Phenomenologist

I received my letter of acceptance to Princeton's MDiv on 3/7, and the letter within was dated 3/1. It was probably in my mailbox a couple days before I checked the mail, because it was the weekend.

Hey all, I don't know about you, but searching the past years' info on the "Results" tab for 2010 and 2009 was incredibly useful for me this application season. So, I just want to remind everyone to please submit your results, whether acceptance or rejection. It'll help the grad students of the future such as ourselves!!

For me, Princeton's offer got kicked to the curb by my Yale offer (see sig.). So, I'm just waiting to hear back from Duke on funding, then I'll decide between Duke and Yale. Yale: only 2 years long, better curriculum, better scholarship, better school-name-recognition, expensive cost of living. Duke: better faculty, longer 3-year program, lower cost-of-living, better stipend (M.Div. paid internships), worse curriculum. I want to minister to evangelicals (even though I'm more left-of-evangelical), so I think if I have a degree from Yale, it could be more of a liability to my credibility to conservatives, than Duke would. If I do end up getting a good funding offer from Duke, it'll be an excruciatingly difficult choice to make. I prayed that God would both open doors and close doors, to make the decision easier, so we'll see .

I'm curious how competitive or not competitive the MAR concentration in philosophical theology is in particular...

I have a friend (not on these boards) who got accepted at the Duke MTS today via phone, but "waitlisted" on funding (nominated for funding, but on a "list"). What's more annoying to me is that the MDiv students, who got feedback on acceptance TWO weeks ago, still haven't heard back on scholarship info!!!

+1

Wow, Rajiv, thanks for that outstanding information! I also can add a wee bit: This year YDS received 550 applications, and 42% were accepted. Rajiv, thanks for that fascinating information! The concentrated MAR applications going to the particular faculty is an especially helpful insight.

Same here!! When I saw how many of us applied to Yale, and how incredible everyone's stats were, I had no hope to get into Yale -- I was instead banking on Duke and Princeton. Godspeed, everyone. I'm waiting to hear back on funding from Duke before I accept the Yale offer, but I hope Yale works out and I may meet you this Fall!

Does anyone know (1) how many people apply to Yale Div for the MDiv and MAR programs, and (2) how many people are accepted out of that number who apply? For example, as I understand it, about 100 people apply to Duke's MTS program, and about 300-400 people apply to the MDiv program at Duke. Of those who apply, 50 are admitted into the MTS, and 150 into the MDiv. Any insight on these numbers for Yale Div?

I see, I think I understand your position. You're not knocking affirmative action, you're just knocking people for doing it but yet saying they DON'T do it, is that right? Yes, I think I may agree with you there. Anyway, I don't mean to be combative -- I am genuinely sympathetic with your scenario. I am married with children, myself, and I often get frustrated at competing with young, single liberal-arts folks who can ace the GRE, while I haven't taken a math class in like 10 years.

Congratulations!!! Very competitive program, only 4 full-rides available among 50 admitted students!!

If HDS uses affirmative action to admit students to a degree (which surely is true to a degree, but we don't know to what degree), we shouldn't rag on them for that. In fact, I'm taking a sociology class right now that is exclusively on "diversity and inequality" in the U.S. After this class, I'm convinced that no amount of affirmative action is "too much" to compensate for the systemic injustices perpetrated against minorities in the past in the U.S., particularly against black Americans. (No, I'm not black.) But honestly, I think that it would be completely appropriate if all black people just got a free-ride to college, since they're parents and grandparents were systematically denied veterans' benefits from wars, housing subsidies in the suburban boom, etc. (Only temporarily, for like a generation or so.) But seriously, the equity gap between whites and minorities is staggering, and it's not because whites "work harder." Arguably, the opposite is true -- minorities are forced into jobs that are "harder work," but they are wage-slaves. Anyway, I'm genuinely sympathetic with your crappy application season -- that sucks a lot. But let's not knock affirmative action. Yes, it sucks that minorities get in instead of white people simple because they're minorities. However, whites have a "social location" of wealth and lifestyle where they can go to college generally, while minorities often cannot, generally. This is painting with broad brush-strokes, but affirmative action is far from complete.

Has anyone heard back on funding from Duke Div yet? It's been a long time and still no word. I was accepted back on 2/25, and they said they would know scholarship allocations "next week" at that time. But it's now been two full weeks.

Sheesh. I come from the evangelical tribe, but I always knew I had drifted... (See signature of schools applied to =). I might add another category: Young, Restless & Reformed: 1. Southern Baptist Theological Seminary 2. Westminster Theological Seminary / Westminster Seminary, California 3. Gordon-Conwell 4. Trinity Evangelical Divinity School 5. Reformed Theological Seminary

Sample size -- I think this is a crucial point.

That. is. insane.

Great stats! I also am a philosophy/religion combo, and studied in the UK as well as US. I think you're precisely right about "fit." I think that's why I got offered the Marquand Scholar position at Yale, because even as I was writing my statement of purpose, I was thinking how my interests are in absolute perfect alignment with that program. Notre Dame is one of my top schools I'd love to study at for PhD, too -- congrats big-time .

Outstanding! Do you mind sharing your stats?

Holy crap!! ND is the best school ever, congratulations!! What degree/program?

Bummer we might not see each other at Yale, but congrats on the amazing HDS offer! Thanks a bunch! I have to say that I am genuinely floored at getting this scholarship. I was expecting *some* tuition scholarship, like 50-75%, but I was fully expecting *not* to receive the "big one." So this is stunning. Congrats! Did you win an MDiv Marquand scholarship, or MAR? There's three MDivs, and three MAR's.

Just reading through the thread -- sorry to the fellow applicants with HDS and YDS. I can actually sympathize a bit -- I'm married with two kids already, so I have been kinda bankin' on these as well. Godspeed, keep us posted. LibTheologian, are you going to HDS instead of YDS, with the funding? We could potentially meet this Fall! Congrats to the Notre Dame MTS admitted folks, as well!!

Woohoo! Sorry for my absence, I finally got through to Yale --I got one of Yale's "Marquand Scholars" slots! Full-tuition, plus $5k stipend annually. They called all the Marquand recipients today, but not general acceptances and scholarships/financial-aid until Monday. So, if you applied to Yale, and didn't get a phonecall today, don't fret! There's more to come! Woohoo! I'm still going to wait and hear on a scholarship from Duke before I make a final decision, but this kicks Princeton to the curb for me for sure.

Just for everyone's info, I missed their call at 2:15pm and my last name begins with an 'R' (if they're calling alphabetically). Melissa told my wife that she has "a couple things to follow up with me with." Still cant get through.

Dammit! Yale called my phone, and I was at class! My wife answered and I'm trying to call back, but can't get through.

Wow, very helpful info for all the HDS applicants! Tell your buddy to (1) call Yale, and see if they'll post today, and (2) call Duke Div, and ask if they've awarded scholarships yet