[2020 Religion Application Thread]

On 3/11/2020 at 11:54 AM, xypathos said:

I don't think it'll have any negative impact on your success and reception at the school. Faculty know full well that it's a two-way street when it comes to fit. Given the state of the job market it's absolutely imperative on your part to land at a school that will position you for success.

@xypathosThank you very much for your answers..!

[2020 Religion Application Thread]

17 hours ago, xypathos said:

You can of course ask for an extension to make a decision but they're under no obligation to offer it. On the bright side - they're not going to rescind the offer for asking but they're going to know that you're hoping for a better offer/location/school

@xypathos, If, at the end of the day, I choose this school, will it impact my future study? Or this is "a normal situation" when one prospective student reviewing multiple offers (even a waitlisted one) that come to his/her desk?

@NTGal, well-advised! Thank you very much.. 

[2020 Religion Application Thread]

Does anyone have an information about the deadline for waitlisted (in general)? I mean, at this point I got one acceptance (Phd in theology with confirmation deadline is April 1st) and still waitlisted in three others programs. Should I bother to wait and perharps push it until one day before the confirmation deadline since it's worth to try or just relieve myself from this anxiety?

I know, it is a silly questions.

[2020 Religion Application Thread]

2 hours ago, NTGal said:

@bonhoeffer80 the original commenter's reply "The comment was specifically addressing a person who applied to 5 M.Div programs and does not apply to other M* programs or Ph.D" is essentially the answer. The MDiv is a ministerial degree, which is why ministry experience would look good on an application. Since the MA and PhD are academic degrees, ministry experience won't make a difference...for university programs you would obviously not want to include them at all, but for seminaries it wouldn't hurt. They won't help you get into academic degrees (i.e. it won't compensate for an academic lack), but for seminaries that care about ecclesial ministry it could help you stand out among academic equals (e.g., in a group whose GRE/GPA are similar, it MIGHT give you a slight edge). 

@NTGal Thank you for the explanation. 

[2020 Religion Application Thread]

2 hours ago, kenshiro said:

The comment was specifically addressing a person who applied to 5 M.Div programs and does not apply to other M* programs or Ph.D.

Actually, I try to expand the conversation into a broader sense, in this case Ph.D application and in various type of schools (liberals, Catholic, seminaries). So sorry if it doesn't come out correctly.

[2020 Religion Application Thread]

On 1/11/2020 at 8:05 AM, Averroes MD said:

Your ministerial experience should put you over the top

HI @Averroes MD, would you mind help me walk through this part of your sentence?

As far as I know, in the more liberal school - I don't whether this is an appropriate title for them - such as Harvard, Yale, Duke, and Emory the ministerial experience is not their primary indicator compare to GPA, LORs, writing samples, personal statements, etc. Especially for PhD application. Maybe it will tell a different story in divinity schools or seminaries. Please correct if I'm wrong.

And how about in the catholic school such as BC, Villanova, Fordham? Does ministerial experience from protestant church tradition will play an advantage?

 

Thank you. 

[PhD Applications Fall '18 Season]

8 hours ago, y00nsk said:

In terms of journal publications, it depends where you’ve published. If you’ve published in smaller denominational journals, it won’t help you (and may hurt you). On the other hand, a publication in a top-tier journal will of course work in your favor.

1

very interesting... would you help give me one example of this "smaller denominational journals"? I hope it's not prohibited to mention it here. And how bad it would hurt me?  

For this "top-tier journal", based on what criteria? Cause I try to publish in a journal that has a good H-index (min 3) and total cites (min 16). Or is there any other criteria that need my attention?

I hope I'm not bothering you with my silly questions... 

Thank you so much for your help.

[PhD Applications Fall '18 Season]

On 10/17/2017 at 7:51 PM, Rabbit Run said:

I have a friend studying with Dorrien who speaks very highly of him. Dorrien's work is expansive and quite good. I'm sure he's busy, but I'm sure Cruz is also.

If Dorrien and Cruz (and others) share some of your research interests and you would like to work with them, then mention that in your statement. The people you want to work with (especially those who you aren't planning on having as your advisor) don't have to line up exactly with your interests. You want people who can help you develop as a scholar, that involves people working close enough to your interests (which it sounds like Cruz and Dorrien both do) who are also able to push you in new directions through the interests they have which you don't necessarily share. So I wouldn't see the areas that Cruz is interested in the you aren't exactly as an issue. You can figure out which of the two will be your dissertation advisor during coursework and comprehensive exams, you don't have to nail it down right now.

1

My only concern that he will place me in the "second-option" due to the different interest.

But I think its a really good point you have over there. Thanks for sharing your thought

21 hours ago, xypathos said:

Here's what I can add regarding UTS from Dorrien himself. Granted, it's much more about the application process itself and the competitiveness.

UTS accepts one student per field. So, that roughly breaks down as such: one student for Bible, one for History, one for Theology and Ethics, one for Interreligious, and then one for Practical.

In reality though, sometimes History and/or Interreligious get rolled into another subfield depending on the strength of that year's applicant pool.

Theology and Ethics is their most competitive field, receiving several hundred applications. From there the field is reduced to about 30-40 serious applicants and then faculty begin their case of advocating for their specific student(s). Ultimately, one student is chosen for the entire field.

In rare cases where a student is awarded a multiyear fellowship, such as the Episcopal Fellowship - this frees up a spot and they'll accept a second student in that original student's field.

ahhh.. it's like an inside job... LOL..

Thank for sharing... It's a very valuable information for me.

From your perspective and knowledge, how far is peer-reviewed journal publication will influence the decision? Until now, I've published 2 articles in a peer-reviewed journal and one book chapter also in an international research series. I'm hoping can add maybe 2 more in upcoming years. I realized that as an international student, I'm lack of an influential letter of recommendation and first-tier university degree. Plus, I'm not planning to take another MA or M.Th. in U.S. due to my financial issue.

 

[PhD Applications Fall '18 Season]

On 10/10/2017 at 6:10 PM, Rabbit Run said:

If you were at PTS with those interests then your committee would naturally include Day, Bowlin and Gregory. I'd also look at Mark Lewis Taylor, who does a lot with religion and society/postcolonial stuff.

Hope this helps

Rabbit Run, thanks a lot!

 

other question, if I may. How about UTS? Do you have information regarding Samuel Cruz or Gary Dorrien? Dorrien has very extensive writing in politics and theology which I think intersects with my interests too. Although I can only imagine how busy he is.

on other hands, Cruz project about public theology, faith in the city, and black theology quite interesting although I'm afraid I cannot talk a lot about these topics since its "US things" which quite different with my context. 

Thanks for your help!

[PhD Applications Fall '18 Season]

5 hours ago, Rabbit Run said:

If you were at PTS with those interests then your committee would naturally include Day, Bowlin and Gregory. I'd also look at Mark Lewis Taylor, who does a lot with religion and society/postcolonial stuff.

Hope this helps

oo so it's the whole package then.

Thanks a lot 

 

[Questions about PhD requirements.]

Thanks for the explanation xyphatos.

Although I''m not pretty sure how to react, I think I'll try to contact some potential prof to discuss my opportunity. finger crossed...

But how about seminaries like PTS and UTS? Same case?
 

[PhD Applications Fall '18 Season]

Hello,

Does anyone have an opinion on Keri day from PTS compare with Eric Gregory and John Bowlin? My interest is constructive public theology, religion and society, ethics, and postcolonial reading.

Thanks

[Questions about PhD requirements.]

Hello

Is it true that when you want to apply PhD program at first tier school (yale, hds, uc, bu, bc, etc) it will have a better opportunity when you have an MA or MATS or equivalent degree from another university in US? Or even from their own magister graduate student..?

I'm an international student from South East Asia and some of my friends keep telling me that. 

Thanks in advance.