Yale Divinity School (YDS) Interview?

[jmsquared]

Did anyone applying to Fall 2025 YDS or any current students, do an interview during the application process? I hadn’t realized they encouraged interviews during application since most schools only do them after acceptance. I know they’re not required. Interested in people’s take on them. I did go to Open House in November and connect with some great folks/speak to professors. 

[user5049167012]

6 hours ago, jmsquared said:

Did anyone applying to Fall 2025 YDS or any current students, do an interview during the application process? I hadn’t realized they encouraged interviews during application since most schools only do them after acceptance. I know they’re not required. Interested in people’s take on them. I did go to Open House in November and connect with some great folks/speak to professors. 

i applied for MAR and i didn’t do an interview. i didn’t realize they were encouraged either as i didn’t see anything about them during the app process other than the admissions + how yale evaluates applicants pages

how would one even go about scheduling this? is it one-on-ones with professors or something you set up by contacting the admissions office?

[jmsquared]

6 hours ago, user5049167012 said:

i applied for MAR and i didn’t do an interview. i didn’t realize they were encouraged either as i didn’t see anything about them during the app process other than the admissions + how yale evaluates applicants pages

how would one even go about scheduling this? is it one-on-ones with professors or something you set up by contacting the admissions office?

That’s where I saw them too. They didn’t seem to stress it so I didn’t prioritize but was just wondering how others felt about them. I presume you’d just outreach to admissions to schedule. 

[BRapplicant]

Also applying here to YDS and dis not know about interviews until last week. How were you all application process? Did you reach out to any professors? Were they welcoming? If you don't mind me asking because I have been feeling a little stressed out! Just have been rejected by UChicago MA and wanted to keep some hope towards YDS.

cheers! 

[BRapplicant]

I just received a notification, after asking, that applicants receive invitations to interview. This was after first contacting admissions and being told that they would try to arrange the time to do an interview with me. So, I guess the person checked and saw I had been rejected anyway. 

[jmsquared]

On 3/6/2025 at 1:03 PM, BRapplicant said:

I just received a notification, after asking, that applicants receive invitations to interview. This was after first contacting admissions and being told that they would try to arrange the time to do an interview with me. So, I guess the person checked and saw I had been rejected anyway. 

Aww, I’m so sorry about the rejection from Chicago!! Fingers crossed it works out at Yale!

so are you saying YDS invites applicants to interview? I didn’t receive an invite or notification from them at all after applying. Since submitting my application, I haven’t seen any follow-up emails on their process or to even potentially look out for more information aside from the financial aid stuff which I completed.  

[BRapplicant]

1 minute ago, jmsquared said:

Aww, I’m so sorry about the rejection from Chicago!! Fingers crossed it works out at Yale!

so are you saying YDS invites applicants to interview? I didn’t receive an invite or notification from them at all after applying. Since submitting my application, I haven’t seen any follow-up emails on their process or to even potentially look out for more information aside from the financial aid stuff which I completed.  

Fingers crossed for you too! 
 

so, it was kind of a weird situation. I didn't know either until recently seeing something about that YDS "encourages but not requires" interview. This is on their page. I then emailed to ask about to ser if I could schedule one. First, admissions officer told me he would try to squeeze me in for an interview given the time. And said he would consult with a colleague responsible for the scheduling. Later, I followed up the email asking for a reply and they then told me that interviews needed to by invitation. And if I had not been invited for one, then they could not schedule a interview. 
 

so, you know what that means... 

[jmsquared]

12 minutes ago, BRapplicant said:

Fingers crossed for you too! 
 

so, it was kind of a weird situation. I didn't know either until recently seeing something about that YDS "encourages but not requires" interview. This is on their page. I then emailed to ask about to ser if I could schedule one. First, admissions officer told me he would try to squeeze me in for an interview given the time. And said he would consult with a colleague responsible for the scheduling. Later, I followed up the email asking for a reply and they then told me that interviews needed to by invitation. And if I had not been invited for one, then they could not schedule a interview. 
 

so, you know what that means... 

ahhhh, ok. I haven’t been invited for an interview either. But they’ve also mentioned interviews aren’t required so hopefully it’s not an “end all be all” situation. I guess we really don’t know until we know so I’m going to remain hopeful. Of course, it’s normal to now rethink everything in my application LOL but I won’t assume.  

[user5049167012]

i wasn’t invited for an interview either. i also called them to ask about interviews but they didn’t answer and never called me back. i thought yale was my strongest application so i will be really sad if i don’t get in lol