lost if someone steals your laptop). Still, if you sign up with a .edu address and then get your friends to do the same (using referral links), you can get more storage in 500Mb chunks. They also have a few easy things you can do on their site to get a quick 1Gb extra. "Anything else cool I should know about?" DropBox saves 30 days worth of iterations of your docs. If you accidentally delete a document and don't realize it until 2 weeks later, it's still there on the DropBox website. Just login and restore it. DropBox has an iPhone app! DropBox will guarantee that you finish whatever degree you're working on, or refund you 237% of your tuition. One of the above is a lie.

In a program with a Duke grad, and his word is that they accept one applicant every other year. (PhD on the other years). Applying for both ThD & PhD = rejection. Whether it's true or not, I don't know, but I have little reason to doubt his gnosis.

Generally, it will make you more competitive during the application process, but ghost6 is 100% correct that it will not override other core weaknesses. As for funding, it depends. I received ~70% of tuition at Brite Divinity School. I would suggest a Th.M. if you're still not sure what your Ph.D. project will be. The kiss of death during the Ph.D. app process is not have a specific, thought-out project. A Th.M. goes a long way to helping with this, and also pushes you to start doing work at the doctoral level (so official doctoral work is not a completely new experience).

This.

Sparky asked the important question: what do you want to do. For me, as an example, Arabic is critical since I'm doing a critical approach to Christianity's involvement from an Islamic perspective. I think Sparky's suggestion work as a general rule of thumb, but if you could give us more to go on, that would certainly be helpful.

The reality is that it comes down to your competition. If you're up against applicants with a PhD, you can basically forget it. If you Do wind up getting a job, the chances of a tenure track are somewhere between nil and non-existent. This means that all it takes is a few missteps, and then the dept. chair starts looking for a new hire. An MS will give you a solid shot at Community College teaching (which can be a very noble pursuit, imho) and you'll be set for high school teaching positions. If you're serious about a 4-year college, however (private or not), you'll really want something beyond an MS to be competitive in the interview process and to stay competitive after you've been hired. The reality is that non-PhDs are, for the most part, "looked down upon by the research professors, [can't] advance much in their careers, and [have] difficulty getting the courses they wanted." That being said, there are ALWAYS exceptions. Here's hoping that's you

My understanding (from a professor I had who taught at Cambridge and now here in the states) is that British schools tend to want a more "deliberate" focus (i.e. learn the big names, learn them all and learn them well), whereas she said U.S. schools allowed for a "less focused" approach. Basically, she thought that the U.S. allowed a student to innovate in their research at the expense of depth and breadth, whereas Cambridge gave immense depth and breadth at the expense of innovation. Of course, this was based on a 10-minute conversation where the Cambridge comment was a "for example" type statement. I never followed up on it, so hopefully someone else will swoop in and either confirm or correct my comment. PS She had NOT taught at an Ivy League, so her comment might have simply been a "Tier 1 compared to the rest" statement (I was NOT at an Ivy League), and she mistakenly cast it as U.S. vs Britain.

And yes, your Jewishness will "help." Diversity is key in programs like this, so applicants are screened for what backgrounds they can bring (along with many other factors).

You should have a chance to explain Moody in your statement of purpose. It might even help, as schools like Yale like some diversity in their program. Recommendations, grades, writing sample and statement of purpose are where you'll shine. Go ahead and take the GRe too. FInally, contact someone at Yale, like, tomorrow. Start making contacts early.

Is Claremont the school where funding sucks? I've heard stories about 30% being a high offer. Or is that GDU?

It's also worth adding that it's rare to move "up" the academic ladder school-wise. For most people, the rule of thumb is that you teach at the same level or lower as the place where you got a PhD. Yale grads can teach almost anywhere. Drew grads can teach at Drew and "lower," but will have a harder time teaching at Yale. etc, etc, etc. Of course, nothing is impossible, but the reality is that, aside from some amazing publication or a really critical area of research (i.e. NOT church history), where you graduated from is the type of school (at best) where you can expect to teach.

To give a completely oversimplified answer: no. A PhD in Theology pretty much tracks you in the direction of seminaries, Div schools, etc. Most Religious Studies departments aren't going to want someone with a confessional bent to their studies (i.e. you weren't "objective." I know, I know, but it's what they believe). What's more, will you be able to teach Islam? Buddhism? Teach them well? A Rel Studies department doesn't want someone to teach Christianity. There are Schools of Theology for that... My advice (and it's kind of what I'm doing) would be to go for a PhD in Rel Studies and try to go to a school where you can get some theology. My understanding of the market is that a PhD in Religious Studies with 12 hours in theology can cross over much more easily than a PhD in theology with 12 hours in religious studies. There will always be exceptions, of course, so I'm speaking more as a general rule of thumb. But in a tight market, the reality is that you won't stand a chance against someone with a PhD in Islamic Studies or Religious Studies, etc. (and why should you? You certainly wouldn't want them to be competitive in a theology atmosphere, right?) Hope that helps.

Aside from confessional schools, as mentioned in the post above, it will be hard to get academic positions. D.Mins in schools of theology, div schools, etc tend to be those with many years of experience, and even then they typically supervise the practical ministry component. Given an incredibly tight job market at the moment, I think it's safe to say that D.Min. will keep you out of far more jobs that it will get you into. If you're fresh out of D.Min., I wouldn't even waste the time applying. Ten years later, you'll be in much better shape imo.

Nope, it's pretty intense. In fact, I'll take my first comp next summer, as well as my second language exam (which I'll probably fail, so thank God for retakes ).

I third or fourth or fifth the Papers suggestion. It has its weaknesses, but it's great for organizing PDF's. Combine it with Dropbox and you can have one database shared across multiple computers...

4 courses (12 hours) of which 2 are seminars, one a directed study and one an independent study. In my program, you have to finish 48 hours, 4 comprehensive exams and 2 language exams before the beginning of the third year. Absolutely grueling (sp?). On the other hand, we effectively get 2.5 years to work on the dissertation before we hit the 5 year mark (proposal & teaching fills the Fall semester of Year 3).

Sigh, this is getting boring. Nothing worse than arguing with someone who asks for an example and then when confronted with one tries to show how it doesn't apply. There's a reason I used the "13,000+ pages" comment because... Now, continue arguing all you want. The fact is, I gave you some examples of how stipends may be tax-free, simply to illustrate the point that "it depends." The mere fact that you admit the WashU mentioned "may" be taxable income (not "must be") shows, that, wait for it... it depends. By all means, reply back with whatever "I refuse to budge from my position" refutation you want. The simple fact that spending a $2,000 stipend on $2,000 worth of books means the stipend is tax-free proves that... it depends on the circumstances and use. I'm willing to bet I've been paying taxes for quite a bit longer than you have (assuming here that CompSci PhD's are probably in the their mid- to late-20's), and I know I've verified some of the ins and outs of this section of the tax code with several professionals who, to the last person, have said "it depends. Bring me your records and let's look at it" But it's clear you know the answers, so by all means, continue assuming you have to pay taxes on every bit of it and I'll just get back to actually paying taxes when it's necessary and not when it's not. The mere fact you think that Section 117 is all that matters shows an incredibly naive approach to the tax code. Personally, I'm considering this a pointless discussion. Hopefully someone will happen along, see "it depends," check into it and then save a few bucks. You, however, can feel free to continue paying more than you need to. In fact, here, let me introduce you to this wall...

Wow, tough choice. My suggestion would be to try to make it a year. The first few weeks are invariably difficult, especially when separated from a loved one. However, over the course of a year, you settle into a routine, you and your loved one get accustomed to the distance, and things look better. If not, you quit then. My caution here is not to let your current misery turn into a self-fulfilling prophecy. Unhappiness now can easily translate into "I'm not meant for this." If I had quit after the first two weeks of my seminary experience a decade ago, I wouldn't now be in a PhD program I love, studying a topic I can't get enough of, facing the prospect of a career I love.

For what it's worth, the IRS doesn't require schools to withhold.

http://www.regulations.utah.edu/administration/3-061.html Also add ROTC and military academy stipends (though not pay for duty assignments in the summer, for example). And here's one that really gets into the nitty-gritty: http://tax.wustl.edu/policies/Pages/FellowshipStipends.aspx Again, the IRS: So... it depends. It depends on how the university (and you) choose to treat/use them. Please don't try to oversimplify a complex topic. It is THAT complicated. If it weren't, the tax code wouldn't be 13,000+ pages (according to the US GPO). There is no "yes" or "no" when it comes to this. Thousands of students pay taxes on stipends each year when they don't have to, while (likely many more) thousands don't pay taxes when they should. Just an example: is a new laptop you bought with stipend money considered "equipment"? (If you answer anything but "it depends," you're wrong). As for the standard deduction, again, it's not that simple. There are many other ways to reduce your taxable income. I'm not going to go so far as to say I know every in and out, but I can say I've been paying taxes for longer than I care to remember, and much of it has been while in education in some form or another. Sometimes my stipend has been taxable, sometimes not; sometimes part, sometimes all.

No. Here's the relevant statement by the IRS: Please do not assume one way or the other until you've talked to someone who knows the answer, not anonymous posters on an online forum. Though there's sopme good info here and reasonable statements, the final answer is that each of us has a unique situation, so the answer is actually "it depends." Remember, your stipend isn't just "generic" money. Some of it may come from very specific funding sources, and therefore have very specific classifications. (Some students refer to a "stipend" when they are actually receiving scholarship money). Some stipends are taxable while others aren't. Bottom line: It all depends on how the university classifies the money. You should ask both the FinAid office and, ideally, a "tax professional". PS There is also the point that some PhD students may actually be near or below the poverty line, in which case taxes become a whole new ballgame with lots of leeway (when filed correctly).

I chose "That Guy"

Great! Thanks again for the help

Yep, that works great! Mind tackling one more? I'm stuck on "L’écriture de Bhabha, qui ramifie les phrases, glisse entre les synonymes, forge des néologismes, serait aussi une expression de l’hybridation de l’individu—et de l’Inde postcoloniale." Specifically, the "qui ramifie les phrases" is tripping me up. So far, I have "Bhabha's writing, which branches out sentences, slips between synonyms, [and] forges neologisms, can also be an expression of the hybridization of the individual—and of postcolonial India."

I'm having a pretty difficult time translating the following sentence: "Il est frappant de constater le poids de la diaspora indienne anglophone, mais le non-lieu de l’université américaine prime." So far, I have: "It is striking to note the weight of the English-speaking Indian diaspora, but [their] non-place (absence) in the major American University." But it just doesn't seem right in the context (or it at least seems to be an odd thought to insert). Overall context: Études ou théorie postcoloniales, ce vaste champ a été surtout constitué par des interventions émises sur les notoires campus américains, depuis une ou deux décennies. Ces enclaves dans le territoire des États-Unis ont permis le passage, la concentration, la circulation d’idées. Il est frappant de constater le poids de la diaspora indienne anglophone, mais le non-lieu de l’université américaine prime. Les francophones, plus ou moins intégrés à ce champ, comme Édouard Glissant, V. Y. Mudimbe ou Achille Mbembe, ont enseigné et travaillé on campus. Any help is appreciated. Also, does anyone know of a website that's more or less dedicated to helping with translation like this? I can do most of the work, but a place I could drop by with questions like this would be great!