Kunarion

Hi folks! In Spring 2020, I'll finish my MDiv at Yale. I'm in the ordination process for a mainline denomination and also hoping to pursue a PhD in New Testament. Something I'm confused about, because I have been advised variously: am I ready to apply to competitive NT programs that would start fall 2020? Or do I need to do an extra year with the STM at YDS before applying to PhD? My assets: Nearly perfect grades at YDS GRE scores: 99th percentile Verbal, 85th percentile Analytical Strong recommendation letters Strong NT exegesis writing sample Presenting at AAR 2019 this November Research assistant experience this year Maybe related: working on publishing a paper with the help of a respected faculty member, though this will likely not be published before applications are due. Potential downfalls: I have two years of Koine and will do a Greek exegesis course next year, so hopefully that will be enough. But I don't have any Hebrew yet and won't be able to do that this coming year (I could do that Summer 2020, though). I also haven't studied Classical Greek at all. I don't have any modern languages yet, other than Spanish, which is not particularly relevant to my field of study. The NT department has been in flux since I got to YDS, so I don't know faculty as well as I would after the STM. My undergraduate grades are uneven due to personal issues I was having then (10 years ago). I'm hoping my grades at YDS show the high caliber of work I'm capable of now. Language preparation is primary in NT, and I've gotten mixed messages about how much is "enough." I'm interested especially in studying the historical critical method and postmodern methods like feminist and postcolonial critique. Would love to stay at Yale if possible, and I'm trying to determine which other programs would be best for me. Hoping to become a professor and be an ordained minister on the side. Many of you have such great experience and wisdom in this area. Any thoughts for how to approach these questions?

I took intensive Greek at YDS last summer and paid about that much for tuition (6 week course, met daily for 4 hours, equated a full year of Koine). The listed tuition is higher, but if you're a YDS student, your regular financial aid package applies to summer courses, as well.

At YDS, there is a possible third year option for the MAR. This is usually for students who haven't gotten into the programs they wanted in their second year and want to get a little more work under their belts before applying again. That's much more common than someone going from MAR to STM. You have to apply for that third year, but no one I know who applied this year got turned away.

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 will be at the admitted students day at YDS! Did you also apply to Berkeley, since you are considering ordination? I'm also potentially ordination-track with the Episcopal Church. Message me if you're going on April 5th, and we can meet up and share all the anecdotal advice we've been collecting.

Wowww!! Very exciting. Congratulations! Hard decisions ahead but a good problem to have.

I received mine today (Thursday) via email at 5:18pm.

I got my admission to Yale Div School's MDiv program yesterday, about which I am thrilled! But I found out today that I wasn't admitted to the Institute of Sacred Music program within YDS, about which I am slightly heartbroken. I'm not sure what else they could have been looking for in an applicant, and this program would have fully paid for my tuition. Regardless, YDS was the only program I ended up applying to, so I'm pretty smiley. Good luck to everyone still waiting! And I'm so sorry for those of you who have been getting bad news.

Thanks, @xypathos! YDS says, "Three letters of recommendation, two of which should address academic potential." And HDS says, "At least two of these letters should be solicited from college, university, or seminary professors who have taught you and are well-acquainted with your academic qualifications." But HDS goes on to say that MDiv students need a pastoral letter of recommendation (true of both schools and already submitted) AND that students with "extensive professional experience" may solicit a letter from a mentor or supervisor. If you can only submit three letters, doesn't that mean that you'd only have one academic letter? My work supervisor could certainly address my intelligence and work ethic, though she can't speak to my academic potential directly. My main concern is that, if I don't have two academic letters and that's what they really need, they will dismiss me as un-academic or something, regardless of the strength of the content of the three recommendations and the rest of my application.

Hi friends! I'm applying for MDiv programs at Harvard Divinity School (1/17 deadline) and Yale Divinity School (1/15 deadline). My pastoral recommendations are already submitted, and I'm making final changes to my SOP for one of my academic recommenders for Harvard, and then hers will be done. But my third letter, from another of my undergrad professors, is nowhere to be seen. We met at his home in November to discuss my plans and the various schools I was considering, and he agreed to write my letters and even look over my writing sample. He hasn't responded to my emails since December 16th (I've sent three), but we have had informal interactions on Facebook since then, mostly in the Religious Studies Fb group from my school. I sent him a Facebook message on Friday, and he read it but never responded. I know he has been traveling since the last semester ended, but this radio silence is freaking me out. What do I do?? I took three classes with him as an undergrad at a small liberal arts college, so he knows my work very well! Does he not want to write? Should I give him a deadline to get back to me? Should I be panicking? Because I am. I graduated from undergrad in May 2010, so I've had 7 years in the workforce, and I've been at my current job for 4 years. My boss is already writing me a recommendation for an auxiliary program at Yale. Should I have her write my third rec for YDS and HDS? Then I'd have one academic, one work, and one pastoral. Is that inferior to two academics and one pastoral? Any advice is much appreciated!

I agree that you will likely get in with your strong scores and so that schools can say they have a Confucian! Have you looked at the HDS and UChicago course catalogues? I would want to know if there were enough courses that I thought would help me toward my goals... and if those courses count toward requirements of the MDiv degree.

This thread is so helpful. Thank you all! I took it once and got: 169 V 163 Q 4.5 AW I was really disappointed by the writing score, since I thought I'd get at least a 5 based on the prep work I did. Instead of spending $200 and a lot of time to study and re-take, I will focus on honing my Statements of Purpose and writing samples.

Thanks so much for sharing your experience, @sacklunch! I finished my undergraduate studies 6 years ago, so it's difficult for me to understand/remember these nuances of academia, especially regarding the reputations of different schools, degrees, and courses of study. I really appreciate it!

Okay, this is very helpful. Thank you all so much! This makes a lot of sense to me. It seems, then, like the letters of the degree might not be as important as the flexibility of the degree and the rigor that I pursue within the range of that flexibility. If the degree affords me the opportunity to gain serious language experience and in-depth primary text analysis, and if I actually do those things between my requirements and my electives, then I will be as prepared for PhD study as I can be. Does that sound true?

Also, I haven't looked at Gordon-Conwell because I'm Episcopalian and theologically liberal. I know that they do languages very well. But if I take my theological and political beliefs into account, which many people have advised, I think studying at Gordon-Con would be untenable for me.