Fall 2021 Religion PhD

[exegete]

55 minutes ago, CafeConGabi said:

From a friend who majored in Medieval Studies (10 years ago?) and taught at Baylor: it wasn't her favorite place to teach. She thought the schools was too Christian-leaning for her liking, so there's that. 

Baylor probably does have a more Christian "feel" than most other universities considered by people in this forum. That's something to consider for sure. But it's not at all as conservative as one might expect just from hearing that it's a Baptist school in Texas. And the religion department is definitely more liberal than some other departments and than the university as a whole.

[Deep Fried Angst]

Baylor would also give you access to Whataburger. This should not be taken lightly as part of the decision making process. 

[amam]

1 hour ago, Deep Fried Angst said:

Baylor would also give you access to Whataburger. This should not be taken lightly as part of the decision making process. 

?

[Historiaeros]

1 hour ago, Deep Fried Angst said:

Baylor would also give you access to Whataburger. This should not be taken lightly as part of the decision making process. 

I think you might forget to mention the significance of Dr. Pepper as well.?

[CafeConGabi]

2 hours ago, exegete said:

Baylor probably does have a more Christian "feel" than most other universities considered by people in this forum. That's something to consider for sure. But it's not at all as conservative as one might expect just from hearing that it's a Baptist school in Texas. And the religion department is definitely more liberal than some other departments and than the university as a whole.

These are also good points. : ) 

[_Athena_]

How's everyone holding up? It seems like a lot of schools started getting back to applicants by mid-February last year. I wonder if we can expect the same this cycle or if there may be some COVID-related delays.

Edited February 6, 2021 by _Athena_

[beorn1968]

 

The radio silence is the worse or maybe I'm just not who I thought I am as a scholar. solidarity everyone

Edited February 6, 2021 by beorn1968

[alizeh55]

1 hour ago, _Athena_ said:

How's everyone holding up? It seems like a lot of schools started getting back to applicants by mid-February last year. I wonder if we can expect the same this cycle or if there may be some COVID-related delays.

Definitely starting to get anxious. Also, to make things worse, I've gotten random spam calls from the area codes of schools I applied to everyday this week, so that doesn't help haha.

Not sure if this will help anybody, but I spoke to my department chair at Columbia (for master's admissions) and they told me that the committee will be meeting "in a few weeks" to finalize admissions. So I would assume COVID hasn't affected the timeline much. With most of the committees working from home, it may even speed things up--who knows!

1 hour ago, beorn1968 said:

 

The radio silence is the worse or maybe I'm just not who I thought I am as a scholar. solidarity everyone

That doesn't make you any less of a scholar, just human.  

[_Athena_]

1 hour ago, beorn1968 said:

 

The radio silence is the worse or maybe I'm just not who I thought I am as a scholar. solidarity everyone

The silence sure is deafening. But take heart and hang in there - like @alizeh55 said, I'm sure it's not a reflection of you as a scholar.

49 minutes ago, alizeh55 said:

Definitely starting to get anxious. Also, to make things worse, I've gotten random spam calls from the area codes of schools I applied to everyday this week, so that doesn't help haha.

Not sure if this will help anybody, but I spoke to my department chair at Columbia (for master's admissions) and they told me that the committee will be meeting "in a few weeks" to finalize admissions. So I would assume COVID hasn't affected the timeline much. With most of the committees working from home, it may even speed things up--who knows!

I keep getting random spam calls like that, too!

Are you in the Religious Studies department at Columbia? It's a pity they didn't accept PhD apps this year...it was high on my list.

[crossroadsph]

5 hours ago, _Athena_ said:

The silence sure is deafening. But take heart and hang in there - like @alizeh55 said, I'm sure it's not a reflection of you as a scholar.

I keep getting random spam calls like that, too!

Are you in the Religious Studies department at Columbia? It's a pity they didn't accept PhD apps this year...it was high on my list.

Well, it sure sped things up for Duke. They normally send out admissions decisions next week, but they sent them this week, which is quite early given what I've seen. I asked Drew, another school to which I am applying, about when the decisions would come out and they said that it all depends on the number of applicants under review. It's still a helpful answer, but it helpfully does not say much. I asked one other school, which I will not name, about when they are releasing results, and they did not reply, nor am I expecting a reply from them.

Right now, I am holding up well given what is going on in my life these days outside this process. I agree with what @_Athena_ and @alizeh55 both said, a rejection is not a reflection on us as scholars. In fact, that was one of the first pieces of advice I received on the doctoral admissions process when I applied last cycle. So, if the radio silence is deafening, know that you are not alone waiting and anxious about the wait. It will all pass soon enough, whatever the outcome.

Edited February 6, 2021 by crossroadsph
Grammar correction

[CafeConGabi]

17 hours ago, beorn1968 said:

 

The radio silence is the worse or maybe I'm just not who I thought I am as a scholar. solidarity everyone

That was me a couple years ago. 

I remember getting rejected by two PhD programs and thinking maybe research isn't for me. Maybe my ideas/opinions are just too ridiculous. 

So, I tried living a non-academic life quickly realizing that I needed to apply at least one more time. In my heart I knew that I'd regret not attempting to pursue a crazy dream (researcher). The second time would be different, and it was. Even after submitting applications I prepared myself for a second round of rejection and a potential third application cycle. 

All this to say don't give in. If this is something that brings you joy try again. I'm here if you, or anyone on here, wants to bounce ideas or wants another pair of eyes to look at the statement of purpose. I believe in collaborative work.  

And I really do believe that everything happens in divine timing. 

[cosmo92]

Did anyone else apply to Marquette's Theological Ethics program or any theological program at Marquette. I just got an email informing me that I was waitlisted so I'm just trying to gauge how hopeful to be or what to realistically expect. The graduate admissions director noted that I was towards the very top of the waitlist order but I have no clue as to what that actually entails. 

 

[Deep Fried Angst]

@cosmo92, most years there is some, though not a ton of waitlist movement. Marquette tries to get acceptances out early, but that also means people typically sit on them until they hear back from other programs. Once ND, BC and others get theirs out, you might see some more movement. You can always email Dr. Dempsey, the DGS, and she'll do her best to update you. Since there's not a set number each concentration get within the program, sometimes you might get some movement if one other concentration is getting declines of their acceptances. If you are high on the waitlist, I would say there is hope, though some years (like mine) everyone in a particular concentration may accept the admissions offer immediately and no waitlist movement happens. 

(Marquette PhD Candidate here)

[cosmo92]

16 minutes ago, Deep Fried Angst said:

@cosmo92, most years there is some, though not a ton of waitlist movement. Marquette tries to get acceptances out early, but that also means people typically sit on them until they hear back from other programs. Once ND, BC and others get theirs out, you might see some more movement. You can always email Dr. Dempsey, the DGS, and she'll do her best to update you. Since there's not a set number each concentration get within the program, sometimes you might get some movement if one other concentration is getting declines of their acceptances. If you are high on the waitlist, I would say there is hope, though some years (like mine) everyone in a particular concentration may accept the admissions offer immediately and no waitlist movement happens. 

(Marquette PhD Candidate here)

What concentration are you in if you don't mind my asking? And what year did you apply? Dr. Dempsey has been incredible in terms of communication. 

[Deep Fried Angst]

@cosmo92, I'm in the JCA concentration. Applied for the 2017 cycle I believe. TBH, I know the least about ethics concentration, but feel free to message me if you have any questions about the program in general. 

[beorn1968]

has anyone heard of Yale religious studies having any interviews yet this cycle? feel free to DM me.

[ypastorpat]

This last week I got a rejection from Stanford and waitlisted at Marquette as well. Same as cosmo92, Dr. Dempsey said I was high on the wait list. For what it's worth, something similar happened to me when I applied there for the MA program, but then I ended up getting in and funded. So I still have hope about it.

 

No word from SLU or Chicago yet though.

[dougy]

I thought I might share this with you all. I've never thought to raise questions about the constant refrain of people saying, "There are no jobs for PhDs in religion." If we get in, maybe we do have hope for teaching posts after all!

Hang in there, friends.

https://theotherjournal.com/2014/11/30/there-are-no-jobs-common-fallacies-and-facts-about-getting-a-phd-in-religion-or-theology/

[alizeh55]

After a lot of [unhealthy] stalking, I learned that Harvard CSR will be meeting tomorrow to discuss applicants.

 

you might be able to see this for your school too.

 

if you go to the calendar section of the program website, sometimes they have their internal meetings on public. So every year CSR has this “committee meeting” flagged under grad school on the second Monday of February. It also aligns with all the results posted on Gradcafe.

 

I hope this helps whoever is anxious like me about when we will hear back!

[NTEJGuy]

7 hours ago, alizeh55 said:

After a lot of [unhealthy] stalking, I learned that Harvard CSR will be meeting tomorrow to discuss applicants.

 

you might be able to see this for your school too.

 

if you go to the calendar section of the program website, sometimes they have their internal meetings on public. So every year CSR has this “committee meeting” flagged under grad school on the second Monday of February. It also aligns with all the results posted on Gradcafe.

 

I hope this helps whoever is anxious like me about when we will hear back!

Are you saying you expect Harvard results today? It seems like in the past they’ve come out later than this...

[alizeh55]

48 minutes ago, NTEJGuy said:

Are you saying you expect Harvard results today? It seems like in the past they’ve come out later than this...

No,  not saying that. Just saying that the committee is most likely meeting today. You have to look at what date the second Monday of February was in the past two years to see that as well, which I did.

I guess that the actual process of informing applicants could be anytime after that - maybe this week or next. No clue, let’s see

[AnxiousinSyriac]

16 hours ago, ypastorpat said:

This last week I got a rejection from Stanford and waitlisted at Marquette as well. Same as cosmo92, Dr. Dempsey said I was high on the wait list. For what it's worth, something similar happened to me when I applied there for the MA program, but then I ended up getting in and funded. So I still have hope about it.

 

No word from SLU or Chicago yet though.

Glad to see another person applied for SLU. I, too, have yet to hear anything, but am feeling pretty low about it. It's not my number one choice, per say, but it might be the most practical. 

[True_hope]

Any one who may apply to Vanderbilt University, they will come out the results for Ph.d after 12 February (the last appointment day of the admission committee). I may expect that the result will come out on 15 February or during that week. Wish you all! (Current student at Vandy)

[cosmo92]

17 hours ago, ypastorpat said:

This last week I got a rejection from Stanford and waitlisted at Marquette as well. Same as cosmo92, Dr. Dempsey said I was high on the wait list. For what it's worth, something similar happened to me when I applied there for the MA program, but then I ended up getting in and funded. So I still have hope about it.

 

No word from SLU or Chicago yet though.

What concentration are you applying for? 

[ypastorpat]

2 minutes ago, cosmo92 said:

What concentration are you applying for? 

Historical.