Religion PhD - Results Page

[Shayna]

If anyone else is fairly certain that this is your last year to apply, I wish you the best. I will know within a few weeks whether the trajectory of my life goes through academic terrain or whether I'll just be some guy in his kitchen cooking macaroni and cheese. (I think of the non-academic life as more-or-less standing in one's kitchen cooking macaroni and cheese... I guess I'll need to get over that image either way I go.)

I'm right there with you. Although I have to say that we don't do the Mac-n-cheese at my house . That being said, I'm working in the administrative side of academia right now, and while it's not the same thing as being a student/researchers/professor, it isn't all bad. I think if I don't end up going to grad school - God forbid! - then I'll stick to this kind of work.

Good luck everyone and keep us updated!

[tiredofrejection]

Anyone have an update on Claremont or UVA?

I heard from the Claremont National Scholars program (yet another rejection) but not from the Religion department on acceptance yet. According to resposes on the forum, they seem to historically reply in the first week of March.

[Shayna]

So, is there no one else on here who applied to NYU or UPenn? How about the University of Toronto? Am I suffering alone? :?:

[ace98cc7]

BC has made its final decisions. All areas (systematics, ethics, bible, comparative, and history) make their decision at the same time in a general committee. Those that got in should be getting phone calls any day now (or you may have gotten them already). Those who made it through to the general committee, but did not get in, should get letters in the mail in a few days.

Any further information about Fordham???

[mconsul]

from interviews (informal) i had with several profs at Columbia and Brown this year, the consensus even among profs seems to be that they hate this process almost as much as we do. there are so many more applicants (record amounts each year, so they say) but not really any more open spots.....so we keep getting more masters degrees and learning more languages to try to find that perfect angle and fit at a school.

for those of us with other responsibilities and attending 'circumstances' (families, spouses, or soon-to-be spouses), it seems even more difficult. for instance, i was all-but-accepted at Duke this year, but my fiancee doesn't have any options in NC, so i had to turn it down and am putting off a program for a while until we can move again (unless i get into one of the two programs i like in the area). so that means i had to take myself out of the running for Virginia and Columbia as well.

i would hate to think that qualified students would get so discouraged by the process and the apparent impossibility of it all that they would put things off indefinitely. i am just hoping that if i have to wait 2-3+ years to start somewhere, that i can still stand a chance and that i won't be too jaded by the process. this is my second application round, by the way. rejected by Columbia, Brown, Yale and Princeton last year. (and the guy who got the spot at Princeton was a real douchebag, though i know for a fact that the guy going this year is a great guy and excellent student. :wink: )

[Shayna]

i am just hoping that if i have to wait 2-3+ years to start somewhere, that i can still stand a chance and that i won't be too jaded by the process.

Well, I certainly don't want to spoil your ideals, but I've been out of school now - with a Masters in hand - since 2004, and have found that being "out of the loop" so to speak, does not help things in the least. People are at the very least slightly suspicious as to why you've been out. I attempted to explain it in my essay (my husband has been pursing his masters degree) without putting a huge emphasis on it. I also highlighted all that I have done in the past few years to keep myself "in the game" - taking courses, language study, meeting with people/networking, attending conferences. I even got a book review published this year AND was accepted to present a paper at the regional SBL. But I honestly think the time-situation has only worked against me.

This is certainly my last year doing this (it's my 2nd round, too). I can't keep my family in limbo any longer, nor do I think I can tolerate this ridiculous waiting process. I've still heard NOTHING from the schools at all.

*sigh*

Good luck!

[sarah4153]

Someone heard from Columbia...

[mconsul]

well Columbia's faculty was supposed to meet yesterday.....so I guess those phone calls and emails should be going out soon/now....

Shayna, thanks for your reply, even though my parade is now slightly more threatened by those rain clouds.......I will try to stay optimistic and keep working on those languages, etc. One good thing is that my fiancee will be starting med school and I will be approaching the world record is commuting-by-train time, so I will have a lot of time on my hands for everything.

I wish you luck!

[deus_absconditus]

I got the rejection email from Princeton University today. I applied to the Religion, Ethics, and Politics area to work with Jeff Stout. This is my 2nd year applying to PU. Damn, this sucks.

[ECstudent]

Has anyone heard from or about Chicago's NT/ECL program?

[obamaforyourmama]

Hey all,

I was recently accepted to two Near Eastern Studies programs (Arabic/Islamic), University of Chicago and University of Washington.

Chicago contacted me via email on Feb. 19. The email from Chicago was odd. It was quite an impersonal and informal invitation to a visit day that apologized saying it was the best way to contact me 'in some haste'. My acceptance came in the form of an email attachment from the chair offering me a spot and telling me my financials would follow in a few weeks. I'm set on Chicago, but I'm worried I'm one of those 'second tier' candidates who they hold off on offering financials to.

I heard from U of Washington on Feb. 3 via post, and they also said financial info would follow.

Does anyone have any idea about typical funding offers from these two schools?

I'm still waiting to hear from University of Michigan, UNC, Harvard and McGill. Anyone heard from these programs?

[Shayna]

Got that e-mail from UPenn today to check the website. Rejection...

That's three rejections - UPenn, Emory and Notre Dame (the last two haven't officially rejected me, but I wasn't asked to their weekend...)

NYU should be contacting their people in the next week or so.

UofT - God knows when they'll be in touch. I wish the Canadians ran on the same time frame as the Americans. Applied to 2 separate programs at UofT.

This is my last year of going through this...perhaps God has other plans for me? :cry:

[Svartsven]

I got a letter from Syracuse saying they received all of my materials and were reviewing applications at the end of January. Haven't heard anything from Indiana.

I received the same letter. Has anyone heard anything else from Syracuse?

[deus_absconditus]

I applied to Notre Dame's fully-funded MTS program and haven't heard anything from them. Anyone else apply for that program and have some information?

[obamaforyourmama]

I talked to UNC this morning, and they said decisions will be made in mid-march.

I also talked to the University of Michigan Near Eastern Studies Department, and I was told the committee is still deliberating and that letters will be sent out next week...hopefully.

I also called McGill Islamic Studies Department, and I was told letters will be sent out in the next 2 weeks.

[Leagus]

I applied to Notre Dame's fully-funded MTS program and haven't heard anything from them. Anyone else apply for that program and have some information?

I applied to the same program, I don't think we are meant to hear until mid-March. That seems to be the trend with most Masters level programs.

[Stud. Theol.]

Who posted on the results page:

"Every School Religion, PhD Rejected via Postal Service on 29 Feb 2008 A 29 Feb 2008 V: 800 Q:800 W: 5.5 GPA at Yale 3.99 (1st in class). Why did I flop?"

Is this a joke? If it's not I can't reasonably expect to get in anywhere.

[deus_absconditus]

Just wondering...anyone hear of an acceptance letter coming to someone via postal mail before a phone call or email?

[tingbaring]

I posted the scores and it is no joke. I think I got a bad recommendation and/or my personal statement was bad. I'm shocked and depressed. I have not heard from two schools, but right now I am 0 for 5. I haven't even been wait-listed.

[Stud. Theol.]

Ting,

I applied to 9 philosophy programs in 2006 and didn't even get a human response from any of those programs. Only one school even bothered to send me anything in the mail. This whole business is ridiculously discouraging, especially in our field.

Sorry to hear about your results. You are clearly more than qualified on paper. If you did get a poor or negative recommendation, however, that can be the kiss of death.

With a 3.9 GPA it's hard to imagine that any of your recommenders would have had anything bad to say but I know it can happen. I think that some profs get very lazy in their grading and allow for such inflation that, when they're asked to say what they really think of a student, their opinions are out of proportion with how they graded that student. I had a recommender who had given me 5 A's in 5 classes I'd taken with him tell me he'd only provide a lukewarm recommendation. If he had thought I wasn't worth more than a lukewarm recommendation then you'd think he would have given me a B along the way... let alone mostly C's or something. I don't think he cared about grades and wanted to avoid student complaints so he just gave our A's like Krispy Kreme gives out free doughnuts.

I'm not saying that's your situation but it was mine (although I think I'm quite capable and will do well in a top graduate program). Its hard to find a real advocate or friend sometimes. I too have a 3.9 GPA in a very competitive program (not Yale, but I think pretty good), an MA in philosophy and an MA in theology and things look rather grim for me too.

[tiredofrejection]

I posted the scores and it is no joke. I think I got a bad recommendation and/or my personal statement was bad. I'm shocked and depressed. I have not heard from two schools, but right now I am 0 for 5. I haven't even been wait-listed.

Did you have a masters and/or apply for any masters programs? Were you a religion major at Yale? It seems an MA is an unwritten prerequisite for most programs nowadays, and even that is often not enough when compared against people with 4.0s in MDiv programs. I know people who have been told flat out that, even after a full MA program, they did not have enough Theology credits and that is why they were not accepted (They were not a religion/theology undergrad major). They went on to work on an MDiv and got in the next year. If that is your case, I would suggest looking at masters programs before you apply again. Some of those deadlines haven't passed yet (though most of the top programs already have, at least for funding).

Also, when only 3 or 4 people are accepted in each area of study even in the larger programs, so much of the decision comes down to whether you "fit" the program. I was told years ago that you should choose your masters on the reputation of the school itself, but choose your doctorate program by which professor you want to work with.

Lastly, if you are applying again, call the departments you applied to for feedback. Some will blow you off, but others are willing to give you some very constructive criticism.

I hope that helps.

[rafnow]

It seems good numbers only get your foot in the door. Then you've got to get someone interested in your project. Maybe a sharper statement of purpose with a more clearly defined project/question/methodology would help.

[mconsul]

I agree that a Master's degree (or perhaps several!) is becoming the unwritten rule. I think that in a few fields, such as Classics, it is still possible to go straight from undergrad, and lots of people do. But with the increasingly high demands for knowing languages (for studying some sort of Religion in Antiquity field, at least) and the interdisciplinary nature of everything, you need to be so far along before a dept is willing to take you on and fund your work.

The related problem is that it's becoming very common for everyone to have a MA (or variously titled) degree, and so the level is being raised across the board.

I have two Master's so far and was 0/4 last year, and only had one interview/acceptance this year with a few decisions still out. Several friends I know in PhD programs also had a second Master's before moving on, though this is not yet quite the norm.

[rising_star]

I have two Master's so far and was 0/4 last year, and only had one interview/acceptance this year with a few decisions still out. Several friends I know in PhD programs also had a second Master's before moving on, though this is not yet quite the norm.

Are your master's in related fields to each other or to your planned doctoral work?

[deus_absconditus]

Okay, so maybe this is a dumb question, but how does the whole "wait list" thing work? If you get wait listed, does that mean you are the next in line if a spot opens, or are multiple applicants going to be wait listed for the same spot? Anyone who can shed some light will be appreciated.