Averroes MD
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Posts posted by Averroes MD
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This is purely hypothetical but suppose I needed an extra year to fulfill my language requirements, what would happen?
I realize this is different from university to university, but just trying to get a lay of the land.
I feel I could benefit from being a little bit slower in moving to my next language.
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I was in almost the exact same situation. In the first year I applied, I wiped out at US schools and got accepted to Oxford. I secured outside funding, and was all set to go. I lost my funding and was convincing myself to still go. But, after looking at finances, I made the decision to defer my admission and reapplied to US schools. I was accepted to three US programs the second time around, and was very pleased with all three options, which were much better than Oxford without funding.
Aside from the funding, I just think US programs will better prepare us for jobs in the American market... and sorry to say, just make us better scholars.
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Hi Ben,
That’s not a lot of information to go on, so very hard to answer your question.
But, I also had a a bachelors in Arabic although my masters is in Islamic Studies.
Having said that, a strong background in Arabic can’t do anything but help you, as advanced Arabic is often a key ingredient missing from many failed applications in Islamic Studies.
Good luck!
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Got off the Georgetown wait list, but I turned it down - would have loved to have gone though! Seems like they are still in play, so good luck those waiting!
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On 4/5/2018 at 9:44 AM, JDD said:
Thanks again for the advice. If I were to sum it up in no particular order, here is what the community recommends:
- Learn languages - at least 2 ancient and 2 modern (depending on one's concentration)
- Network effectively - begin talking to professors who can help craft an application/thesis/SOP/writing sample as early as possible
- Find ways to differentiate - take classes outside of your divinity school/seminary or participate in field studies/research
Please let me know if I've missed anything. As an aside, is it normal for applicants to choose different concentrations at the different schools to which they apply for PhD studies? If so, how different should the writing sample/SOP be from one application to another?
I would not say that you have to have 2 ancient and 2 modern languages before you start your PhD. That's certainly ideal, but what I've learned is that the accepted applicants are often far from ideal. But yeah, try for 2 and 2, and then you're golden.
However, I will also say that it's even more important to reach an advanced level in the primary research language in which you will be doing the bulk of your research. For example, in Islamic Studies, it's better to be someone with super advanced Arabic and a dabbling of French and/or German, rather than someone with intermediate Arabic, French & German. If languages are power bars, then the most important thing is that is your Arabic bar should be super long, and do whatever you can with the others.
I used this with regard to Islamic studies, but you can translate it to your field/sub-field.
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I third the objection to publishing. Better to just focus on masters thesis and make it a really good writing sample.
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Well, that may be the first thing - decide upon a concentration (even if somewhat general).
Second, my regret is not utilizing the summer before and the summer after my first year to do immersion study of language. I would make aggressive use of your summers for language acquisition. For an MDiv this would be four summers, since you include the summer before starting.
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On 3/23/2018 at 4:51 PM, jmiiller said:
Hi!
I was hoping to gauge the strength of my application for some of the more liberal divinity schools (that accept agnostics, atheists, etc.) -- Harvard being the school that is my top choice at the moment. The admissions criteria seem somewhat vague and that has left me feeling unsure of where I stack up currently with regards to admissions. I am interested in Existentialism (e.g. Kierkegaard, Dostoevsky, Sartre, Camus, Nietzche, etc.), Existential Psychology (e.g. Irvin Yalom, Rollo May, Victor Frankl, Ernst Becker), and I also have my feet in related social psychology (Terror Management Theory and the Meaning Maintenance Model). I also have side interests in Chinese philosophy and Buddhism, and will be taking Mandarin courses before I graduate. My goal is to become a spiritual care practitioner in a palliative setting or another comparable setting.
- Currently in my third year of Philosophy at a top Canadian university.
- 4.20/4.33 GPA
- 9 months experience as a research assistant in two psychology labs. (The first does research into Terror Management Theory and the Meaning Maintenance Model. The second was language development research in Infants.)
- 3 years experience as a Residence Advisor (where I provide social, academic, and emotional support to students and refer them to resources on campus.)
- 16 months experience as a software engineer. (I did my first two years of undergrad in Physics and Computer Science and then worked for a year, before deciding I didn't want to go down that path.)
- I will be taking the GRE this summer.
- I'm planning to have my letters of recommendation come from 1) A Philosophy professor who is a Kierkegaard and philosophy of religion scholar (I expect this to be strong) 2) A Psychology professor who focuses on Cultural Psychology, Terror Management Theory, and the Meaning Maintenance Model 3) Possibly another professor or a supervisor from my time as a Residence Advisor.
I am unsure whether I should apply in my last year of undergrad, or if I should take some time off after undergrad to work full-time and volunteer to strengthen my application further.
How am I looking right now? Are there any glaring holes that I need to fix to be competitive? How can I strengthen this application?
Thank you so much to everyone who takes the time to read this!
Your chances are pretty good. But, I suspect you already knew that.
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1 hour ago, rmcf said:
Wish you all the best wherever you end up. I also got wait listed at Gtown and its my last chance for this cycle. Trying to not to get hopes up too much. It's been a rough few months.
So I have a suspicion that gtown often goes into its waitlist. I wonder if it’s worthwhile for you to email them and reiterate your interest. Maybe that would move you up on the waitlist. Just guessing though. Good luck!
I struck out last year and succeeded at my top choice this year, so there is always hope for next year in case Gtown doesn’t pan out. But I hope it will for you.
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46 minutes ago, rmcf said:
Congrats! Are you planning on accepting?
No, I don't think so, although Georgetown was high up on my list...
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Waitlisted at Georgetown.
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Georgetown must be waiting for the second coming of Christ...
- Theobuckeye, YoGramma and kay0213
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I'll chime in here. I was accepted to Oxford's DPhil in Theology last year, and obtained (and then lost) an outside source of funding. In addition to losing my funding, I was keen on completing a PhD in the US. This was more than just optics (i.e. how I'd be perceived by potential employers). Instead, I felt the UK style PhD would not give me the tools I need to become a true scholar in my field. I felt the added coursework, comprehensives, language requirements, and teaching--all part of US programs--would help me become a true scholar.
I don't know how good Baylor and Marquette are. But, I think they are probably second-tier schools. I don't know how they will fare against the Oxford brand name, and my guess is that it would be a toss up. However, Oxford is not a viable option anyways, due to the crushing cost.
Therefore, I wanted to suggest a third option, which is what I did. I applied again the next year, and used the extra year to boost my CV. I was then accepted to a top-tier US program, and could give Oxford a middle finger, which I felt they deserved for even offering PhD's without funding. I think that's a racket, designed to exploit a student and their brand name. I cannot understand paying $30k/yr just to do a dissertation, especially when apparently supervisors there can be very hands-off and meet only a couple times per semester. Screw that.
Anyways, I think you should cross Oxford off the list, and then decide between Baylor, Marquette, and reapplying the next year. Three good options.
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4 hours ago, xypathos said:
Yea, three separate articles cited that a faculty told him that his app was rejected because of his age, one specifically said they told him by email. That was just a stupid mistake on their part - you never give a specific reason, opens the door for a lawsuit.
But that’s not the real issue. The real issue is that age discrimination exists, not that it should or should not be covered up.
If age discrimination is justified, then the age limit should be in the rules to apply and you shouldn’t take people’s hard earned money and time for the application.
If there is no age limit to apply, then they shouldn’t discriminate based on age.
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6 hours ago, xypathos said:
Per a faculty member, they're dealing with a current lawsuit at Georgetown that is making them be particularly careful in their review and how they notify applicants going forward. I naturally presume this is the lawsuit that is being referenced: http://www.thehoya.com/applicant-files-age-discrimination-lawsuit-georgetown-admissions/
1. There is no guarantee that he would’ve gotten in had he been in his twenties.
2. But he did not stand a chance of getting in due to his age.
I sorta hope he wins. Age discrimination definitely exists. So does being discriminated against for being “overqualified”.
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This is a very difficult question to answer. There is no doubt that a prestigious MA will help with PhD admissions, but you will take on debt. I don't think there is a way out of the dilemma: prestige vs debt.
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On 2/10/2018 at 8:57 AM, Kirby66 said:
I’m a first-time user of the forum, so thanks for the input. It might put my mind at ease if I shared my stats, and get a sense of whether I’m even a remotely competitive candidate to begin with.
undegrad gpa: 3.89; MA gpa, from an Ivy School: 4.0. I have multiple journal publications, and well as an MA thesis award. Strong LORs, and an average GRE. My background is mainly literature and religion, with some philosophy. I applied without articulating a clear-cut research interest, as it’s an MA program and I wish to keep my options for study open without too narrowly defining my interests at this stage. Is this ok? Do I have a reasonably strong chance? Thanks again.
Yes. But you already knew that.
- lhgr, Boolakanaka and bijou2017
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14 hours ago, 35mm_ said:
Hey everyone I wanted to start a thread about choosing between UK and US PhD programs. As many of us might be stuck between these very fortunate but equally distressing choices, I felt some advice from folks here might prove helpful.
Some of such questions that have crossed my mind so far:
What are some of the major differences that one should consider while making a decision?
Does a three year PhD from UK disadvantage you in the US?
Does one make you better prepared for the job market than the other?
How much weightage should one give to accessibility of archives?
I have been told that US programs typically prepare you more for teaching while in the UK one has to actively seek these opportunities?
Are certain fields more popular in one place over the other? (For example science and war seems to be huge in the US while themes about empire and science seem to be more widely discussed in the UK)
Thanks!
P.S I am a history of sci&tech applicant currently deciding between UPenn/Princeton and Cambridge (HPS) / Oxford (History of Science).
I'm in Religion, but I think the answers still apply. I also was picking between Oxford and Harvard, and chose Harvard... Although for me, I lost my funding source at Oxford... But, even if I had gotten funding at Oxford, I'd still have chosen Harvard (or any other highly ranked US program).
Does a three year PhD from UK disadvantage you in the US?
Yes.
Does one make you better prepared for the job market than the other?
Yes.
How much weightage should one give to accessibility of archives?
Don't know.
I have been told that US programs typically prepare you more for teaching while in the UK one has to actively seek these opportunities?
Yep.
As long as there is no major knock against it, I would choose Princeton. You gotta be realistic with placement after graduation. You are already fighting an uphill battle.
In addition, I think US program will train you better, due to (1) stricter language requirements, (2) coursework, (3) comprehensives, (4) teaching, etc. However, this isn't to deny that there must be some super stars at UK programs... I'm just saying: if you have a choice between US and UK--especially when one of those choices is Princeton or UPenn--the choice becomes easy.
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1 hour ago, sjca14 said:
I am sorry to hear that. I hope Theology & Religious Studies works out and that we all hear back from them soon.
No worries. Thanks for the kind words. I doubt I will go to Georgetown even if I get accepted. It was high up on my personal rank list (#3), but I was accepted to my #1. I was rejected from my #2 and I think I would've been accepted to my #4 had I not withdrawn from it after hearing back from my #1. You win some, you lose some. Shrug.
Georgetown Theology looks awesome. I hope you get in!
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On 2/28/2018 at 10:33 AM, sjca14 said:
Does anyone happen to know anything about Georgetown? If so, feel free to message me
I just got my rejection from Arabic & Islamic studies. I also applied to Theology & Religious Studies, but haven't heard back on this yet.
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13 minutes ago, sjca14 said:
Does anyone happen to know anything about Georgetown? If so, feel free to message me
I had a buddy who applied to PhD programs two years ago and his heart was set on Georgetown. I remember that he thought his chances were shot since he hadn’t heard anything back and it was really late in the game. In March I believe. Then he was sent an acceptance from Georgetown. So I think they might notify really late, although it is possible they send out notifications in waves. Don’t know.
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7 minutes ago, TheHessianHistorian said:
I would also add to that the sometimes-frustrating but all-too-real point that most of the "top 10" PhD programs strongly, strongly prefer to admit applicants who earned their undergrad or Master's from another top/Ivy program or a foreign program. Take a look at the Princeton/Yale/Harvard current grad student profiles, and you will see endless Bachelor's degrees and Master's degrees from top 10 schools and overseas schools.
Also, you will find that many of them take their own, which was the case with me. It's an "unfair" advantage even, since the professors know you and have worked with you in that case.
EDIT: I'm in religion, not history.
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4 minutes ago, Almaqah Thwn said:
I got the Duke email today, albeit previously I had emailed them and told them to withdraw my application a little more than a week ago. Had to still make a new account to log in and check the letter, in the off chance that they had waitlisted me and I was blocking someone else's spot to enter. Did anyone else have to create a new account to check their decision? That was really weird.
Yeah, it was a lot of work to get a rejection letter.
- Maccabeus and Almaqah Thwn
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Failing to meet language requirements? What happens?
in Religion
Posted
This is what I was thinking/hoping. Thank you!
Yeah, you're right. I remember looking at it and it wasn't clear what the "penalty" was for failing to meet the requirement. However, I may not have been looking at the right place.
And yeah, I should probably just look this info up but I just wanted to get a general sense, as I had a nagging suspicion that it's not usually a super strict condition, as long as you get it done soon enough. Shrug.
Thank you, both of you.