I am in desperate need of advice on the possibility of applying to top tier Divinity Schools.

[JuliannaM98]

I really need advice and please be brutally honest. I am from a working class background in South America. 

I dropped out of college once, I only completed a semester, and that was among Strikes and an abusive relationship (no one's business, I know). Even though after the Strike, I had some really nice grades, I never looked back and applied to other University, where I got my undergrad degree in Education (3.64 GPA)

My GPA isn't good, but for some reason people always believe in me.  I'm a really big mess, and I have dipped my feet into several religions and ideologies. Some people say I am a good writer. In a very particular and random way, I've found American Transcendentalism, and then Early 19th Century New England Unitarianism, then Unitarian Universalism. That has been a huge part of my life, in a way. I have already translated a 1838 book -actually a transcribed lecture, which I consider to be my first "baby". 

I have made true and disinterested connections with important scholars, I have presented and I am a volunteer. I can't help but dream about HDS, but I think it is too late for me, because just when I found a way to channel my passion and start having a reason to make deliberate efforts, I realized I have this tarnished past to carry as a burden. It is sad, because I think I would be possibly an unexpected candidate. Oh, and I also work as a volunteer in my local community sharing what I've learned with people that don't speak English. I'm also a part of Social Justice programs. My country has been through a lot regarding authoritarianism and fundamentalism, so we're trying to make a difference. 

Even if I get another degree at home, and get stellar results, and then hypothetically almost ace the GRE, is it still impossible ? 

Edited October 10, 2023 by Administrator
user requested

[steadygaze108]

1 hour ago, MillieMac said:

I really need advice and please be brutally honest. I am 25 years old, female, latina from a working class background in South America. 

I dropped out of college once, I only completed a semester, and that was among Strikes and an abusive relationship (no one's business, I know). Even though after the Strike, I had some really nice grades, I never looked back and applied to other University, where I got my undergrad degree in Education (3.64 GPA)

My GPA isn't good, but for some reason people always believe in me.  I'm a really big mess, and I have dipped my feet into several religions and ideologies. Some people say I am a good writer. In a very particular and random way, I've found American Transcendentalism, and then Early 19th Century New England Unitarianism, then Unitarian Universalism. That has been a huge part of my life, in a way. I have already translated a 1838 book -actually a transcribed lecture - by William Ellery Channing, which I consider to be my first "baby". 

I have made true and disinterested connections with important scholars in New England, I have presented in the Thoreau Society and I am a volunteer at a UUA program that deals with International Relations, Interfaith Relations and Diversity. I can't help but dream about HDS, but I think it is too late for me, because just when I found a way to channel my passion and start having a reason to make deliberate efforts, I realized I have this tarnished past to carry as a burden. It is sad, because I think I would be possibly an unexpected candidate, since there is NO UU tradition where I live. Oh, and I also work as a volunteer in my local community sharing what I've learned from Unitarian History books with people that don't speak English. I'm also a part of Liberal Faith Social Justice programs. My country has been through a lot regarding authoritarianism and fundamentalism, so we're trying to make a difference. 

Even if I get another degree at home, and get stellar results, and then hypothetically almost ace the GRE, is it still impossible ? 

What is the tarnished past? I think you are being too hard on yourself!

Apply to Yale, Harvard, and Chicago Divinity Schools.

I am sure you will get in and get a full scholarship and a stipend - as I did!

[xypathos]

You're overthinking almost all of this. Your GPA is going to be better than some of your potential classmates, and you bring a perspective that will be unique.

Take a deep breath. Write your essays and personal statements that speak to your passions, how HDS/Chicago/etc will help you explore them, and the trajectory you see yourself going, etc.

Drop this talk about burdens, things being too late, etc. A 3.6/4.0 GPA is not a burden. Applying to graduate school at 25 is not too late.

My advisor once said to me: We reach a crossroads when we graduate college. One can go to therapy, or one can go to graduate school and force our problems on others. Don't be the latter, granted most of us did that.