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Hi all, I'm currently a rising junior at a top 5 school. I'm doing an undergrad in religious studies/theology and want to do a PhD in biblical studies focusing on the OT. I'm wondering what the likelihood is of getting into a top PhD program from undergrad? I'm using this to plan my future course load wisely. As of right now, upon graduation I will have completed: 4 semesters of German, 2-4 semesters of Attic Greek, 4 semesters of Biblical Hebrew, 1 semester of Aramaic, and I have 4 more slots, was aiming to take Russian, but still considering the best use for those open courses. I will have completed a year long sequence of OT/NT courses and will aim to take exegesis courses in OT (Genesis/Pentateuch/Song of the Sea) at a partner university (HDS/YDS). I'm wondering if me taking master's level courses and performing well will look good on my application? I understand that this isn't very common, but I would like to give myself the best chance possible. Any help would be wonderful and I thank you for taking the time to read this :)

Hey everyone, I am going to be a senior next year and start applying for a masters. I want to follow your original advice and you told me learn the languages at a 3 year maximum masters program. I am currently at a overall GPA of 3.07 and major GPA of 3.6. I am currently a history major and most of my classes are in Egyptology. Classes that have covered the Pre-Dynastic period to the fall of the new kingdom, Egyptian Archaeology, and Egyptian Ritual and Magic. Well I am the treasurer of my History Club, I published an article 2 years ago in my university's department student run history journal. I was also an editor for it this year. I have hosted guest speaker talks for my history club multiple times. From topics touching lgbtq history, Chicano history, Theology, Chinese history, Japanese history. I am a former Jehovah's Witness who got motivated to pursue this field. After I was revealed that my own religion's bible was translated erroneously. I was 19 when I left and became catholic 2 years ago. I however resigned from my church in February because I could not agree with the doctrine of Papal Supremacy, married clergy, I am pro-choice, pro-female ordination, and for blessing LGBT unions/marriages. But the last three reasons I kept to myself in my letter of resignation. I have been attending a orthodox church lately but I think I might just become episcopal after a three bible scholars asvised me through email to go where I feel most comfortable. Do not worry about apostolic succession or the fact that you are pro-choice, or being called a heretic." So that another reason I would want to go to Yale. Because YDS from what I hear is super ecumenical. I also hear that YDS is a place where I get a mix of both an academic setting, but also provide me religious resources. I would also like to be ordained in the church and would like to do it through Berkley Divinity School. My end goal is a PhD but I would also like to work as a priest and educator. I want a masters where I can learn the languages because I go to a public university in the inland empire. I just gotta ask what are my chances of getting into any of these schools. Does my life experiences help my chances. Please do not laugh at my list. I would like to apply to these school Fuller Theological Seminary, Loyola Chicago, Catholic University of America, Yale Divinity School, Harvard Divinity School, Duke Divinity School, Emory Divnity School, Boston College, and Princeton Theological Seminary. I hope somebody can advise me. Thank you.

Hey all, Starting this thread to help each other and let one another know where we applied, got accepted, denied or wait-listed. Also feel free to provide any other information such as funding, choosing one school over another, reasons why rejecting etc. Here is my list of applications and updates so far: USA Yale Div - MARc Philosophical Theology/Philosophy of Religion (waiting) Duke Div - MTS (accepted w/ 25% funding) - any idea how to get more? Wake Forest Div - MDiv (rejected) - was surprised to find out I was rejected BU SoT - MTS (waiting) Canada Wycliffe College (UofT) - MTS (waiting) Regent College - MTS (waiting) UK U of Oxford (Wycliffe Hall) - MTh (waiting) U of Cambridge - MPhil in Theology, Religion, and Philosophy of Religion (waiting) U Of Edinburgh - MPhil (waiting) U of St. Andrews - MTh (rejected) I'm also an international student, graduating with a B.A. in Theology from the historic Moody Bible Institute (Chicago, IL) Any ideas of funding available for international students? The idea of a loan kind of scares me. Best of luck everyone!