Fall 2023 PhD Religion

[steadygaze108]

1 hour ago, KaleTomaToe said:

Got a rejection from Duke GPR PhD this week! Certainly doesn't boost my confidence for that to be the first official response. But two interviews coming up next week.

Don’t let It get to you personally. My advisor told me that acceptances and rejections depends on so many metrics beyond your app that they have nothing to do with your personal worth.

 

 Good luck on your interviews!

[Shrimply Pibbles]

6 hours ago, KaleTomaToe said:

In what ways was it challenging? What kind of questions did they ask?

Challenging in two ways: first, it was the largest panel so far---I interviewed with 6 faculty members (Yale had 5, Emory had 4, Northwestern had 3). Second, more than in other interviews, PTS faculty asked specific and incisive questions about my project proposal, methodologies, and overall academic profile that got to the heart of matters with my application. Two examples: I was asked to explain how and why I envision incorporating both ethnography and constructive systematic theology in my project. While answering, I accidentally mentioned that I was also applying to programs in American Religious History (I say accidentally because I'd been very intentional in interviews up to that point to not even allude to the possibility of other schools or other disciplinary affections). They promptly caught that and asked me to speak to why I was applying to history programs and to my relationship to the discipline of theology.

I should also clarify that none of this felt hostile; they seemed to be asking the tough questions out of genuine curiosity and out of a desire to know me as a candidate more than to try to trip me up. I should also say, other interviews asked similar questions; there was just a momentum and energy to this one that was unique.

[Julesjules23]

Hello! Has anyone heard anything from the following programs (subfield specific please)? 

-Yale Religion and Modernity 

-Northwestern Religion, Law and Politics 

-Emory Ethics and Society 

-Princeton Religion Ethics and Politics 

-BU Religion in Philosophy, Politics, and Society

-UC Davis Religion (they don’t have subfields)

I already have an acceptance to one of my top programs which is great but am eager to hear from the others so I can figure out my future  TYSM! Good luck to all! 

 

Edited February 5, 2023 by Julesjules23

[thinkwisely]

Did anyone apply to Georgetown this year? Have you heard anything back? I wonder whether they request interviews. 

[HYNP]

Does anyone know if Princeton Univ and Yale have already sent out any acceptance letters?

Edited February 6, 2023 by HYNP

[Shrimply Pibbles]

3 hours ago, HYNP said:

Does anyone know if Princeton Univ and Yale have already sent out any acceptance letters?

I don't think Yale has...I heard from a friend there that they'll take a few weeks after interviews before getting back to anyone. I interviewed on Friday 1/27 so I think it'll be a little while yet. I haven't heard anything from Princeton University yet, so not sure.

[SituatedKnowledges]

Has anyone heard anything on an interview for Columbia? If so, what subfield? I haven't heard anything.

[steadygaze108]

This afternoon, I received a request for an interview with a potential advisor at the University of Virginia. 

Still nothing from Yale or Fordham regarding Philosophy of Religion.

[Outis01]

3 hours ago, steadygaze108 said:

This afternoon, I received a request for an interview with a potential advisor at the University of Virginia. 

Still nothing from Yale or Fordham regarding Philosophy of Religion.

Let me know how it goes! UVA is my top choice. I am applying for the South Asian Religions subfield. I'm so anxious, and as a BA applicant I'm anticipating a rejection. It's going to sting because I've been in contact with my main POI for like two years now, and another POI even told me that although most PhD admits come out of MA programs it looked like it "might" not be necessary for me. They've made the mistake of getting my hopes up, I fear. 

Edited February 9, 2023 by Outis01

[steadygaze108]

43 minutes ago, Outis01 said:

Let me know how it goes! UVA is my top choice. I am applying for the Asian Religions subfield. I'm so anxious, and as a BA applicant I'm anticipating a rejection. It's going to sting because I've been in contact with my main POI for like two years now, and another POI even told me that although most PhD admits come out of MA programs it looked like it "might" not be necessary for me. They've made the mistake of getting my hopes up, I fear. 

I will let you know!

You mean South Asian Religions?

who’s the POI? DM me!

[sa1622]

On 2/6/2023 at 11:39 PM, HYNP said:

Does anyone know if Princeton Univ and Yale have already sent out any acceptance letters?

I had my interview three weeks ago, and I have not heard back since then. Has anyone else received an acceptance/rejection email?

On 1/28/2023 at 8:16 PM, DavidX said:

Has anyone heard anything about Stanford or Emory?

[methexis]

Has anyone heard anything from Vanderbilt?

[Outis01]

2 hours ago, methexis said:

Has anyone heard anything from Vanderbilt?

Undergrad here. Heard today that they're releasing soon. 

[sa1622]

Update from Princeton: Heard from the graduate program administrator that applicants will receive a decision by the end of the month. 

[Shrimply Pibbles]

Update: rejected from Northwestern. Just got the email today.

[Shrimply Pibbles]

13 hours ago, sa1622 said:

Update from Princeton: Heard from the graduate program administrator that applicants will receive a decision by the end of the month. 

Did they indicate whether there have been, or will be, interviews?

[Chicago Guy]

Yale should come at the end of this coming week at the earliest

[Shrimply Pibbles]

7 hours ago, Chicago Guy said:

Yale should come at the end of this coming week at the earliest

How do you know this?

[Chicago Guy]

1 hour ago, Shrimply Pibbles said:

How do you know this?

I heard it from my POI.

[sa1622]

There were interviews for the sub-field of Islam. I am not sure about other sub-fields in Religion. 

[steadygaze108]

So, my interview at UVA went really well, and I decided to contact a potential POI at Yale to check on the status of my app.

This is what the POI sent me. Hopefully, it gives you some more clarification about the process. Good luck!

"First, congratulations on your interview at Virginia. Here is what I can tell you. Each faculty member that teaches graduate students in Religious Studies can nominate a single applicant for further consideration, and (despite your very impressive file), you were not the person I nominated. While it is possible someone else may have nominated you... my guess is that your name was not advanced to the final stage. Nominated students are supposed to be interviewed (over phone or Zoom) by the faculty person nominating them. So especially if you weren’t interviewed, I think you should definitely move forward with UVa. I hope you have opportunities there or in a similarly excellent program... I hope for your sake that a PhD application works out for you this year."

[Shrimply Pibbles]

8 minutes ago, steadygaze108 said:

Nominated students are supposed to be interviewed (over phone or Zoom) by the faculty person nominating them.

Is this part of the process a second interview or is it the first interview? I ask because I had one interview with Yale faculty several weeks ago, and I'm wondering if this means that, if I haven't had a second interview with the nominating faculty, I haven't advanced to the next round.

[steadygaze108]

1 minute ago, Shrimply Pibbles said:

Is this part of the process a second interview or is it the first interview? I ask because I had one interview with Yale faculty several weeks ago, and I'm wondering if this means that, if I haven't had a second interview with the nominating faculty, I haven't advanced to the next round.

I think it’s only one interview for each nominated student. 
Then, based on the interview, they narrow down the list.

[Shrimply Pibbles]

Just now, steadygaze108 said:

I think it’s only one interview for each nominated student. 
Then, based on the interview, they narrow down the list.

Got it, thank you! And, congrats on the UVA interview!

[chocolatemilk23]

Any additional news from Vanderbilt?