rheya19

What do you need it for? Yourself? A friend? Brushing up on some history, theology, or ...? If you want a world religion's book, look up Living Religions by Fisher and Reinhart. That's probably the best world religion's textbook. I teach with it, and it gives a well-rounded overview of all the religions you mentioned.

My husband is a PhD student now, and he helped sort out applications last year. He said he saw a lot of applications missing transcripts or letters of recommendation. They still consider them though, because the departments themselves want to hurry the admission's process along and get it all sorted.

My husband and I have been talking about this very thing. I'm nearing my expiration date, but we wouldn't want to get pregnant in my first year (which will hopefully be next year,) in which case we'd have to wait till I'm 37 to get pregnant. I'm not opposed to being an older mom, though, as my mom was, and I've known people who had kids during their PhDs, and it is hard but do-able. We've also talked about adoption, but I don't know how much income affects your ability to adopt, and we all know how much grad students make.

I'm 35, got my MA in religion in 2011, and am applying to PhD programs this year. My husband was at the same grad school I was, but he did a dual masters that took 4 years (mine took 2.) Then he got into a really good PhD program in an area of the country where I couldn't find programs in my field. I wasn't thrilled, but it was a great opportunity for him, and I needed a little time to think about what I wanted to do (career-wise and research-wise.) Now he's in his fourth year and has one to go, but I'm applying to PhD programs now. Wherever I get into (if I get into...), I'll go there this fall, and he'll follow me next year. So there has been a give and take. He was also willing to limit his internship search (he's in clinical psych and has to do a one year internship) to the area of the country I'll be in, which is a sacrifice for him, but that way we'll only have 9 months to a year apart instead of 2 years apart. I think we both made our decisions out of love and caring for each other, and not out of obligation or pressure from one another. We've both had to sacrifice, but the happiest couples I've known had their own separate lives in addition to their marriage. You have to find that balance between yourself and your relationship, and you have to let your partner be free to find that for themselves as well.

Onion rings

I forgot a transcript in one of my applications, and one of my referees forgot to send his letter of reference to another. >_< What's done is done, though. You just have to learn what you can, and move forward. Just breathe deeply and binge-watch some Netflix or something until the school decides.

I would say look for a job that makes you a more well-rounded applicant. I took a few years off between my BA and MA and taught ESL in Taiwan. It had nothing to do with my graduate research in early Christian studies, but it gave me some perspective on my career goals and made me stand out as an applicant. I've been told by other people that graduate programs actually really like students with interesting life experiences and backgrounds, so don't be afraid to branch out and try something different!

Here's a little game to help pass the time while we wait for our acceptance or poorly-made decision letters (not "rejection...") Did you have any cringe-worthy moments while applying to your schools? Call a professor the wrong name? Mention information that hurt your chances? Forget to change the name of the university on your statement? I have one: I emailed two professors at a certain school about my research interests in December. One got back to me and was friendly; the other did not. But from their faculty pages, they both looked like good fits. I wrote my statement for the program, outlining how both professors would be of great help to my research. I had read their stuff and made references to it. I actually felt really good about this application. I turned it in, and the next day I found out that... the silent professor had died. Over a year and a half ago. >_< I emailed the other professor right away, apologizing and explaining, but he was really cool about it luckily. He said that they had been meaning to take down this other guy's faculty page, and that it wouldn't impact my chances of getting in. I still feel like an a**hole, though.

I hear what you're saying, but I don't think releasing those numbers would help anyone. My husband is in a clinical psych PhD program at a very competitive school, and last year he and two classmates were asked to help sort through all the applications received, before the faculty even looked at them. He said that they didn't give GPA and GRE scores more than a glance. As long as they were in the ballpark, they would go ahead and look at the applicants research interests and decide from there. Some schools make big deal over GPA and GRE, and I've been told that some will even "inflate" their accepted applicants' average GRE and GPA for vanity's sake. But they just want to know that you're basically smart. I even got into U Chicago's MA in Divinity program with an undergrad GPA of 3.25. In short, I think releasing that information would be interesting, but ultimately not helpful. IMHO

You've shown them you could be a good fit and have the right background. Now show them your passion for the subject, clear vision for your place in the program (how you want to work with your professors and colleagues), and your ability to work well with others.

While I'm waiting for acceptances, I'll throw my hat in here. I applied to 10 PhD programs, focus on early Christian art. The programs include: Harvard, Princeton, Boston U, Notre Dame (one in Theology and one in Medieval Studies), USC (in the Art History department), UT-Austin, UBC, Iowa, and Indiana. No news from any of them yet. And if I can just vent with you all fine people for a moment: After spending around $1000 on the entire application process (from GRE test to Interfolio fees) and hours upon hours of my life researching programs and writing personal statements, I'd better get in somewhere. Holy crap! Even McDonald's School of Religion and Happy Meals! I don't care! This is basically how I'm handling the waiting game: . (And yes, I'm wearing that hair while I wait.)

When I applied and was accepted to UC's MA program (in 2009) I double-spaced the statement, though I don't think i filled up 5 pages. I don't an applicant needs to fill up the statement to the max just because they can. The most important thing is that you make your argument as a good fit and capable student.

Early Christian history, with a focus on art and ethnicity.

I applied to UBC as well. Nothing yet.