Master's Admissions 2018 (MA, MTS, ThM or Mdiv)

[rejectedndejected]

I didn't apply to Harvard's MTS because I figured my GRE score wouldn't be high enough.  I got a 164/154/4.5 (v/q/aw).  For those of you accepted, how do these numbers stack up?  How about GPA?  My undergrad is garbage, but I have a very strong MA (philosophy) gpa.

[avocet]

1 hour ago, newbietheologian said:

Also, is it normal that I didn't hear from Boston University yet? I applied to their MTS program but no word from them---though, some people from here got their decisions already ... 

 

Did you apply by the priority deadline? If so, it seems like the standard notification time is February. Last year I hadn't heard back from BU by this point, and the admissions office didn't answer my emails. By late March, I had to make a decision to accept or turn down an offer from Union. I emailed the dean at BU STH and she responded back right away expressing concern. Long story short, they notified me the next day of my acceptance and apologized, saying I was accepted weeks previously but the file got lost...

Not trying to make you nervous, but may be worth a phone call/email. I'm at BU now (M.Div) and love it, but the application process was messy to say the least.

[newbietheologian]

13 minutes ago, avocet said:

Did you apply by the priority deadline? If so, it seems like the standard notification time is February. Last year I hadn't heard back from BU by this point, and the admissions office didn't answer my emails. By late March, I had to make a decision to accept or turn down an offer from Union. I emailed the dean at BU STH and she responded back right away expressing concern. Long story short, they notified me the next day of my acceptance and apologized, saying I was accepted weeks previously but the file got lost...

Not trying to make you nervous, but may be worth a phone call/email. I'm at BU now (M.Div) and love it, but the application process was messy to say the least.

@avocet thanks for the info. I'm emailing them now.  

How's the theological education at BU? Do you take advantage of the other schools from the  BTI consortium? Would love some insights on the school  

[MattSolo]

5 hours ago, rejectedndejected said:

I didn't apply to Harvard's MTS because I figured my GRE score wouldn't be high enough.  I got a 164/154/4.5 (v/q/aw).  For those of you accepted, how do these numbers stack up?  How about GPA?  My undergrad is garbage, but I have a very strong MA (philosophy) gpa.

This is what xypathos told me on Jan 21 in my topic about my chances:

HDS says that their accepted Master's applicants averaged 158V 157Q 4.0W. This information is from a recruiting fair that various Harvard schools held in China in 2017 that I attended (NOT for Harvard). Your scores however not only beat this but they also make you competitive enough that you'd survive the screening cutoff for PhD applicants - Harvard's medians, not so much.

I found the info very helpful. So, basically, your GRE scores were fantastic. However, GRE alone won't get you there. Mine was similar to you: 163/143/5.0. I had a GPA of 3.9. I think the usual GPA is somewhere between 3.7 - 4.0.

[kaaat]

12 hours ago, rejectedndejected said:

I didn't apply to Harvard's MTS because I figured my GRE score wouldn't be high enough.  I got a 164/154/4.5 (v/q/aw).  For those of you accepted, how do these numbers stack up?  How about GPA?  My undergrad is garbage, but I have a very strong MA (philosophy) gpa.

I agree with what was said above. I don't think GRE scores, especially average scores, make or break an application. I was given advice from a former student who advised me to establish "fit" and stress a passion for community service, social justice, etc. That seems to be the culture at HDS, from what I've collected. Of course, this is usually coupled with a solid GPA and some background in one or more languages. My best advice: seek honest advice from people who will give you the unfiltered truth and read the GradChat from previous years to see other stats, situations, and commentary. It has been helpful during my own journey.

[theseriouslady]

9 hours ago, MattSolo said:

This is what xypathos told me on Jan 21 in my topic about my chances:

I found the info very helpful. So, basically, your GRE scores were fantastic. However, GRE alone won't get you there. Mine was similar to you: 163/143/5.0. I had a GPA of 3.9. I think the usual GPA is somewhere between 3.7 - 4.0.

Yeah mine was 161/147/4.5 and a 3.9. I agree with the language stuff especially. I studied German and speak/read/write in Arabic, though I lack formal training in the latter. It seems to me that programs like HDS look for what training and skills you already have that will be worth building and strengthening through a Master's program in prep for PhD or whatever. Apply! It seems like you'll have a good chance, especially if you did well in your philosophy MA.

[LiquidColors]

15 hours ago, rejectedndejected said:

I didn't apply to Harvard's MTS because I figured my GRE score wouldn't be high enough.  I got a 164/154/4.5 (v/q/aw).  For those of you accepted, how do these numbers stack up?  How about GPA?  My undergrad is garbage, but I have a very strong MA (philosophy) gpa.

Long(ish) time lurker chiming in.

I was accepted to HDS's MTS program with a 3.86 UGPA and 167/156/5.0. I don't have language skills outside of English, so I'm not sure how I slipped through that one. My concentration is Religions of the Americas, though, which may have helped.

[newbietheologian]

Just received my BUSTH admission for their MTS program along with a 55% tuition scholarship. 

[kaaat]

50 minutes ago, newbietheologian said:

Just received my BUSTH admission for their MTS program along with a 55% tuition scholarship. 

Congrats!

[rejectedndejected]

Is anyone waiting on Yale's MAR results to come in? What gives?

[kaaat]

38 minutes ago, rejectedndejected said:

Is anyone waiting on Yale's MAR results to come in? What gives?

Their website says the 15th, so hopefully tomorrow.

[avocet]

On 3/12/2018 at 10:39 PM, newbietheologian said:

@avocet thanks for the info. I'm emailing them now.  

How's the theological education at BU? Do you take advantage of the other schools from the  BTI consortium? Would love some insights on the school  

Congrats on the acceptance! 

While we're not Ivy League level, there are some great professors and classes at BU. Currently taking a class on theological responses to mass incarceration and last semester I took a class on theology and social justice, both of which were amazing. Looking forward to taking theology & trauma and womanist/feminist theology, both of which are considered some of the best classes at BU. BU's pretty strong in ethics, theology & social justice, and pastoral care -- if those topics appeal to you. There's also 4-5 travel seminars (full course credit) a year (e.g. Israel-Palestine, US/Mexico border, Cuba) which are quite popular.

 The core curriculum is pretty intense, but as someone without a theology background I'm finding the requirements (that you can petition out of if you've completed an equivalency in a previous degree) really helpful. The MTS has a less rigorous curriculum though, which I'm not too familiar with.

The only class I've taken in the BTI is an ordination requirement class at Harvard Divinity. Not a great class, but it's pretty common to take classes at other schools. Much different culture there than at BU.

[rejectedndejected]

1 hour ago, kaaat said:

Their website says the 15th, so hopefully tomorrow.

I have checked the status of my app every day since Jan. 15.  Without exaggeration.   If decisions do not post tomorrow, I am going to have an anxiety attack, and then yell at a stranger for no good reason.

[rejectedndejected]

I don't understand the purpose of the priority deadline if all applicants hear of their acceptance/rejection on the same date.  It can't be for financial aid, because financial aid apps were uniformly due March 1.  Confused.  Anyone have any insight?  I've lurked here for years, and you gradcafe brehs seem to have the scoop on prettymuch everything.

Also, I still have not heard from Notre Dame.  So I am assuming with some degree of certitude that I was dinged.  Is this a justifiable assumption, or is there still a glimmer of hope?  I'm pretty sure they called the chosen few double-secret-probation applicants in February.  I guess I can hope for the waitlist...

Edited March 15, 2018 by rejectedndejected
awful grammar

[Absurd'sTheWord]

10 minutes ago, rejectedndejected said:

I have checked the status of my app every day since Jan. 15.  Without exaggeration.   If decisions do not post tomorrow, I am going to have an anxiety attack, and then yell at a stranger for no good reason.

No big deal or anything. Just my future hanging in the balance. I literally won't be able to sleep tonight.

[rejectedndejected]

4 minutes ago, FearNTrembling said:

No big deal or anything. Just my future hanging in the balance. I literally won't be able to sleep tonight.

Lol yea. What sadist's idea was it to release (1) all the decisions on one day; and (2) have said day be in mid-March?! 

[rejectedndejected]

Will they at least release decisions in the morning?  I'm sure that they'll wait till 4:59 pm.  Because of course they would.

[kaaat]

6 minutes ago, rejectedndejected said:

I have checked the status of my app every day since Jan. 15.  Without exaggeration.   If decisions do not post tomorrow, I am going to have an anxiety attack, and then yell at a stranger for no good reason.

I know that feeling, but it has been pretty consistent in past years so fingers crossed for tomorrow! I wish you all the best!!

I have nothing to offer on ND.

[Absurd'sTheWord]

4 minutes ago, kaaat said:

I know that feeling, but it has been pretty consistent in past years so fingers crossed for tomorrow! I wish you all the best!!

I have nothing to offer on ND.

Does anyone know (generally) what time we will find out tomorrow? I will not have internet access for a significant period of the day. I would like to know when I should slip out and check my mail.

[rejectedndejected]

Thanks for the wishes and commiseration.  Likewise, good luck on your apps.  I'm actually surprised there's not more action on this board the night before YDS releases results.  We're in the eye of the hurricane. I guess everyone dropped dead from high blood pressure already.  If that's the case, I might have a chance at being admitted after all...

[kaaat]

5 minutes ago, FearNTrembling said:

Does anyone know (generally) what time we will find out tomorrow? I will not have internet access for a significant period of the day. I would like to know when I should slip out and check my mail.

There's no way to really know. Harvard released their decisions around noon on Monday, which was kind of random. 

[kaaat]

7 minutes ago, rejectedndejected said:

Thanks for the wishes and commiseration.  Likewise, good luck on your apps.  I'm actually surprised there's not more action on this board the night before YDS releases results.  We're in the eye of the hurricane. I guess everyone dropped dead from high blood pressure already.  If that's the case, I might have a chance at being admitted after all...

Which concentration did you apply for or did you apply to MARc?

[rejectedndejected]

13 minutes ago, kaaat said:

Which concentration did you apply for or did you apply to MARc?

I have crossover interests in Bible and Liturgical Studies.  Sadly, I chose to apply to their Bible program instead of Liturgy, only later to find out that Bible is far and away the most competitive for admissions.  So I prettymuch sowed my own poison on that one.

Edited March 15, 2018 by rejectedndejected
Details

[kaaat]

7 minutes ago, rejectedndejected said:

I have crossover interests in Bible and Liturgical Studies.  Sadly, I chose to apply to their Bible program instead of Liturgy, only later to find out that Bible is far and away the most competitive for admissions.  So I prettymuch sowed my own poison on that one.

Ooh same here, I felt like I should have applied for Liturgical Studies or Religion and Lit instead of Missions/World Christianity. I believe Bible is quite competitive, but the truth is that you never really know...some years (and applicant pools) are more competitive than others. 

[rejectedndejected]

It seems like whenever I've applied to anything in my life, I always get a courteous letter explaining to me that I'm one of the finest human beings ever, but that unfortunately, that year was the most competitive year in human history, and that a whole host of even finer human beings applied, so they can't let me in--despite my superlative fineness.  For once in my life, I'd like to get a letter detailing that, although I'm super mediocre and have little talent to speak of, the applicant pool was filled with even bigger losers, so the institution has been forced to approve my lousy application under protest.  I'd much prefer the latter to the former.  No such luck as yet.