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Thanks so much! Congratulations to you, too.

@_Ariadne_, congrats on your acceptances.  I was also accepted to YDS for an MARc in Bible, and I am currently planning on attending.
Does anyone know how important it is to get a campus job that suits one's PhD plans?  For example, should I be trying to get a research assistant position or something along those lines (if even available), rather than a normal library or "work-study" position?  I am wondering what most people who got into top PhD programs did for on-campus work while they were master's students.  

I feel similarly about goals in this field, but I'm currently struggling with trying to find the right program fit that will make achieving those goals a good experience rather than a soul-sucking one.  What do you like about Brown's program?  I visited Brown for a mini conference, and I was surprised that I didn't really feel comfortable with the culture there.
MstarTheology's input is interesting to me, because I was unable to visit any preview days for any of the grad schools I applied to, so  I didn't get the sense for community quite like that.  But I imagine that most professors wouldn't mind meeting or email communicating with you, and that might be a good way to get familiar with YDS.
I also think it's good you're in this for the intrinsic value.  It's far too easy (especially at places like Yale) to get swept up in the intensity of the career path (listening to a talk about tenure-track professorships in Hebrew Bible was a very stressful day for me) and demands of academia in the field.  So don't stress too much, you'll find the right place for you, and sometimes the right place helps you in ways you don't expect, that might not show up on paper. It's not just a numbers game.  When you're in it for intrinsic value, you have to be at a place where the culture fosters what you feel and supports the ways you want to pursue it, which is why I'm having such a hard time narrowing down my choices for apps this fall. 

Can I ask what school you plan on attending for your doctorate?

I would also highly recommend looking into University of Chicago's M.A. in the Divinity school or the M.A. in Middle Eastern studies; both will provide excellent preparation for PhD applications at top-tier schools.

I'm not sure how the funding for the Div school M.A. works, but I know that the degree in Middle Eastern studies typically gives out half-tuition scholarships for the first year with full-tuition scholarships the second year depending on first year GPA (3.5). If you have any questions about UChicago let me know!

I'm starting my MDiv at YDS this fall, which probably requires a different approach. Even so, I wanted to point out one thing about YDS that I noticed at all the admissions events I attended, including the fall open house last November. They very strongly emphasized community in all of the presentations. As long as you're qualified to attend, they also really need to see that you will be a contributing member of the community. They want the YDS community to be something you're actively seeking (not just that you want to study with J. Baden). And they want to know how you anticipate that community contributing to your studies.
It seems like your credentials are certainly enough to prevent you from being disqualified. As other commenters have said, you sound perfectly qualified based on what you said. I would urge you to use your personal statement and letters of recommendation to make it very clear how studying at YDS fits into your long term goals -- not just academically but also in terms of your development as an actor in the wider world.
If you can, I highly recommend attending the fall open houses for both HDS and YDS. They put a ton of work into those events, and it's much more helpful than just a visit to the school to sit in on classes or visit a professor.

I believe John Collins usually sits on the board of admissions at YDS, though last year it was Joel Baden.  I'm not sure exactly what the criteria is for getting into YDS, or what the exact connection is between faculty and applications, but I assume there is a great deal of emphasis on your statement of purpose and  writing sample.  I was accepted to YDS for a concentrated MAR with a BA from a small, private, liberal arts college with a degree in biblical studies.  When I applied I had 2 years Spanish/1 year Koine/2 years Biblical Hebrew and a graduated with honors.  I also took a year off between BA and MA.  YDS does not take GRE scores for the Master's level, so I spent most of my time conveying why I wanted to be there, why I cared about studying in this field, and which professor's work I was most interested in.  I also chose a writing sample from my Biblical Hebrew term paper.  I also listed every potentially relevant thing on my CV (which looking back was probably overkill), but that at least conveyed where my main interests were and what types of topics I was pursuing.
Also, what is your end goal, if you don't mind my asking?
 Hope that helps some!

I think it should be built in to the Mac keyboards that you can select - up at the top of the screen where you see that little American flag, you should be able to select "ABC/US Extended" keyboard.  In the drop-down menu, you should also be able to show the "keyboard viewer," which if you press the option key, should show all the transliteration symbols you need.  I use it mostly for Middle Egyptian, but I think the symbols are mostly the same š, ẖ, ḥ, ā, etc.  This way it also puts it in via unicode, which should be portable and won't require installing other fonts.

I think this is a great point, because its something I struggle with also. There are plenty of avenues to publish now-a-days (small, overseas, vanity presses, independent), but its a matter of getting your work respected by the people/audience that matters.
 
Whether or not I pursue a PhD in Hebrew Bible won't be the end of my study. I will still read books and articles, attend talks, and write to some capacity on the subject. But my contribution will be limited without that credential. Not having a PhD does not make us any less "worthy" as human beings, but it does impact our status as academics.

@AbrasaxEos thanks for your posts in this thread.  You bring up some sobering points that are important to think through, even if they aren't the most hope-filled.
After getting rejected from every PhD program I applied to, I am pretty convinced that I am going to end the academic journey here with a masters and start looking for a job outside of academia  / professorship.  What will bother me is that if I ever wanted to write and publish a book, not having a PhD in the field will probably limit that opportunity significantly, or at least the reach of it.  I guess my only hesitation then is: what if you are the person with the knowledge and drive to create new, important research in a specific area, yet you lack the credentials for the audience to receive it and/or for it to be implemented in the places that it should (for example, you propose a new, well-researched interpretation of the Trinity based on biblical and extra biblical sources, but it never finds its way into academic discussion or curricula because you are not qualified to introduce such a method).
I don't want to get up and speak in front of an audience at a Biblical Studies conference someday (or even a Church conference) unless I have the terminal degree in the field, as I just won't feel comfortable or qualified.  Or maybe that's just pride.  I don't really know.  

@AbrasaxEos thanks for your posts in this thread.  You bring up some sobering points that are important to think through, even if they aren't the most hope-filled.
After getting rejected from every PhD program I applied to, I am pretty convinced that I am going to end the academic journey here with a masters and start looking for a job outside of academia  / professorship.  What will bother me is that if I ever wanted to write and publish a book, not having a PhD in the field will probably limit that opportunity significantly, or at least the reach of it.  I guess my only hesitation then is: what if you are the person with the knowledge and drive to create new, important research in a specific area, yet you lack the credentials for the audience to receive it and/or for it to be implemented in the places that it should (for example, you propose a new, well-researched interpretation of the Trinity based on biblical and extra biblical sources, but it never finds its way into academic discussion or curricula because you are not qualified to introduce such a method).
I don't want to get up and speak in front of an audience at a Biblical Studies conference someday (or even a Church conference) unless I have the terminal degree in the field, as I just won't feel comfortable or qualified.  Or maybe that's just pride.  I don't really know.  

Hello,
 
I am considering switching my academic path and applying to Economics PhD programs instead of (or in addition to) Religion PhD programs.  I have a B.A. in Economics from an average state school with a pretty good GPA (3.64) and am finishing an M.A. in Biblical Studies from a good private college this spring with a projected high GPA (3.8+).  
 
Does anyone have any ideas what admissions committees at Econ programs will think about someone with an Economics B.A. and Religion M.A?  I know Econ MA's aren't typically required to get into the PhD program.  Having a Religion M.A. might even make me an interesting applicant given that economics has somewhat of a history in religious thought, but I don't really know.  My GRE scores are currently low (50th percentile low) but I will be retaking them before the coming application season.  
 
My reason for the potential switch is that the path to a Religion PhD is longer (sometimes requires two M.A.'s to even get accepted), the professor pay is lower (roughly $30,000 less) and the job openings are much slimmer.  I like both subjects, admittedly religion a lot more, but I figure that I could always teach a religion undergrad course with a Econ PhD at my future school of employment (one professor I know does this), whereas I couldn't do the reverse with a Religion PhD.  The abstract nature of teaching religion also seems tougher to prepare lessons someday (essentially pure lecture) whereas drawing graphs, putting formulas on the board, etc could be much easier do.  Any advice would be appreciated.