crossroadsph

Closing my time in applying by saying that I’m heading to Europe after Drew Theological School finally gave my application a boot. best wishes to everyone in their academic journey.

While I haven't heard from Drew where I am on the waiting list, I am now seriously considering KU Leuven in Belgium. This is because the university nominated me as one of 20 incoming students for the Flemish regional government Master Mind scholarship. I hope to get the scholarship, so I am currently working on uploading my documents for the scholarship program. Who knew that getting an Acrobat license would help me assemble a transcript portfolio? (Not an ad.) I think that devoting my energies to applying for this scholarship is better than anxiously waiting for the Drew outcome at the moment, though after I finish my application, there will be a wait to hear about the outcome--late May or early June is when it happens.

It's terrible. I even heard advice from a member of my country's legislature saying that I might be better off getting my shot abroad rather than here. I think, in Belgium, any resident can get a shot after June/July, and by "resident," any registered international student could get it. The only concern I do have is whether people will be required to get a shot even before leaving. Ah well...

The one reason keeping me from returning to the US for a doctoral program (assuming I get into the last waitlisted one) is probably the degree to which anti-AAPI hate crimes have increased over the last year, especially since the pandemic began. I was in the US at the beginning of the pandemic and did not personally experience anything, but I was in Berkeley, which is mostly tolerant. However, I did get to hear an unfortunate racist slur from a homeless man shortly before I left. All this is to say that the risk of being attacked for being Asian and Pacific Islander is there, but with what one sees on social media and the news, one cannot see exactly how big the risk is. Nevertheless, people living there have expressed their concerns to me. I agree with @Joey_Jawad that if you do have Asian friends or colleagues, please check in on them. Please educate yourselves too on the history of America's involvement in Asia and with Asians. I come from a former American colony, and what I became aware of about this colonial history gave me a mixed picture of a country and culture I otherwise admire. For me, that history explains a lot.

I am moved to reply, but I think it's best that some of what I am about to share has to be in a private message. Do check your inbox in a few minutes.

Congratulations and best of luck! Where else were you accepted by the way? I’m definitely on a waitlist somewhere, so thanks for the best wishes!

I found this very entertaining. As someone who went to the Graduate Theological Union, the comments about four of the member schools mentioned there (CDSP, SFTS, SKSM, and PSR) are somewhat accurate. ?

Oh dear! In that case, I’m just glad that one school is making the effort and I’m not too sure about the other, given what you told me. Good luck with your decision.

Yeah, every rejection does sting. But at least you’ve got two pretty good choices! Congratulations.

I was contacted by BC just 20 minutes ago. Under consideration for their joint MA with the philosophy department, but not accepted for the Ph.D. I’ve asked to remain in consideration as acceptance for that might be a foot in the door. Rejection for the doctorate was inevitable, however. At least I got to know directly rather than wait for the form letter that usually comes with being turned down. So that’s a 50/50 record for me. Half of my six applications this cycle were turned down. Also, there is a local theology school here which has, by regional standards, a reputable theology program. I’m still applying for it and hope to hear from them before July.

I see...I wonder why they haven't gotten back to you yet. By the way, it has been a challenging time for me as well, but I'm managing to hang in there. I do hope everyone else is, too. I look forward to reading what you publish (since I might be outside of North America and might not easily get to conferences).

Good question. I’ve been seeing a lot of rejections and one waitlisted entry, but no one indicated acceptance. Maybe those who accepted have not uploaded their results?

You may wish to post your query to the Ph.D. forum. I think there are quite a few applicants reading that thread. But in case you're wondering, Ph.D. results from the Harvard Committee of the Study of Religion program are out. Yep, since they abolished the Th.D. many years ago. I was supposed to apply in the 2019 cycle, but was not too sure.

Well, I think it might be the case. From my experience of being turned down by BC in 2020, it happened to be the same time as yours, so I guess being made an alternate isn’t a bad deal! That’s an optimistic way of looking at it. Either way, I have been seeing this delay as a case of “no news is good news.” That keeps me grounded and less stressful about this.

From what I’ve seen in the results survey in past years, they do reply in waves: accepted students initially, then rejected ones. To my knowledge, BC does not let people know that they are on a waiting list, so that is another possibility. I’ve read the department’s manual and it mentions an internal list of alternates that their admissions committee also prepares. These recent events, combined possibly with the number of applicants BC got this year, may have changed things, but honestly, until I hear from them, I wouldn’t know.

Good luck and best wishes!

Yes, the AAR did. I already have something to work on this weekend, because they just sent an email to remind us!

Welcome aboard! I am glad that I am not alone in awaiting any news from BC, and oddly enough, we got turned down from the same two schools (Duke and Yale). Best wishes to you as we hit the home stretch!

Thanks. I'm still waiting to hear from Boston College. I'd go for the idea that "no news is good news" at this point, basically to calm my nerves. The admissions office said that I should wait for the department, and I decided not to contact the department, because it might be counterproductive. We'll see.

Congratulations on getting accepted! It does go down to funding for me, but I consider other things, like who I can work with and what resources are available at that institution to carry out research.

Congratulations! I’m so happy to hear that.

Yale indicated, when I sent in my application, that decisions will be out by the 15th. Hope this helps.

Sorry to hear about that. Still stings, even if it is expected. It’s something I know all too well. Let’s see how soon Drew can close out its numbers this year. And, yes, it’s interesting how weird things are. Honestly, the cycle next year might also be weird, with reduced slots still in place for what I suspect will be a long while. When would it stabilize? Who knows!

The Faculty of Theology at KU Leuven has a financial assistance program for those in its Research Master’s program which, if I’m approved for it, covers basic living costs and the otherwise minimal tuition. I agree that it is pretty limited, which is why I’m seeking additional support from other individuals or institutions. This will be true not only of Leuven, though; the two other institutions I’ve either been accepted or waitlisted for will require such funding. So far, i haven’t really made up my mind yet, but I am attracted by the prospect of living and studying in Toronto. Belgium comes very close to that, which is why I’m weighing these options very carefully. I still haven’t heard from Boston College yet, and there’s still Drew, which is why I really don’t have a clear choice right now. Incidentally, it’s made more complicated by Toronto requiring that I respond by March 26. I do wish that the Association of Theological Schools, of which I understand they’re a part, gently exhorted them to align their deadlines with everyone else, but that’s just me.

I just received an offer of admission from the Toronto School of Theology. Financial aid information is forthcoming. Out of six applications, this means I got into two (Toronto and KU Leuven in Belgium) and was waitlisted in one (Drew).