rock34

The program I know best is the Toronto School of Theology's. It is diverse and very rich (not financially but in terms of the faculty, offerings, and context). The PhD is being retooled and should be launched for new admissions this year. It will be a lot the same as the older program, but more streamlined with some new features and requirements (and some older requirements eliminated--fewer courses and comps, but now some required courses and tighter time limits). It is said that the admissions standards also will be tighter, since there will be fewer new admissions each year. 24 is the stated total number, inclusive of all six colleges (St Michael's, Trinity, Emmanuel, Wycliffe, Knox, and Regis) and all four departments (Bible, Theology, History, and Pastoral).
 
Is your seminary ATS accredited? This is key, and will determine whether your degree qualifies. Assuming it is, your MDiv gpa should meet the requirement for TST admissions (depending on who else applies). But your undergrad gpa will be considered as well, as you would expect. TST doesn't require GRE scores. However, it does require a thesis or a major research paper. Language requirements are fluid, but generally two languages are required for all students and more in the biblical field. I'd work on German as well as the Biblical languages if NT is your field of specialization. If you don't have it mastered at the time of admissions you'll have to learn it and it can be a pain to do while also undertaking your regular course work. You can't move on to comps until all language requirements are met and the new TST standards have comps in the 4th semester. 
 
Funding can be a challenge for US students. Because most TST students are Canadian, who pay far lower tuition, the aid given is also lower than most Americans would hope for. Canadian students also often receive generous state funded grants that aren't available to int'l students. However, the colleges are working to improve this and most have a few packages that are attractive. But unlike some programs and universities it won't be equal for all students, ie, some students will get "full funding" and others won't.

Thank you all for your responses--each of them is very helpful!
 
Although I am concerned about how conservative my seminary is, I am more concerned that the only degree that I have is an MDiv. I presume that all of the other applicants have more advanced degrees, and that the applicants that do have only MDivs probably have exceptional credentials (e.g., higher GPA, near 99% GRE, publication(s), presentation(s) at SBL, stronger recommendations [or connections], etc.) that would make me look very ordinary. I looked briefly at various student bios at these types of institutions, and most of them seem to have a ThM. So I guess my main question is: is an MDiv enough to be a strong applicant for the top US NT PhD programs?
 
trinitymatthew - yes, it is ATS accredited. It is a legitimate institution, but its strong ideological conviction casts a shadow over scholarship, especially biblical studies.
 
diazalon - I think your distinction between writing sample and research paper is very helpful (but difficult for me to consistently apply!). I need to remind myself the scope of this sample, and how much I can cohesively fit within a ~20 page limit.
 
sacklunch - my focus would be on NT exegesis with a more theological perspective, which is probably more in line with places like Duke/Emory/Princeton, than places like Yale/Harvard/Chicago. My primary historical background would be from 2nd temple Judaism to early Christianity, but I'm also interested in the history of interpretation throughout the development of the church. My main strengths are my language abilities. Although I haven't acquired too many different languages, I am very confident in my ability to acquire new languages quickly and to integrate them into my research; I've been very comfortable and effective with the (limited) experience that I've had exegeting with Hebrew and Greek. Methodology would be determined by the genre of the passage, and the particular question that needs to be addressed. So I've incorporated some historical-critical methods in my research when applicable, but I personally enjoy a more literary and narrative approach. I'm pretty flexible and very open to learning about as many different approaches as possible, which is why I am drawn to a non-conservative institution (in fact, I am passionate about anything even remotely related to NT). I know, my interests are pretty plain and traditional, making me feel like I need to stand out somehow even more.
 
Your comments on questioning the wisdom of my topic are things that I've been mulling over throughout the summer. I'd love to share w/you more via a PM conversation if you are available.
 
newenglandshawn - thank you for empathizing with me! I just lifted up a prayer for you--I hope God grants you success in all of your efforts. Quick question: why have you waited for 2 years? More specifically, what do you think you concretely gained during these 2 years that is making you a stronger applicant? In hindsight, do you think it would've been better to have completed an MA or ThM during these past 2 years? The reason for my questions is that I've been debating on whether I should wait a year to solidify my applications (I probably won't be able to apply this year because I am too busy with my classes and family), or if I should enroll in a ThM program which I hope would strengthen my CV. If you are not comfortable answering these questions, then I completely understand. 

Apply. You never know what the applicant pool will look like, and where you came from has less to do with your admission than you might think. Students from conservative theological seminaries get into top programs every year, and some schools (like Yale, Baylor, Emory) are known for accepting evangelicals who want to do historically oriented work. What is relevant at even the most "secular" schools is not your theological background, but the quality of your work. They're gonna give you a fair shake, so do your best with the application and don't limit where you apply because you think they're going to judge your previous institution adversely. 
 
 
Regarding your writing sample - it is not a "research paper," where you are showing that you can read widely, but instead an opportunity to show that you are doing original research and moving the scholarly conversation forward. Interacting widely is important, but do not lose sight of the goal - making a contribution to the field, and creating new knowledge. 
 
The undergraduate GPA, however, is a factor at some schools. If you failed a course during your undergraduate, or otherwise underperformed, it can hurt your chances significantly. There is a lot of discussion about whether this should matter at institutions like Yale, for instance, and some professors disagree, but I can tell you one thing: it does. 

Your previous training may or may not be adequate depending on what you want to do in the PhD program. What sort of work are you interested in/plan on proposing within NT? Further, some programs have a big emphasis on philology, some on theory, and so on. To some your lack of classical Greek/Latin will be a red flag, for others it will not. The same goes with German and/or French (competitive applicants usually have one started before applying). I'm also not sure submitting a writing sample on something controversial, at least given your worries of being seen as too conservative, is the best idea. It works for plenty of people, but your comment that you are including positions from such a disparate number of areas may further indicate my hunch. You don't want to submit a paper that has positions represented from Methodists alongside "Judaism," unless your paper is about exactly that topic, that is, how Methodist and "Jewish" interpretations of X passage in the NT are significant because Y. Anyways, this is a difficult process and one you learn about by asking. Give us some more information on your proposed sample and area of interest. 
 
best

I'm not as qualified to speak to your questions as well as other people on this forum would be, but your background sounds almost exactly like mine, with a few differences. And I was asking the same questions two years ago. I still haven't applied yet though! But I am planning to do so this year.

I would just make a few observations though.

1. I definitely think your GRE scores are enough to get your foot in the door, which is I think mostly what GRE scores are intended to do. Beyond that, don't sweat it.

2. From what I understand, the single most important part of the application process is demonstrating that you fit in with any particular department or faculty member - usually demonstrated through your statement of purpose. A person might have the most impressive application, but if they can't demonstrate how their interests align with the department or its faculty, then the application won't get them anywhere. Conversely, if you have some deficiencies in other areas in your application but you can strongly demonstrate that you are a good fit with the program, then I think some of those deficiencies can be overcome.

To that end, I would ask you how much you have researched the various faculty at the programs you are interested in. I'm finding that this is a very extensive part of the process, and I'm going the extra mile in researching and trying to formulate a statement of purpose that clearly demonstrates that I would be a perfect fit at the various programs to which I'll be applying. It's not a magic bullet, but it's huge.

I hope this helps!