4minutemile

I like Squawker's advice. Let me add: make sure to take (at least) a couple of classes that allow you to indulge interests beyond your professional goals. It will help enhance your application by making you more well-rounded and it will help enhance your life by making you more well-rounded. Best of luck.

Do you mean that you want to only apply to top programs? I don't think that would be wise for any student, no matter the strength of application. Are there lower ranked schools that have faculty who match your interests? I think you should definitely ask yourself, for lack of a better way of putting it, how badly do you want a Ph.D.? I am going to be very honest here and I hope this doesn't sound rude: there is a fine line between discussing "extenuating circumstances" and getting into a competition in suffering. I would advise you to be cautious about depicting your circumstance, tragic as it may have been, as the type that is insurmountable. If for no other reason, you cannot be certain who else is in your applicant pool whose application is being read alongside your own. There is an excellent article floating around about kisses of death in the graduate school application. You may want to check it out. While no program can discriminate against you for mental health issues...well...yeah, I wouldn't put it in my application. It is enough to simply address the issue, but, in my experience, it is best to place the overwhelming focus on your background and accomplishments. The recommendations will be a key point for you. You ideally need someone who has supervised many graduate students and who can address your ability and commitment to become a professional scholar. I wouldn't pay attention to the publication advice, though. In fact, I find there is a disconnect between the amount of people giving this advice and the amount of people actually having publications before entering graduate school. Also, if you got a 790Q on the GRE, I wouldn't take it again. I don't think there is a statistically significant difference between a 790 and 800, is there? I was.

For the SOP, I recommend strictly focusing on research interests and accomplishments, qualifications to conduct future research, and, most of all, program fit. Even though it is popular, I do not generally believe the bildungsroman-style SOP is useful. However, in your case, you have quite a GPA jump and it may be worth addressing how you came to such greater academic performance. I strongly recommend that you draft a brief statement of research interests and contact potential advisors. Getting the fit question right is, in my opinion, the single most important step in the application process.

Stifling? Hmm...it may be more stifling for someone who does not push theological boundaries. But even that would be a major stretch. Do you have any actual specifics on this movement? Regardless - congratulations to the OP - I'm glad you could pull the resources together to attend your top choice!

Congratulations to all the HDS admits! It seems like an eternity ago that I was accepted, even though it was just last year (on a lucky Friday the 13th no less). If anyone wants to talk about HDS or living in Boston/Cambridge, feel free to give me a shout.

You'd probably be best served by getting a MTS from a top school before applying for Ph.D. - that is, if your goal is a top department. I really hate to be discouraging, but, as your application now stands, even with a very high GRE, I think a top tier Ph.D. slot is a stretch. The questions, of course, become the old ones: (1) do you consider top-tier to simply be the top-5 US News and World mainstays or do you consider top-tier to be based on factors more specific to you and (2) how badly do you want to get a Ph.D. and whether this top-tier status is a deal-breaker. If so, I'd suggest, quite frankly, aiming higher than a 1400. That all said, I'd say your chances at a top MTS program are very strong and, especially if you beat a 1400, I'd feel confident that you'd receive a good deal of funding. Good luck!

Congrats! I was asking for my sister who was accepted last Thursday as well!

Anyone apply for the 16 month program? Or have any information on when people usually hear back, etc.?

I wouldn't go as far to say that most go after a Ph.D. True, there are many, especially those who frequent these forums. But there are also many who enter community organizing and development, environmental advocacy, nonprofit management, public policy, consulting, and the administrative side of higher education.

Anyone else attend the open house yesterday? Make any decisions?

I will be attending Harvard Divinity School for the MTS. I'd be more than happy to share stats, etc, over private message, which I'm sure I'll be checking during next year's cycle. Best of luck to everyone.

Congrats, lkr! That's wonderful news!

First, congratulations on your acceptance! I just received my official letter with financial award (full tuition and fees), but I am local. It also contains info on the visit day (with the correct date). I'm probably going to visiting day, but that all depends on work, unfortunately.

AC: Sorry to hear that - hope you get better news from Yale today!

In at HDS!