jellyfish7

Definitely!!

Still no word from Vanderbilt GDR! Anyone have insight?

@adamchaya I promise it will all work out. If you don't end up attending this institution, you will take the year to reflect and research and find a school that does feel like a confident fit. If you do end up attending this institution, you will find goodness in the experience. At the very least, you will be challenged academically and socially, and emerge stronger, smarter, and clearer on who you are, what you stand for, and the types of environments and people you do/don't want to surround yourself with going forward. If you go, and it sucks, then you transfer! You are never stuck. Walk through the doors that open (if you feel moved to do so) and just embrace the adventure

Hi @adamchaya! Sorry to hear this year has been such a challenge. You are definitely not alone. I have no personal experience with deferrals, but I would be really surprised if, especially this year, the school refused to show any compassion for your situation and work with you. Have you spoken to them about your situation? I imagine most institutions try to deny the option for deferral in their official materials because they want to discourage students from applying there with full intention of deferring anyway. In reality, however, most schools will have capacity and obligation to cut students some slack where necessary. Worst case, they are surely required to permit medical leaves of absence....so, if need be, you could probably just accept the offer and later request a leave?

@CafeConGabi these reflections are really powerful, thank you for being so candid

@Joey_Jawad HDS and UChicago are probably the two most prestigious div schools. As @KungFuKenny said, I wouldn't worry about a difference in prestige. Regarding fit, I do think your concerns about the UChicago culture are valid and important. I shared similar anxieties with a Chicago Divinity admissions rep and she confirmed that it is not a warm, collaborative culture (her exact words were "students at UoC take themselves very seriously...we are proud to be the home of 'unsafe spaces'"). Personally, my happiness and stress levels deeply influence my academic experience. Having said that, you will almost certainly find 'your people' anywhere. Ultimately, I think what will be most clarifying for you will be to talk to div students at each institution, voice your respective concerns and hear their genuine thoughts. I know HDS has been marketing lots of opportunities to connect with current students (not sure abt UoC)—find profiles of students with similar interests/energy/background to you and reach out!

Hey @sorenerasmus, I'm sorry you're struggling with this, it sounds stressful! I was holding off on responding because I am definitely not an expert, but my advice would be to sit tight for now. It may come off as unprofessional, or at least impulsive, to reach out to admissions committees with new information right before decisions/funding are released. When you eventually do have all the details on your other two offers (which I'm sure you will have early this week!), then I think it is safe, in fact common practice, to reach back out to your top choice(s). You can explain the situation, expressing to 'Program X' that they are absolutely your top choice and it would be your dream to attend, but that you have received other more financially viable options* which you will not be able to turn down unless Program X ups your funding. *I know you are worried that the schools you are waiting on may not offer sizable funding packages either, but I think there are other ways to argue economical superiority (e.g. Program Y is closer to home and would not require you to relocate; Program Z is based in a city with much lower costs of living, etc.). In a way, if you are going to be requesting more funding, it may actually be ideal to do so this late in the timeline; the longer you wait, the likelier that other students will have turned down their funded offers, meaning their scholarship money is now available for people like you! This whole process is brutal, but hang in there. Everything works out in the end.

@sorenerasmus thank you so much! Glad I did apply to the right program for me ?

Me too!!! Also looking for some clarification on the difference between Vanderbilt's MTS and MA in Religion? Why should a person apply to one instead of the other? Is one program more difficult to get into? I assume most MAR students take all their classes at the divinity school/with VDS faculty... so why are the apps managed by different admission committees? Very grateful for any insights.