M.Div Acceptance Chances? (YDS, PTS, etc)

[Chwan]

Hello,

I am an undergraduate student planning to graduate this semester. I applied to four grad schools for my Mdiv degree, and I was wondering how high/low the chances of getting into  them would be. I would also appreciate it enormously if you can give me a rough picture of how generous each school is with its scholarship, especially for Mdiv applicants and international students. Thank you!

Background

• Missionary Kid / International Student
• Private Christian university in California
  • B.A. Philosophy, B.A. Humanities
  • Minor in Philosophical Apologetics, Minor in Marketing
  • 3.95/4.00 GPA, Summa Cum Laude (expected)
  • Member of the Honors College, 4yrs
  • President of an ethnic student club, 2yrs
• Work experience at a Christian missions organization, 4yrs (editor, translator, interpreter)
• International Admissions Intern, 1yr

Applied Schools (MDiv)

• Yale Divinity School
• Princeton Theological Seminary
• Boston University
• Duke Divinity School

[xypathos]

Acceptance chances are good at all of them. Probably north of 70% at all but Yale. It's still high at Yale so don't worry.

Funding is trickier.

Duke's aid is generally bad, though UMC M.Div students get the most due to summer funding. Realistically, I'd expect somewhere around 25% aid package.

PTS gives PCUSA students 100% tuition by default, or at least has for years. It's also traditionally been the case that non-PCUSA students are capped at 80% aid.

BU - probably 50% but they also sometimes surprise year to year.

YDS - 50-75%. Outside of Episcopalians, I think most students have had to take out small loans or pursue additional scholarships. There's been a push among higher up Yale University administration that the divinity school needs to become a profitable enterprise.

[aalena75]

As an MTS applicant at BU and an MAR applicant at Yale, I've read a lot of threads about these two schools/funding people were offered. I would expect upwards of 100% funding from BU. Sometimes they even give 10,000 living stipends (but I think this requires invitation to interview for the stipend). As for Yale, somewhere between 50-75% funding sounds right. But also, Yale has the best (from what I gather) matriculation rate for preparing Masters students for PhD programs. So, that might be worth considering, too. I'm not sure about PTS. I also applied to Duke for MTS but as the other person said, their funding is typically bad.

[lwr]

From what I understand, starting next term YDS is starting to cover full tuition and offer stipends to all students offered scholarships (which is almost all students). https://divinity.yale.edu/news/yds-cover-full-tuition-cost-aided-students

[LakeSuperior]

Currently at YDS. Can confirm that beginning fall 2023, all students who receive aid will have full tuition covered.

Edited February 12, 2022 by LakeSuperior

[Chwan]

Thank you everyone! Just got an acceptance email from BU with a 70% scholarship along with an invitation to submit an "interview" video for 100% scholarship + stipends.

I also got invited for an interview from PTS, which I'm not sure whether is a good sign or not. Is it common for PTS to ask for interviews for international MDiv applicants (or just applicants in general)? Any advice/possible questions that they might ask?

[camelears]

55 minutes ago, Chwan said:

Thank you everyone! Just got an acceptance email from BU with a 70% scholarship along with an invitation to submit an "interview" video for 100% scholarship + stipends.

I also got invited for an interview from PTS, which I'm not sure whether is a good sign or not. Is it common for PTS to ask for interviews for international MDiv applicants (or just applicants in general)? Any advice/possible questions that they might ask?

Pretty sure PTS says on their website that interviews are either required or highly recommended. I think it is required. So, it is probably a good sign. 

[aalena75]

2 hours ago, Chwan said:

Thank you everyone! Just got an acceptance email from BU with a 70% scholarship along with an invitation to submit an "interview" video for 100% scholarship + stipends.

I also got invited for an interview from PTS, which I'm not sure whether is a good sign or not. Is it common for PTS to ask for interviews for international MDiv applicants (or just applicants in general)? Any advice/possible questions that they might ask?

I got the same email from BU today! Congratulations! I'd say PTS wouldn't waste time on interviewing you if they weren't interested in admitting you.

[ngjb]

I just interveiwed with PTS this morning, and got the same BU letter tuesday. Best of luck to you all.

[Chwan]

On 2/17/2022 at 1:56 PM, ngjb said:

I just interveiwed with PTS this morning, and got the same BU letter tuesday. Best of luck to you all.

Did you hear back from PTS yet?

[ngjb]

Nothing yet I’m afraid, anything on your end?

[Chwan]

2 hours ago, ngjb said:

Nothing yet I’m afraid, anything on your end?

Same here. They told me by the end of the interview that the result will be out shortly (at least mine will be), so I am expecting to receive them by this week.

[ngjb]

Hi again, I received my acceptance letter on Thursday evening. Have you heard anything yet?

[Chwan]

3 hours ago, ngjb said:

Hi again, I received my acceptance letter on Thursday evening. Have you heard anything yet?

I also got mine around then along with the financial aid letter! They're granting me full tuition and an annual $4,000 stipend, so I think there's a really good chance for me to choose PTS. Still waiting to hear back from YDS and Duke though...

[ngjb]

Congratulations! I got the same offer and like you I am in that place in my choice. I’m waiting on Duke and UChicago but who knows, maybe I’ll see you there!

Edited February 27, 2022 by ngjb

[aalena75]

Congratulations to you both!

[Duh_Divinity]

On 2/11/2022 at 2:18 PM, xypathos said:

Duke's aid is generally bad, though UMC M.Div students get the most due to summer funding. Realistically, I'd expect somewhere around 25% aid package.

 

 

Can you elaborate on what summer funding is? I just heard from Duke and got in. Much lower funding offer than the other schools I've heard from

[Chwan]

Duke also called me today morning & sent me an email couple of hours later. Got in with 100% tuition coverage. Was very surprised to see Duke actually offer a full ride. I'm not sure if I prefer Duke over other schools without stipends though...

[xypathos]

12 hours ago, Duh_Divinity said:

Can you elaborate on what summer funding is? I just heard from Duke and got in. Much lower funding offer than the other schools I've heard from

Duke has arrangements with a number of small UMC churches. They are willing to pay Duke MDiv students to work there as basically their summer pastoral intern. Sometimes you more so work alone, sometimes there's another pastor to help mentor, and sometimes it's lay mentorship.

I don't know how the funding currently works but friends that went there made 2-3k/month and most often free housing. Some lived in the parsonage, others made use of an apartment or room offered by someone tied to the church. So, 6-12k over the summer and not having to pay for housing. The arrangement is sweet if you identify as UMC. An Episcopal friend did it for a summer and got in a massive amount of trouble with his bishop later on for it.

[aalena75]

Wow, 100% is insane for Duke! I was only offered 50% for MTS, but considering MTS is more expensive in tuition by a few thousand dollars than MDiv so probably has less funding, I guess I'm still pretty happy all in all! Congratulations (even if you don't choose Duke)!

Edited March 1, 2022 by aalena75

[Duh_Divinity]

21 hours ago, Chwan said:

Duke also called me today morning & sent me an email couple of hours later. Got in with 100% tuition coverage. Was very surprised to see Duke actually offer a full ride. I'm not sure if I prefer Duke over other schools without stipends though...

Did they say anything about additional financial aid? 

[Chwan]

16 hours ago, Duh_Divinity said:

Did they say anything about additional financial aid? 

No, not really. I highly doubt there would be any though based on previous posts from this forum...

[Homura]

On 2/27/2022 at 11:51 AM, Chwan said:

I also got mine around then along with the financial aid letter! They're granting me full tuition and an annual $4,000 stipend, so I think there's a really good chance for me to choose PTS. Still waiting to hear back from YDS and Duke though...

Congrats!  The offer came to you so early. I applied before the priority deadline but I am still waiting. 

[ngjb]

That’s awesome, congrats to you all! Has anybody committed yet?

[Duh_Divinity]

Anyone asked a school why they were rejected or how they could of improved their application? I want to, but not if people dont do this.