classicsgirl

Hi, I did an MA at Chicago, and they usually give about 50% funding to their master's students. That's ALL sub-fields, so if you get in, you should get about 50%. The year I entered, the cost was nearly $40,000. I did some coursework in RLit, and there wasn't too much theory involved (take that with a grain of salt though, I'm not an RLit person). Might I also advise the following: If you get into the AMRS program and are considering PHD work, you might want to try to transfer into the AM program. It's a two year program, but you'll be able to do more RLIT work because you have so many intro sections to do in the first year. Depending on the type of theory you want to integrate (critical race, feminist, postcolonial), you might find Harvard a better fit. I hope that helps a bit.

ok, i went to both chicago and vanderbilt at the graduate level, so i think i speak with a bit of authority when i say that neither chicago nor vanderbilt has a cap on their GRE score. i know someone who's at chicago pushing a 1240 (640 V/600Q) and someone at vanderbilt with something in the neighborhood of a 1200 (don't know the specific scores). i can also speak on emory. i know a student who got an interview in New Testament with a 1220, and a student with a 1400+ and higher GPA who did not get an interview. what made the difference? the 1220 student's interests were more compelling to the committee. your GRE score will NEVER make your application. they can break it though; but yours are high enough to preclude that from happening. in short, your scores are EXCELLENT, well in range of good funding opportunity, and you don't need to take them over again unless you really want to. for NT, i'd be more worried about Greek facility and articulating a solid research agenda and methodology. we're all pretty damn sharp at this stage. your application is more about fit than it is competence.

hi, here's my 2 cents: i'm a non-christian, and interestingly enough, i study new testament. i've been to three different institutions in which the intensity of discomfort varied from no discomfort at all (uchicago) to an acute awareness of my distinctly non-christian status (vanderbilt). i think the most honest advice i can give is that in america, you'll continually be reminded of the fact that you're not christian. nevertheless, i think that most schools (liberty, oral roberts, and similar exceptions notwithstanding) rather dig having a non-christian around. even at the uber-protestant vanderbilt, most of my discomfort originated from the fact that my colleagues were all aware of my non-christian religious affiliation, and therefore expected me to give a general "hindu" opinion on a number of christian theological precepts and the like. on the whole, they never tried to alienate me intentionally, but rather, they were fascinated and curious. i found plenty of people to hang with after class, and never had a problem with my social life. i will say that i felt rather tokenized by the administration though (even at such a liberal institution). they liked having a non-christian student in religion, but they never gave much thought to my concerns on a deeper, philosophical level. at uchicago, i felt no such discomfort from either administration or students. frankly, they didn't care about anything other than my intellect (or lack thereof). in short, different student bodies care about different things. also, if you're not in religion, you might not be confronted with others' (and your own) religious affiliations so much. i don't suspect your vector algebra class will care if you believe that jesus christ is your lord and personal savior.