2019 MDiv MTS MA Applications

[xypathos]

There's a reported M.Div rejection from Notre Dame on 2/4 but that doesn't really tell us anything. Other than that, some schools simply don't report before 3/15 so we'll have to wait.

[newcement]

On 2/5/2019 at 5:25 PM, JDD said:

@newcement I'm currently at PTS in the M.Div - depending on your reasons for taking a language, you may want to refrain from taking the summer session. For example, if you're only taking Greek/Hebrew to satisfy an ordination requirement that allows you to do pass/fail, then go ahead and do it. If you are doing it because you plan to pursue a PhD in biblical studies, I would not recommend taking it in the summer - that is, unless you're coming in with some previous language experience.

Hi there! I have not checked the forums in a bit, so missed your response until now.

Thank you for the input! What about the summer sessions make them less fit to prepare for PhD studies? Is it the expedited nature of the course? This is my first language course, so I have been on the fence about taking the summer course.

Glad to meet a PTS student on here!

[JDD]

@newcement

At the end of the day, PTS is still a PCUSA seminary required to prepare students for the ordination exam. Because of this, there are a lot of opportunities to take classes pass/fail to satisfy denomination or - in this case - presbytery requirements for ordination, withought having to worry about one’s GPA. Summer languages appear to be the epitome of “I’m only doing it because my presbytery requires it for ordination, so I am just getting it over with.”

This is by no means true for every student who takes summer language, however, your chances of succeeding in acquiring the language and moving on toward exegesis classes are better if you’re willing to take the full year intro. Unless you are super ambitious and aim to take upper level classes is Greek, Hebrew, and then maybe Latin, French, and German at the university, there is no reason to do the summer language. But take a close look at your program’s specific credit requirements and ensure you will have time to do all that you want for PhD preparation.

[westegg]

On 2/16/2019 at 12:34 AM, xypathos said:

There's a reported M.Div rejection from Notre Dame on 2/4 but that doesn't really tell us anything. Other than that, some schools simply don't report before 3/15 so we'll have to wait.

The M.Div is not only a separate faculty/committee from the MTS at Notre Dame, but they also do interviews, while the MTS does not. My guess is that the M.Div applicant did not receive an interview and was thus rejected before the M.Div started the interview process. I have a friend who interviewed for the M.Div during the first week of February, so my guess is that they had informed those who did not receive interviews that they were not moving forward in the process around that same time, hence the posted rejection. 

[LSiefferman]

No news on my end. Union says late Feb/early March for their notifications. HDS is March 15. So here we are, in suspended animation.

In other news, I’m bummed by the lack of HDS and/or Union MDiv activity on grad cafe. Years past have seen lively forums. Oh well!

[rejectedndejected]

Hey guys--Any idea what takes Harvard and Yale divinity schools so long to come out with decisions?  They don't even have ThD applicants to consider anymore, which makes it strange that they take 2 months to decide on us masters peeps.  Also, what is the earliest we can expect to hear back?  Does anyone know where Notre Dame is in the MTS process yet?

[xypathos]

Harvard doesn't technically have a ThD anymore but they don't have less doctoral slots to consider. ThD was just condensed into the PhD program since they found the distinguishing between ThD and PhD trivial since they had the same requirements and ThD students suffered on the job market b/c so many schools went "What's a ThD? Nah, we'll take the PhD from Harvard applicant instead." There's more at work there but that's neither here nor there. Also, Yale is looking at closing their Theology subfield per theology faculty there but that's a different matter.

At two other schools I've worked at, we didn't know how many M* students we could actually take (by way of dole-ing out scholarships) until early to mid-February. Acceptances extended beyond us knowing were to two groups: 1) Top applicants and 2) Those we have no intention of extending any decent scholarship to, so we're expecting them to pay significantly.

We also occasionally waited on releasing decisions to weak applicants that we expected weren't going to fair well anywhere else and certainly not get a scholarship. This way, our hope, is that they were desperate and would take our offer and the loans that it would require. It's certainly unfair and cruel but divinity school admissions is becoming more and more cutthroat so Provost/Chancellor-level offices are forcing us to play by unfair rules.

On the flip side of a March 15 release - everyone finds out together. If they're anything like my current place, they start reviewing apps on a certain date and make decisions ASAP. The decision sits in a database until a certain time (sometimes for months) and then get sent out in batches. H&Y simply wait until 3/15 and hit Send for everyone.

Edited February 20, 2019 by xypathos

[rejectedndejected]

7 minutes ago, xypathos said:

Harvard doesn't technically have a ThD anymore but they don't have less doctoral slots to consider. ThD was just condensed into the PhD program since they found the distinguishing between ThD and PhD trivial since they had the same requirements and ThD students suffered on the job market b/c so many schools went "What's a ThD? Nah, we'll take the PhD from Harvard applicant instead." There's more at work there but that's neither here nor there.

At two other schools I've worked at, we didn't know how many M* students we could actually take (by way of dole-ing out scholarships) until early to mid-February. Acceptances extended beyond us knowing were to two groups: 1) Top applicants and 2) Those we have no intention of extending any decent scholarship to, so we're expecting them to pay significantly.

We also occasionally waited on releasing decisions to weak applicants that we expected weren't going to fair well anywhere else and certainly not get a scholarship. This way, our hope, is that they were desperate and would take our offer and the loans that it would require. It's certainly unfair and cruel but divinity school admissions is becoming more and more cutthroat so Provost/Chancellor-level offices are forcing us to play by unfair rules.

On the flip side of a March 15 release - everyone finds out together. If they're anything like my current place, they start reviewing apps on a certain date and make decisions ASAP. The decision sits in a database until a certain time (sometimes for months) and then get sent out in batches. H&Y simply wait until 3/15 and hit Send for everyone.

Thanks for this. What specifically did you consider a "weak applicant" at the master's level?

[xypathos]

1 hour ago, rejectedndejected said:

Thanks for this. What specifically did you consider a "weak applicant" at the master's level?

That's a great question and depends on if the applicant is a ministry or academic applicant. If academic: poor grades, low GRE, and little to no language preparation. Ministry is a little more complicated and will vary from school to school and even among scholarships being considered for.

[rejectedndejected]

3 hours ago, xypathos said:

That's a great question and depends on if the applicant is a ministry or academic applicant. If academic: poor grades, low GRE, and little to no language preparation. Ministry is a little more complicated and will vary from school to school and even among scholarships being considered for.

I'm thinking in terms of academic applicants.  Does language training matter much at the master's level?  I figured that programs used the master's curriculum to begin language training, so that students could use languages at the doctoral level.  For the premier master's programs, what is considered a solid GRE score (V/AW)? What is considered a "low" score?  What if an applicant has bad undergrad GPA but high first master's GPA?

Edited February 21, 2019 by rejectedndejected
Just because.

[dkimbab]

I just found out yesterday that I was admitted to the Mdiv program at Uchicago!! I got pretty decent funding but I definitely need to start applying for different scholarships and the like. Anyone else here get admitted to the Mdiv program at Chicago?

[LSiefferman]

@dkimbab how exciting! There is a whole forum on here about funding and scholarships. That is a new world I will soon have to understand. Where are you looking for funding? Are you coming to your MDiv with particular denominational support? What’s your focus area?

[westegg]

For those waiting to hear back from ND's MTS applications, I was informed by email that I was waitlisted this morning. Implication of the email was that MTS acceptances seem to have already gone out. No idea if they've let rejections know or not.

Really hoping I get in off the waitlist, as it's my first choice by far, but I was offered a full scholarship to BC's MTS as well so that's the backup plan if this doesn't come through. Best of luck to the rest of you that applied. 

[rejectedndejected]

6 hours ago, westegg said:

For those waiting to hear back from ND's MTS applications, I was informed by email that I was waitlisted this morning. Implication of the email was that MTS acceptances seem to have already gone out. No idea if they've let rejections know or not.

Really hoping I get in off the waitlist, as it's my first choice by far, but I was offered a full scholarship to BC's MTS as well so that's the backup plan if this doesn't come through. Best of luck to the rest of you that applied. 

I also was waitlisted to ND's MTS (liturgy) this morning.  Blast.

Westegg, what is your concentration?  And do you know where you sit on the waitlist? 

[rejectedndejected]

Also, today I got an e-mail from Harvard Divinity School saying, inter alia: "we have organized a webinar entitled “Preparing for What’s Next,” which will take place on Thursday, February 28th from 3:00 pm - 4:00 pm EST."

Do you guys think that only students that they are planning to admit received these notices?  Or do you think it was sent to all applicants? Maybe I'm reading way too far into this, but admissions season is a stressful time, and analyzing minutia makes the time tick by quickly...

[fordlandia]

1 hour ago, rejectedndejected said:

Also, today I got an e-mail from Harvard Divinity School saying, inter alia: "we have organized a webinar entitled “Preparing for What’s Next,” which will take place on Thursday, February 28th from 3:00 pm - 4:00 pm EST."

Do you guys think that only students that they are planning to admit received these notices?  Or do you think it was sent to all applicants? Maybe I'm reading way too far into this, but admissions season is a stressful time, and analyzing minutia makes the time tick by quickly...

I got the same invitation and thought similarly to you. However, after checking with a friend who is currently attending HDS, it appears that this email is sent to every single person who applied. Wishing you were right though!

[Boolakanaka]

Yep, it’s a generic invite they have utilized in past years.

[rejectedndejected]

No one else wants to talk Notre Dame MTS?  I figured there would be a flurry of activity on here since those answers came out today.  Here's to waitlist purgatorio!

[dkimbab]

15 hours ago, LSiefferman said:

@dkimbab how exciting! There is a whole forum on here about funding and scholarships. That is a new world I will soon have to understand. Where are you looking for funding? Are you coming to your MDiv with particular denominational support? What’s your focus area?

Thanks for that info, I'll definitely take a look at it!! (1) I just typed in scholarships for seminary students and started looking there lol. (2) I currently am a Youth/College Pastor at my church in Chicago (Full Gospel: Pentecostal) and I will receive some measure of financial support. (4) Definitely New Testament, I did my undergrad in Biblical Languages and primarily focused on Greek. I look forward to sitting under Margaret Mitchell and Jeff Jay. What about yourself? Any denominational support? What field do you desire to work in? 

 

 

[Pierre de Olivi]

What is the etiquitte surrounding asking questions about funding after you have been admitted but before you are notified about funding? I got into CUA's Semitics program and was told "funding decisions will be forthcoming" in an email from the graduate admissions department (not the Semitics department). It's a great program but I really need more information on funding before I can commit one way or the other -- is there any harm in e-mailing my POI or department chair about by what time I can expect to hear about the funding, or will this be seen as rude or greedy?

Edited February 22, 2019 by Pierre de Olivi

[LSiefferman]

@Pierre de Olivi  typically this email comes out within 24 hours of your acceptance notification. At least that is my general understanding from my conversations with various financial aid depts. I would be sure to check your spam. And I also would give a call to the admin or financial aid office to see when you can expect that funding information. I don’t think that is greedy at all… It shows initiative. But still - You probably will not have to wait very long to get that information. 

[sambam]

On 2/21/2019 at 2:34 PM, rejectedndejected said:

Also, today I got an e-mail from Harvard Divinity School saying, inter alia: "we have organized a webinar entitled “Preparing for What’s Next,” which will take place on Thursday, February 28th from 3:00 pm - 4:00 pm EST."

Do you guys think that only students that they are planning to admit received these notices?  Or do you think it was sent to all applicants? Maybe I'm reading way too far into this, but admissions season is a stressful time, and analyzing minutia makes the time tick by quickly...

This is an invite every applicant gets. I am a re-applicant to HDS (was denied last year) and got this same email last year.

 

Edited February 23, 2019 by sambam

[sambam]

HDS released decisions last year on March 12th. hope its the same date or earlier this year!!  am on the edge of my seat... 

Edited February 23, 2019 by sambam

[rejectedndejected]

2 hours ago, sambam said:

HDS released decisions last year on March 12th. hope its the same date or earlier this year!!  am on the edge of my seat... 

Schools like to dole out the bad news on Fridays.  March 15 is a Friday.  I would anticipate getting an e-mail at 4:55 pm on March 15.

[Deep Fried Angst]

11 minutes ago, rejectedndejected said:

Schools like to dole out the bad news on Fridays.  March 15 is a Friday.  I would anticipate getting an e-mail at 4:55 pm on March 15.

@rejectedndejected Are you asserting that one should beware the Ides of March?