vanidyam

Going along with what other people are saying-- I'm pretty sure you're fine. I went to a school that has no grades/GPA, I have zero language experience, my GRE scores were embarrassing, and I'm going to HDS with full tuition this Fall. I guess my only advice is that you have good recommendations. I had really great relationships with several of my professors, and though I didn't see the recommendations, I can only imagine they were pretty great and really, really helpful.

Though this is coming from the opposite end of the spectrum, it might he helpful-- I attended Hampshire College for undergrad, which is a radically liberal school-- we don't have grades (narrative evaluations instead), tests, or GPAs, and we pretty much don't have any required classes. It's a good school and all, but it's a little out there. This worried me a bit regarding the biggies like Harvard, Yale, and Duke taking me seriously. In the end, I did well at Hamp, had some pretty great evaluations, plus really great recommendations. In fact, I had recs from alums of each of the school mentioned above. And Hampshire, being such a writing-intensive school, really helped me with the essays. As you can see by my signature on this thing, I ended up doing pretty well. Only got rejected from Yale, got waitlisted from Duke, and I got into Harvard with full tuition. I applied for the MDiv program for all the schools, so that might make a different regarding acceptance rates with MTS applicants and whatnot, but the bottom line is-- don't rule out any school, no matter how fancy the name! you never know what they're looking for! If you did well in undergrad, if you write some good essays, and if you have good recommendations, you have a great chance.

I like your advice... I'm most interested in German, as most of my favorite theologians are 19th-century German guys. Also because I've always regretted taking French instead of German in high school. Ha. I think I'll really have to wait to talk to profs at Harvard, see what they suggest for an MDiv there... While I want to take German, Latin or Greek could perhaps make more sense.... You're definitely right-- when I enjoy something, I'm much happier and much more motivated... Thanks!

Okay, so I'll be attending HDS this Fall, and I'm so excited... except for one thing... the language requirement. I haven't taken a language since my junior year in high school, and that was French. (I'm 23). Plus, in high school, I was not very good at languages... and my undergrad school was a make-your-own-major-and-take-any-class-you-want kind of college. I'll be an MDiv student-- does anyone have an advice on maybe, what language to take? You don't have to be attending Harvard to answer my question-- I'm pretty much just asking for any general language advice for MDiv students... I'm assuming Latin would probably be on the easier side... also, if anyone thinks that some kind of Summer program might be vital for someone in my predicament... Advice would be very helpful!

<br><br>I'm from the Boston area, and my suggestions would be to type in "davis," or "somerville." I plan on living in that area-- it's only a couple T stops from Harvard, right on the Red Line, and less expensive than places directly in Cambridge... plus, Davis Sq. is a really cool area. I also have friends who live in Lower Allston. It's not as convenient because it's not that close to a subway stop, but it's about a 15-20 minute walk from Harvard, and the 66 Bus can get you there no problem... though the buses don't exactly go by their schedule. Oh well. This area is the cheapest I know of while being pretty close to Harvard. My friends pay something like... in the mid 400's... <br> Do with that what you will!

Edit-- I was able to switch my plane ticket! I WILL be able to attend! Just won't be able to stay for the community tea, as my plane Tuesday leaves at 6:30. C'est la vie. But hoorah! Excited to meet future fellow HDS students! (I'll be an MDiv student, by the way).

Ahhh, I'm gonna try to make it-- I have a flight scheduled to go to Atlanta for Emory's MDiv students day this week, but I'm gonna try to switch my flight to Boston for Harvard's open house... Guess I should've had more faith in my chances of getting into Harvard before booking my flight to Atlanta. I can't take the time off of work to go to both! What a dilemma. Hopefully I'll be there!

I got into Harvard's MDiv with full tuition!!!!!! Everything's great!

I feel that... I got flat out rejected! Waiting on the decision from Harvard seems futile at this point. Oh well. Good luck to you, who knows what Harvard's looking for this year?...

Yale's decisions are on the website early!... And I just got rejected. Oh well... one step closer to Emory, I suppose. Good luck to the rest of you!

I got a letter. I couldn't find a date for when decisions would be made on the website, so I emailed admissions last Monday (Feb 20-something) specifying that I applied for the MDiv program, and wondering when I would receive a decision and I got the answer "We should be sending out decisions in the mail this week." Sure enough, a week later, I got the waitlist letter... so maybe it is an MDiv vs. MTS thing? Hm.

Just found out I got waitlisted at Duke. It's cool though-- was planning on choosing Emory/Candler over Duke anyway. (I got into Emory/Candler-- my stats are in some other comment above). My concern now though, is... does this mean that I can pretty much rule Yale and Harvard out? Or is it one of those things where it just depends what schools are looking for at the time? I have recommendations from alums of both those schools, so that can't hurt either... Either way, I know I'm at LEAST going to Candler School of Theology so life so good!

So far I've been accepted to Iliff School of Theology and Candler School of Theology (yay!) Still waiting to hear from Episcopal, Duke, Harvard, and Yale... ...applied for the MDiv programs for all.

I only took the GREs for Harvard (I'm a TERRIBLE test-taker) and that was the only school I submitted my scores to... they were dismal. I didn't submit my scores to any other schools-- I'm still waiting to hear from Harvard, Yale, Duke, and Episcopal... BUT I've been accepted to Iliff School of Theology and Candler School of Theology. However... I did major in religion in college... My college had no grades/GPA though, so despite the lack of statistics to show, I opted to not submit my scores... I still wouldn't have taken them in Harvard didn't require it. That's my experience.