Religion PhD - Results Page

[deus_absconditus]

What does anyone know about the Theology and Ethics PhD program at the University of Dayton?

[tiredofrejection]

I agree with Deus - ultimately it all comes down to basketball ... fan loyalty is far greater than pedagogy.

[sleepingdogmatist]

sleepingdogmatist,

Yes, RA is right, it was John Thatanamil. If you have similar interests definitely contact him. He's very helpful. He corresponded with me at length despite the fact that he doubted I was a good fit at Vanderbilt.

As I said, I really don't think that rejecting something as evident and fundamental as the principle of identity is a viable way to develop a philosophically credible notion of religious identity but if you can work something there he'd be the guy to talk to.

Thanks to both who responded -- I've got a bit of an unorthodox project that may very well be causing my admission woes (well, when combined with the fact that I go to Nowhere U.), and anything that I hear like that offers some encouragement.

Best of luck in finding a place that suits you.

[Revolage]

Marquette Theology Update (based upon an email received from a faculty member around 3PM CST on 3/10/2008):

1. Lots of impressive applications this year.

2. They are hoping to make admission decisions this week, which might still happen.

3. After that, however, financial aid still needs to be determined.

So, I'm thinking late next week - at the earliest. I'm excited about Marquette, so it's hard to wait that long.

Whoever designed the graduate admissions process to give applicants a one-month window (or less) to make a major life decision wasn't realistic! Personally, I think applications should be due in September, worked on by faculty during the Fall semester, and then admissions/rejections can be sent out over the Christmas break. That way, applicants have most of the Spring semester to plan, visit, compare offers, look for jobs/apartments/etc...

[Stud. Theol.]

Hi all,

I got and acceptance from Claremont today with half tuition. So my problem is obvious, how would I come up with the other half? Claremont was/is my top choice and since I got turned down at UVA, really my only choice.

Does anyone know whether this is really a viable offer. I guess they'd only offer half tuition if it was doable, not merely a tease. But I really don't know much about funding. I had always just assumed that if I got in anywhere it would be handled and I'd just have to find a way to survive on top of that.

Anyone have any insight here?

My situation is that I have a wife and young kids. We may be able to live with my father rent-free. He has a large house about 40 miles from campus so I'd have to commute but at least I'm not paying rent. So paying, what $15k, a semester is going to be rough. My wife can work nights but I'm thinking that's mainly for us to survive. I don't know whether she can pay the rest and my opinion is that she shouldn't have to.

Thanks

[religionstudent]

Hey tingbaring, are you in the same subfield, have you worked with Safi?

Can't say I know anything about sports, but I suppose being a religious studies student, I'd rather not associate myself with devils, blue or otherwise. I think I'm going to be a tarheeler, I just have a hunch about that.

mconsul, did you go to Duke or UNC or did you just visit them? What is it about Duke's or UNC's campus that is more appealing? Chapel Hill/Carrboro generally seem like very nice places to live from what people have told me, it sounds like my kind of place.

Thanks for your insights, it's a hard decision, but like you said mconsul, it does come down to that gut feeling as well as lots of common sense.

[pgmpeace]

Hello,

I have been able to narrow my choices down to Duke and UNC and just can't make up my mind. I'm being heavily recruited by both and will have to make my decision before I get to visit. In terms of rank, obviously Duke is higher ranked, but the profs I want to work with at UNC are also big names in my subfield. The funding packages are pretty much the same, and at the end of the day, I still get to take classes with profs at both schools and participate in activities in both schools as they are closely tied.

Which school would you choose and why?

Hi religionstudent,

I have a bunch of friends at Duke's Religious Studies Dept and, as you mentioned, they tell me that there is a lot of interaction between the two schools. I know Duke people in early Christianity and in New Testament who have Bart Ehrman (from UNC) on their committee, for example. I don't know your subfield, but it doesn't seem like you can really make a wrong decision here. If you've got big names at UNC and you think you'd get along with them, I'd go for it. Or if you think you'd be happier with the program setup at Duke, at least you'd still get to work with the UNC folks. If Duke doesn't have people you'd want to work with primarily, if it were me, I'd go with UNC. But if everything were equal in my mind (the quality and approachability of the profs, the program setups, etc.), I would go to Duke for the name. That's just me.

[tiredofrejection]

Hi all,

I got and acceptance from Claremont today with half tuition. So my problem is obvious, how would I come up with the other half? Claremont was/is my top choice and since I got turned down at UVA, really my only choice.

Does anyone know whether this is really a viable offer. I guess they'd only offer half tuition if it was doable, not merely a tease. But I really don't know much about funding. I had always just assumed that if I got in anywhere it would be handled and I'd just have to find a way to survive on top of that.

Anyone have any insight here?

My situation is that I have a wife and young kids. We may be able to live with my father rent-free. He has a large house about 40 miles from campus so I'd have to commute but at least I'm not paying rent. So paying, what $15k, a semester is going to be rough. My wife can work nights but I'm thinking that's mainly for us to survive. I don't know whether she can pay the rest and my opinion is that she shouldn't have to.

Thanks

Congrats Stud. Theol. I haven't heard from Claremont yet - I hope that's not an indicator.

I feel for you on the financial end though. It is a hard choice to make, especially given the current market for PhDs. I assume I will be in the same boat soon enough. I am currently in at the Grad. Theol. Union but waiting to hear on funding and I am still waiting on Claremont. Both are not known for good funding since they are grad-only schools.

[deus_absconditus]

Religion student,

After reading through some of the recent posts, I am reminded of conversations that I have had/overheard about UNC and Duke. Regarding Duke: from what I know (granted I didn't go there) Stan Hauerwas looms large in the theological studies area and Richard Hayes holds a considerable amount of sway in the New Testament studies area. Anecdotal wisdom says that Duke is a colony of post-liberal Yale school formed by Frei and Lindbeck, but this may be changing.

Regarding UNC: I've heard that Bart Erhman doesn't see constructive theological studies as something that he wants to oversee in Phd students; he seems to be more of a textualist and historian of earliest Christianites. It seems that UNC is also very strong in American Religious History and Cultural studies.

So depending on your interests (if they are at all related to New Testament or Theology), Duke may be the place to go if you see yourself leaning more toward theological studies, and UNC may be the place to go if you see yourself leaning more toward textual studies.

[deus_absconditus]

Marquette Theology Update (based upon an email received from a faculty member around 3PM CST on 3/10/2008):

1. Lots of impressive applications this year.

2. They are hoping to make admission decisions this week, which might still happen.

3. After that, however, financial aid still needs to be determined.

So, I'm thinking late next week - at the earliest. I'm excited about Marquette, so it's hard to wait that long.

Whoever designed the graduate admissions process to give applicants a one-month window (or less) to make a major life decision wasn't realistic! Personally, I think applications should be due in September, worked on by faculty during the Fall semester, and then admissions/rejections can be sent out over the Christmas break. That way, applicants have most of the Spring semester to plan, visit, compare offers, look for jobs/apartments/etc...

Revolage,

Thanks for checking in with Marquette. They seem like they're taking a long time to get through this process. Did your email indicate whether or not admissions decisions would be released prior to funding decisions?

[Revolage]

Regarding Marquette: since decisions will be officially sent out via the Graduate School (and not the Theology Department itself), I would imagine that notifications will include both the decision and the funding. The email didn't specify that, but that's the impression I got.

[Shayna]

McGill is a real possibility now

I had been accepted only at McGill last year (still waiting to hear this year from NYU and UofT, although I fully expect rejections!) but the funding was terrible. I was able to defer. I finally e-mailed them to see what the story was with funding, and I've been offered a fellowship! Details to come in the mail, so I'm not sure of what, exactly, it covers, but from the message I got, the funding is comparable to most programs in the US - with one hitch. It's only guaranteed for one year. After that, there are supposedly a ton of things that current students can apply for - but no funding is guaranteed.

What to do? To move the whole family - me, spouse, and three kids - to a different country is a big deal. However, this is probably my best shot. Plus my old Harvard Prof is there, whom I adore.

(And if I don't go this year, I probably won't go through this hellish process again!)

Opinions?

[Philmajor]

According to the Results section UChicago-Divinity mailed their letters this morning. Internal candidates/Chicago residents should know tomorrow. I'm so nervous I could puke :roll:

I would probably feel better if I had info on their acceptance rate for internal candidates vs. external but in a few days the wait will be over and I really hope I am jumping up and down and not collapsing onto the floor in tears.

[tiredofrejection]

Hi all,

I got and acceptance from Claremont today with half tuition.

I still havent heard, and now I'm worried.

Who did the email come from? The admissions office, school of Religion, or a prof?

[Stud. Theol.]

Hi Tired,

I would call the office. I called them last week and they only had decisions from Hebrew Bible at that time.

I got an email from a prof yesterday and a different prof today. If I remember, I think you're applying for TEC; I'm in PRT. So TEC may still be deciding. I was told that both would be done around this week.

[Revolage]

I'm in the Chicagoland area, so I may get my letter from the Univ. of Chicago's Divinity School as early as tomorrow. Knowing that decisions are made, I'm *so* tempted to contact the Dean and just ask. However, I will try to refrain and endure one more questioning night.

Why didn't I apply to all of those programs that informed their applicants in early and mid February? Some of my colleagues got into top-notch programs a month ago, and have been relaxing ever since.

[mconsul]

religionstudent,

i grew up (mostly) around the 'triangle' (raleigh-durham-chapel hill) and one of my bros went to unc and lived there for about another 4-5 years off and on. so i'm very familiar. and i know duke as well, and was even invited to interview but had to turn it down.

i love how people are debating the qualities of Bart Ehrman as if it really matters to you.......(from what i gathered from your area of focus).

[mconsul]

shayna,

congrats! i say go for it. (of course, i have no real ability to assess what it will mean/entail, but i take encouragement from the fact that a (realistic) option has opened up for you after a few discouraging rounds.)

good luck!

[UGAgrad07]

Just checked the status page for UCSB's program and it *still* says there's no decision available. Has anybody heard one way or the other from UCSB?

[Philmajor]

Revolage,

Post as soon as you receive your acceptance from Chicago Divinity! Are you a current student at the Divinity school? I've been trying to find information on how they do acceptance - do internal candidates have a leg up on external? How many students are they planning on accepting? Any info would be really appreciated.

[sleepingdogmatist]

Just checked the status page for UCSB's program and it *still* says there's no decision available. Has anybody heard one way or the other from UCSB?

Looks like the standard decision date is around the 15-20th, based on the website. I'm still on the verge of crapping myself constantly.

...and I'm anticipating the results quite a bit as well.

[Revolage]

Philmajor,

I can't say I know a lot about how the Univ. of Chicago Divinity School does admissions. However, I was rejected last year, so I did learn a little.

Apparently, it depends on which area of study program you apply to. For example, they told me that philosophy of religion (the program I applied to) gets about 15-20 applications per year, and of that, they normally accept 1 or 2. If you apply to some of the more popular areas of study, your chances of acceptance may increase a little.

The Dean of Students at the Divinity School can inform you exactly which profs will be reading your application (again, based upon your intended area) and recommends coming to the school, sitting in on a class, and meeting with the prof.

I have no idea how the internal vs. external distinction works (I'm an external applicant myself). If I had to guess, I would imagine that if you're a great internal candidate both in terms of your academic competence and interpersonal skills (i.e., they "like" you), you'd have a great chance of getting in.

I met with one of the profs and thought it went fairly well, so I'm optimistic that it will push me over the edge. Although, when you think about the fact that they might choose ONE person to represent the philosophy of religion group, it does seem a little hard. I mean, if they choose one, you'd have to be the #1 candidate, right?

Anyway, I will post as soon as I hear anything.

[Philmajor]

Thanks Revolage. I'm an internal candidate that also applied to Philosophy of Religion - what is your interest? Although I had hoped internal students got a leg up on the external applicants I don't think that's true. The difference between us is that my paper has been read, graded, and commented on by the professor I wish to study under - perhaps that will help. I've also had 2 years to show them that i'm committed to this entire process. Which professor did you speak with? Internal applicants pick who they want on the committee (we need to explain which exams we'll take) so that may help a little. I think the entire process is a crap shot and the secrecy around the process is maddening. I too shall post as soon as I have the results - if I survive another night of waiting (I'm also preparing for finals next week)!

[Philmajor]

Revolage - what did you do with your year off? I'm trying to figure out what type of job to persue should I be rejected as I think I will be. Thanks.

[Revolage]

Philmajor,

My interests are Barth, Wittgenstein, philosophical theology, and religious epistemology (especially how non-Western philosophy/religion can inform, say, Christian philosohpy of religion). My meeting was with Dr. Gamwell. Did you apply elsewhere (pardon me if you've posted this earlier in the forum). I've already been accepted to Boston University, and would be quite content to go there, although I'd also love to attend Chicago's Divinity School and Marquette.

What did I do during my year off? Funny you should ask - I just posted an answer to this question over at LiveJournal's "Who Got In?" forum for Philosophy. Here's my post verbatim (followed by commentary):

"Here's my advice to those who are 0 for X:

1. Seek out those graduate admissions directors at schools you applied to in order to obtain a faculty appraisal of your application. Most may not give you the time of day, but the ones who do will be helpful.

2. Consider applying to programs (next year) where your letter writers have friends (e.g., people they've worked on projects with, people they attended grad school with, etc...). As I wrote in another post, in 2008, it's still all about who you know.

3. As a corollary to #2, try to visit those programs you're most interested in and get some face-to-face time with people. If you're on top of your game and present yourself well, it will help your application (because now they'll have a face and pleasant experience to add to the otherwise faceless sea of applications they receive).

4. During your year off, be diligient to do (or at least try) two things: (a) try to get a paper published in a journal (even if it's small-time) or present a paper at a conference (again, even if it's small-time), and ( see if you can adjunct at a local college (most likely, a community college). Teaching will look great on your vita (and future application), will deepen your understanding of philosophy, and will also let you know if you *really* want to do this as a career.

5. Start the process early and see if you can get some help from professors at your school.

6. Follow Blogical Necessity's masterful guide on acing the GREs (http://blogicalnecessity.blogspot.com/2 ... mised.html). He aced them and teaches for Princeton Review, so he should know."

Commentary: I focused on the teaching. After being rejected in my first attempt, I wasn't sure what I wanted to do, so I decided to see if I really enjoyed academia. I had already taught a course while working on my 2nd M.A., but I wanted to jump in with both feet. It's a *lot* of work, but I'm enjoying it and I can tell it's helped my application with schools that focus on teaching. My GRE scores were already pretty good for a first-time attempt, so I left those alone. I fully intended to get something published and maybe present at a conference or two, but between the teaching and family (wife and a son), the time got away from me and I wasn't able to polish a few projects on the back burner. I also accepted a research assistant project from one of my letter writers.

I was also diligent to visit schools, hitting five total. I had very good interactions each time and thought it was a good investment of time and money.

Hope that helps. And I hope you get in somewhere so that you don't have to follow the above advice.