sktlab

Interviewed with PTS (systematic theology) this morning. Was the most challenging interview so far. Was also my favorite so far, fwiw.

Yale RST interview in theology on Friday

Update: Interview requests at Princeton Theological Seminary (theology) and Yale RLST (theology).

Claiming my first acceptance of the cycle! I received an offer from UVA, fully funded. I’m in IR (will update the results page when I’m on a desktop). 

Here to claim a UT Austin admit! 

UT Austin offer claimed. Just received an admission email from DGS!

I am claiming UT Austin as well. So happy.

Hot damn, that’s a nice image, especially knowing there was an interview on the other end. U of Chicago and a status update. Congrats!
 
I hope I’m prepared for mine and the potential rejections on the following page. T-T

That's a good question. It's the same portal you used to apply. You should see a checklist. If there's a status update, then you'll see it at the top of the page

Thank you! Those are all good questions, thanks for sharing.
To everyone on this forum, I hope you hear some good news soon as well.

Wow. This is new and amazing!
You probably already know that, but questions are normally something like: Why a PhD? Why PE? Why do you expect to get from a PhD? Who are you (as a person, researcher, scholar)? What is different in your research? Why this university/program? What would you bring to the program? Which challenges do you expect to face and how do you plan to overcome them? What questions do you have for us...

Hi guys, I've been watching this forum but didn't have anything to post until now. After reading @MIAMia237's post, I decided to check the U Chicago Political Economy portal. I got a status update asking for a 15 min interview the week of Jan 23. No email, had to check the portal directly.
Does anyone know what to expect? This will be my first interview (I also applied to Duke but haven't heard anything).

Welcome @sktlab
Being active here reduce a little the anxiety...
I hope cohorts are at least normal-sized and universities play a good game of coordination, offering admission for all of us ?

Hello, non poli-sci, but have been following this thread as it’s been fairly active. Also there with some of y’all, only silence thus far.. ?

I received an interview invite for the Duke ThD over the weekend. Very excited.

Hi, all. I completed master's degrees at Notre Dame and Yale, and am currently a PhD at UC Berkeley (so am familiar with the GTU) if anyone has questions about any of those places. Best of luck with everyone's apps this season. 

At the risk of sounding a tad bit generic, I would encourage you to relax and just be yourself in the interview. Many people make errors because they try too hard to be what they think the admission's committee wants them to be or to say what they think the admission's committee wants them to say. Remember, you are interviewing them too, so the power does not rest entirely with them. If you have ever watched the show Shark Tank, you know that once the entrepreneur has made a compelling case for their product the Sharks have to compete for the affection of the individual who came on the show. If you are at the interview stage, they are already interested in your "product" - this is an opportunity for them to buy into you as a person. Also, they have a reason to sell themselves too. If you let them think they did a compelling job at doing that, their perception of you will be higher (basic psychology - we like to be liked, and we like those who like us). 
@Almaqah Thwn is definitely on to something with his advice about brushing up on the details of the department's website, and I would add that it can help to have a few well-formulated questions to ask them about their program that is not immediately available on the website (it helps you sound interested - see the point above). It can also be a nice touch to send a very brief email thanking the professors for interviewing you, but do not make it desperate or forced. 

I'll throw a few tidbits out that may or may not be helpful.
Don't stress yourself over the small stuff. Pre-Zoom backgrounds, I took a Skype call for an interview to a place where I got accepted. Yet, the only private room for the call that I had was my childhood bedroom. My Skype test camera did not show my bed and dresser, yet I made sure my bed was neat and my dresser was clean beforehand. Lo and behold, the Skype camera expanded and included a larger view that I had not seen before. However, since it was neat, it ended up not being an issue and I just rolled with it.  If you had a good advisor look over your application, I wouldn't fret about having an ace in your sleeve or anything. You've probably already emphasized most of your best points already and I would think they're probably just looking for a further chance to discuss them (although, I could be wrong).  I'd recommend refamiliarizing yourself with the program (yet again). Go back over the website and their other public documents and make sure you're not confusing them with anyone. Also, this might remind you of some aspects of the program that are interesting but which you may have forgotten about because it wasn't directly relevant to your application. Additionally, if you do get in the program, it's great to know the student handbook when you get accepted because it might help you in a pinch (for instance, I was able to forego one class after noting it wasn't actually a requirement for my coursework). And most importantly, just don't make any personal faux paus. Part of the interview process is seeing how well an individual meshes with the program. If you come off as not a good fit or seem to have a bad personality, then that ends up hurting you. 

Thanks, everyone for sharing your stories!
I am especially grateful for the folks who are on their second, third, or nth round of apps.
It's my first round and it was so stressful taking 5 classes while working more than 20 hours a week PLUS submitting PhD apps!
I almost had a nervous breakdown!
Of course, if I don't get in, I'll apply again after I graduate next year. But after that, if I don't get in, I think I am done! So, kudos to those who keep trying!
Maybe I should keep trying too!
I just want to say congratulations to those who have submitted their apps. Now stop torturing yourself with how much better your grades should be, how much better your SOP should be, and how much better your writing sample should be! It's out of our control now! (I am telling myself the same thing too!)
Fingers crossed!
 

Thanks for making this! Congrats on finishing apps.
I'm entering my final semester of an MTS at Candler. Submitted religion apps in two different concentrations to 5 total schools (theology apps to Emory, Yale, and PTS, and AmRelHist apps to Princeton U and Northwestern).
I do have some research experience, but no thesis required for the MTS. Doing a portfolio instead.
Posted this in a different forum but I have an interview on the calendar at Emory. I'm a little nervous since I don't know what to expect.
Good luck to you all!

Hey friends! Best of luck to all of you!

My background: BTh in Europe, MTS at a school in TN, and ThM at Princeton Seminary. I had to write a thesis in my undergrad, so maybe that counts as research. Although it was optional for the ThM program, I also chose to write a thesis at Princeton. 
My focus is on the New Testament, and I applied to Yale, Duke, Emory, Boston, and Baylor. And I'm about to apply to UChicago.
Regardless of whether I'll get in or not, gosh it feels amazing to be (almost) done with the applications! I'm sure I'm not the only one who feels that way haha

??, sktlab,
 
I have written lots of research papers, but the MTS at HDS requires no thesis.
They use to have a MTS Research Seminar, but they did it away with it this year too! ?

I got into YDS!!!!

Accepted into Yale MAR (Comprehensive) with full tuition. Waitlisters rejoice, I'm going to Notre Dame.

Accepted to Yale's MDiv! Felt the anxiety in my bones as I checked.