vineyard_guy111

It certainly seems like PTS and YDS are great fits for what you're leaning towards. You are correct in that PTS emphasizes the MDiv over other masters. They're pretty vocal about that and typically phrase that their PhD and MDiv are inter-related. PTS "advertises" that they are for the formation of Christian leaders, with a little under 50% of graduates going on to church ministry. About 25% go on to further study. Funding is also fantastic... Second what @JDD said about decolonalist/womanist studies.

Hi Nanachi, It is my understanding that many schools will take your academic work at another institution into consideration when looking to transfer. For example, I wasn't accepted into YDS this time around but was invited to reapply after beginning coursework at Princeton Seminary. I'd recommend you start dialoguing with admissions counselors at all of the schools you're considering ASAP. Visit the schools and make yourself known. Personal visits are often taken into admissions considerations as well.

Thank you all for the advice. There is some truly great insight here. I ended up choosing PTS for a variety of reasons. Although not the deciding factor, what @sacklunch said below is something that has been rattling around in my mind for the past 18 months. Either way, I really enjoyed visiting both schools and the debt vs. no debt factor kept coming up. I'm leaving a great job with full benefits, vacation, etc. for this. If I can be well prepared for church work, the a PhD program, and graduate with little to no debt, it seems like the way to go.

I've been accepted into PTS and Duke Divinity. I'm pretty familiar with the theological framework of each institution, and what kind of quality of life I'd expect in each city. I've also received an 80% tuition scholarship and grant from PTS and 33-25% tuition grant from Duke. The standard need-based stuff from each school. My question here is: will either school do a better job preparing (perhaps qualifying) me for eventual PhD work in theology? I'm still figuring out what I'd like to do my PhD in but it would likely would be in theology (creation, anthropology, or eschatology) or early church history. I have an interdisciplinary interest in AI and music as well. The main thing that's holding me up now is that the PTS degree won't be coming from Princeton University, whereas the Duke Divinity degree will. I'm not sure that makes difference in the long run, but that's where my head is at. Any insight would be helpful!