ûl ʾašerātō

I'm currently at Yale Divinity School, pursuing an MAR in Hebrew Bible. I do not believe that PTS is what it has been in the past, but that much can be said about a number of programs. C.L. Seow does excellent work, but I'm not really familiar with the other HB faculty. At a place like PTS you will get the chance to spend more time focused on theology of the HB as opposed to a place like Yale or Harvard (even less so than Yale), where you will spend more time focused on critical approaches (though, those approaches can be varied). If you want to be at a place where theology and exegesis intermix with good comparative work, I would highly recommend considering Emory. They are one of the few programs accepting multiple students each year, though that doesn't necessarily make it any easier to get accepted there. The HB faculty are top notch, and they are still building the program into what it will someday become.

There are a number of good Hebrew Bible programs out there. As mentioned above, which is best for you always depends on your particular interests. Here are a few programs with their home department in parentheses. Yale (Religious Studies); Harvard (NELC; CSR; Divinity) Chicago (NELC or Divinity School); Johns Hopkins (NES); Brown (Religious Studies); Brandeis (NEJS); UT-Austin (MELC); Duke (GDR); NYU (HJS); Cornell (NES); UCLA (NELC); Berkeley (NES); Boston College (Theology); Michigan (NES); Emory (GDR); Wisconsin-Madison (HSS); Toronto (NMEC); Claremont Lincoln (Religion), among many others. At Yale study of the Hebrew Bible is done in the Religious Studies department, not the NELC department. However, you have full access to the resources of the NELC department (except funding, but funding isn't a problem at Yale). Yale might be the most competitive program in Hebrew Bible to get accepted into. At Brown study of the Hebrew Bible is done in the Religious Studies department as well, not the Egyptology and Ancient Western Asian Studies department. Chicago has the benefit of having the Oriental Institute, which is ridiculously good. You can pursue HB/ANE in either the NELC department (OI) or the Divinity school, the latter of which has committed itself to becoming first rate again (which includes tuition+stipend and limiting the length of their program). Hopkins has McCarter and Lewis, who are both fantastic. The department probably focuses more on ANE than on HB, which is a bit different than the others on the list. If you're more interested in pure HB, this probably isn't the best place for you, even though they have a very good department. NYU is top notch with Smith and Fleming. The department has produced some very good dissertations in recent years, and is well liked by its students. Brandeis has a mixed reputation among some, even though what they offer is quite good (for historical criticism and HB/ANE). They have graduated a number of excellent scholars who have gotten very good jobs. UT-Austin has Hackett and Huehnergard (among others) who ran Harvard's grad programs in Hebrew Bible and Comparative Semitics for about 20 years. UT has really committed itself to building a first rate program, which is unique in the current financial climate among academic institutions (and that at a public university!). However, the program only began in 2008 so they have yet to graduate a student from the program (this semester should produce its first graduate, as far as I know). So, the program isn't as well established as some of the others, even if it has great promise. Harvard is struggling right now, much more so than this list suggests. Machinist is extremely near retirement, and Coogan is already retired (though he teaches part time). Levenson and Teeter are both very good. However, Teeter is focused on the later period, and Levenson cannot maintain the department by himself (especially since the NELC department isn't his home department). Rumors have come out of Harvard that they were going to replace Hackett and Huehnergard since they left 4 years ago, but these rumors have yet to become realized. This info really just scratches the surface. I haven't even mentioned the strength of other departments, such as Emory, Duke or UCLA. But, hopefully this will give you an idea, even if it only provides a basis for more discussion.

I know what it is like to be rejected and waitlisted at my top choice! I've been living with this for several weeks now. It seems like this process is never going to end.

I'm in the same situation with UCLA! Though, I contacted them to find out I was waitlisted. If I hadn't contacted them, I'd still not know anything. I've been on the waitlist for several weeks now. I've been hypothesizing the outcome constantly, but obviously my hypothesizing has yet to yield any results.

I gave you the thumbs up to try to even everything out!

OTgirl is definitely right. These statistics vary considerably from school to school and even department to department within the schools. What complicates it further is that there are always areas of concentration to consider as well. For example, at my top choice it is typical for them to receive about 60 applications to the department, 16 of which are typically accepted. On average less than half (7) of those 16 enroll for the fall. So, these statistics alone should give a waitlister reason to think she/he could get off of the waitlist. However, last year they accepted the usual number into my area of study, all of whom enrolled for the fall. This means that my particular area is only going to admit 1 or 2 students for this fall, which throws the 44% matriculation rate off. All this is to say that it is a very complicated process, and it will vary considerably.

If your online status has not changed, you should politely inquire about the status of your application. I recommend either asking the director of graduate studies for your particular program or the student affairs officer for your department. They might not be able to give a lot of information, but they will probably give you enough to give you some peace of mind. Best of luck.

I think that some schools do not utilize an official waitlist, but rather reserve decision on applications until they determine whether or not they have a place for the potential student. Also, admissions is typically done in waves. So, there is an initial wave of acceptances and rejections based upon a first review of the applicant pool and available space for students. Then, they determine more closely what space is still available in each area of study and make determinations on applications in a second wave. Sometimes there can be additional waves based upon responses from students in the first waves. It sounds like you are in a similar position to me. The only way I would even know I am on a waitlist is because I inquired. My application status has not changed online to "wait-listed" or anything. But, I will also say that this year there has been a considerable amount of applicants who inquired about an application only to find out they had been rejected, but the rejection had not been communicated to them. I would recommend politely inquiring about your application if you have not done so already. Best of luck on your final app. I hope it's a delayed acceptance!

I know the feeling! I'm wait-listed at my top choice, which means that I cannot rest mentally, despite the two standing offers on the table. I have been reading and posting on here since December, and it feels like all the people I had become accustomed to seeing have all made their final decisions for the fall. Yet, here I am... I had no clue that the application process would be this stressful (or long!). I was sure that I would know where I was going before April. Yet, here I am not knowing which corner of the US I will be living in 4 months! Though I'm not sure how much commiserating on these forums has helped to assuage my agony. However, as with most things, a few weeks after my decision for the fall has become final I will probably look back on this time and think, "it wasn't that bad..."

I'm wait-listed at my top choice, with two offers from backups on the table, both requiring notification by April 15th. It has begun to feel like I'll never know where I'm going this fall! This is especially the case with the reality of the accepted student possibly pulling out of enrollment at the last minute (i.e. July or August). I'm choosing to relocate for PhD, so a late decision isn't really practical for my family. Here's hoping to early decisions!

I've heard from all my schools at this point, but remain wait-listed at my top choice. The deadline for notification is rapidly approaching, and I don't want to notify acceptance to a back-up if my #1 comes through at the last minute. It has been difficult to hold on to hope as I know my area of study was only taking 1 student this year, which means that the wait-list probably only consists of me (esp. since I made it known they are at the top of my list) unless someone is in front of me. I certainly know what it is like to have the deafening silence exist as a constant for several weeks. I didn't find out I was on the wait-list until I asked, so I recommend politely inquiring about your applications. But, I would be prepared for the very real possibility of more waiting. Best of luck to you both.

"On a long list of potential admits..." 4 weeks ago!

I've been hypothesizing for a while that the delay could be the result of the departments waiting to hear what sort of funding is going to be available before they make their final decisions. It has been the case in the past where they have accepted students in mid and late February, but not finalized their financial aid packages until late March. Maybe this year they are being more cautious with the initial offers.

Viel Glück! I hope you get some good news. I still haven't heard from UCLA. My expectation is that they will notify me the last week of March, which is what they told me back in January. If I get rejected, which is obviously possible, I'll be headed to Yale for my back up Masters program.

Congratulations! They have an excellent program.

I'm there with you. Two weeks ago I emailed the Student Affairs Officer for the NELC department at UCLA, and she gave me some information about my application (apparently still in the running). I haven't heard anything since. I think that, considering how late it is, you're perfectly justified to inquire about the application. Have you seen acceptances and rejections posted to the results survey? I also was accepted to a MA program, which is not what I want to do. But, I needed to cultivate a backup in case the PhD programs didn't work out. UCLA is my top choice, so I'm awfully stressed about the late notice. I'm ready to know where I'm going this fall.

I think they typically defer applications they like, but not well enough for the PhD to the MA program. So, the MA offers are de facto rejections.

Also no help here. I heard two weeks ago that I was on a list of potential admits, but haven't heard anything since. I've seen a few acceptances and rejections by my department on the results survey since, but I'm still in the dark. UCLA is my top choice, so I'm definitely hoping for acceptance, but I don't know what to think. So, at least you're not alone.

I've seen a few people who have been accepted on the results survey. I have seen many more who have been deferred to the MA program with varying funding. Have you searched for it on the results survey?

Sorry to hear about UPenn. Do you still have any applications out?

Congrats! At this point I'm 90% sure I am going to have to go with my plan B. I haven't heard from my top 2 schools, and we are atypically late in the application season for me not to have heard anything from these two particular schools. I'm holding on to a bit of hope, but it is diminishing as every week passes with no word. I'm glad that you got the program you were hoping for. You'll have to take class with Tink Tinker while you're there. I've read some of his Native American Political/Ecological work, and it is fantastic.

I applied to UT-Austin for the HB/ANE program in MELC. As tt503 suggested, the department is up and coming with regard to the Hebrew Bible and the ancient Near East program. However, you always have to consider credential and curricula when deciding on a department. Although at present the curricula at UT-Austin might be stronger than Harvard (which I believe is true), the credential of Harvard is nearly at the top of the top tier institutions. I'm not saying that it is unanimously declared the best option for all departments or areas of study, but its reputation in the academic community is superb. tt503 was also correct in suggesting that Harvard's department is traditionally classical in its focus. I spoke with Hackett about her and her husband's (Heuhnergard) move from Harvard to UT-Austin. She suggested it was mostly due to the fact that UT-Austin has committed itself to becoming a first-rate institution in all programs, including the humanities. In the present economic climate, this is an obviously rare determination. While most institutions are cutting funding from the humanities (not the money-maker department at any institution), UT-Austin is investing in the humanities. I think UT-Austin is well on its way from being a very good MELC program to being an excellent one. I'm not sure how long it is going to take for UT-Austin's credential to catch up to its curricula, but with the determination that the university is currently showing, I do not believe it will be long. Having made these comments about the department in general, I will say that with Hackett at the helm I believe that the department will continue adding focus in the area of ancient studies. Indeed, they are still adding faculty in this area. So, you should scrutinize the faculty in your specific area of study to get a better idea of how the department can serve you. Generally speaking, I agree with tt503: if you're choosing between Harvard, Chicago, Princeton and UT-Austin, you're going to be in an excellent department wherever you end up.

Anyone want to claim the UCLA acceptance?

If I go for the MARc (Hebrew Bible) at Yale, I will be living off campus, probably in East Rock. But, I'm married and we have a cat. So, the decision was pretty much made for me. If you have a car, you have to pay for parking on campus (monthly). So, it is best to find a place where you can either walk or ride the Yale shuttle. When I visited a couple of years ago Melissa Pucci (the Asst. Director of Admissions at the time) discussed housing options with me at length. She was extremely helpful. She recommended discussing any potential housing situation with either herself or other students who have been living in New Haven before committing to anything. She also had a short list of off campus housing options that she made available to incoming students. I'm not sure if we will get the same luxury this time around. Have you decided when you'll move there? Summer or Fall?

Did anyone apply to CAMS at Penn State? I've heard great things about the department (Knoppers, Halpern and Killebrew), despite the fact that it doesn't seem to be extremely well known. I'm well aware of some of the department's strengths and weaknesses, but I haven't seen any chatter about it on the forums. I'm just curious if it was on anyone's radar, or if they had at least considered it.