Calling 2011 Applicants: The Decision Thread!!!

[new mexico]

Hey Everyone,

Well, the 2011 Theology Applicant thread has been a great success, and hopefully more people will be posting in it for the schools that still have yet to notify prospective applicants. So, I've decided to start a new thread for those of us who have been accepted to various programs (M.Div., M.T.S., M.A., Th.D., Ph.D., etc etc) and are in the process of deciding where to attend. I'm hoping this topic will be useful for those of us deciding which school to attend, and to see where other gradcafe members will be attending as well. I hope we will be able to ask one another questions and bounce ideas off of one another.

So, I'll start.

Right now, I'm heavily leaning towards attending Boston University School of Theology for the M.Div. I received a full ride w/ a stipend. I love the program (the revised curriculum allows me to pursue my research interests), the people, and, although i haven't been to Boston, my brother tells me it's awesome (he's a student there in pure math) and that i'll love it. I turned down Leadership Candler @ Emory for the M.Div. primarily because it doesn't have the kind of flexibility BU offers; however, it's an amazing program and the people there were super helpful and kind throughout the entire admissions process. I'm just waiting on University of Oxford. I've been admitted to the M.Phil. in Social Anthropology, and i'm waiting on the college decision and the scholarship I applied for. So, I'll be able to make a decision in two weeks. To make a long story short, I'm 99.999% heading to Boston U.

[Phenomenologist]

For me, Princeton's offer got kicked to the curb by my Yale offer (see sig.). So, I'm just waiting to hear back from Duke on funding, then I'll decide between Duke and Yale.

Yale: only 2 years long, better curriculum, better scholarship, better school-name-recognition, expensive cost of living.

Duke: better faculty, longer 3-year program, lower cost-of-living, better stipend (M.Div. paid internships), worse curriculum.

I want to minister to evangelicals (even though I'm more left-of-evangelical), so I think if I have a degree from Yale, it could be more of a liability to my credibility to conservatives, than Duke would. If I do end up getting a good funding offer from Duke, it'll be an excruciatingly difficult choice to make.

I prayed that God would both open doors and close doors, to make the decision easier, so we'll see .

[Sara S.]

Interesting, I also want to speak to an evangelical audience (I consider myself a "progressive evangelical," vague as that is). In my case, however, I went to a conservative evangelical undergrad, so I kind of need a more liberal seminary in order to maintain credibility to a larger audience in academia. I think it really depends on your history pre-seminary - if you have been involved with more conservative institutions, then I do not think Yale would be much of a liability.

For me, Princeton's offer got kicked to the curb by my Yale offer (see sig.). So, I'm just waiting to hear back from Duke on funding, then I'll decide between Duke and Yale.

Yale: only 2 years long, better curriculum, better scholarship, better school-name-recognition, expensive cost of living.

Duke: better faculty, longer 3-year program, lower cost-of-living, better stipend (M.Div. paid internships), worse curriculum.

I want to minister to evangelicals (even though I'm more left-of-evangelical), so I think if I have a degree from Yale, it could be more of a liability to my credibility to conservatives, than Duke would. If I do end up getting a good funding offer from Duke, it'll be an excruciatingly difficult choice to make.

I prayed that God would both open doors and close doors, to make the decision easier, so we'll see .

[Phenomenologist]

Interesting, I also want to speak to an evangelical audience (I consider myself a "progressive evangelical," vague as that is). In my case, however, I went to a conservative evangelical undergrad, so I kind of need a more liberal seminary in order to maintain credibility to a larger audience in academia. I think it really depends on your history pre-seminary - if you have been involved with more conservative institutions, then I do not think Yale would be much of a liability.

My undergrad is unfortunately down-the-middle, very much akin to Duke. Not "liberal," but not "conservative" -- simply right down the middle. So, conservatives perceive it as left-ish (similar to Duke).

[phoskaialetheia]

I have a tough three-way choice between Yale, Harvard, and Chicago. Yale is the perfect fit for my interests and faculty compatibility, but Chicago div has the strength of a GDR, has perhaps the best PhD placement and among the best New Testament programs overall in the country. It comes down to overall strength versus personal fit. Harvard is in the running because I love Boston, and if I strike out in PhD applications, the name may open other doors in other areas, plus it has one or two people I'd like to work with as well. It will be easier once I get Yale's funding, but for now should I go with personal fit, professional marketability, or contingency options?

[Sky Pilot]

Anyone else struggling with money issues regarding their decision?

I'm living in Boston, currently working, and recently married (to another grad student, getting his PhD in chemistry!). I am deciding between Andover Newton Theological School and Harvard.

Here’s the breakdown:

Andover Newton has a flexible schedule and a part-time option, so I could attend part time while working, and could avoid additional debt (my husband has student loans). The program is overall less expensive, even if I were to attend full time. However, as appealing as part-time work is, I really don’t want to take six years to complete my degree and would much rather attend full time. Additionally, I usually take the MBTA to get around, and getting out to Newton is a royal pain.

Harvard is… well, Harvard. It’s a full time program, it has the academic rigor and interreligious environment I would love, and it has strong support for Unitarian Universalists (my denomination). Additionally, it’s Harvard—it has name recognition and opens up an expansive network of alumni, faculty, and affiliates. It’s also smack dab in the middle of Cambridge. However, Harvard is expensive. I received a half-tuition grant, but that still leaves me with over $12k in tuition, plus living expenses. I haven’t done my due diligence with other funding sources (and frankly, I’m not even sure where to start, besides looking for a scholarship from my hometown church).

Money aside, Harvard is my first choice. I’m really, really frustrated with my current work situation and am dying to quit my job and be a full time student again. I love Harvard’s program, the professors, everything. However, I don’t know if I can bear adding another $75k or $90k to our debt.

Anyone deal with these questions? Advice on searching for outside funding sources? Advice on making this decision? I’m between a rock and a hard place.

[vega maudlin]

Anyone else struggling with money issues regarding their decision?

I'm living in Boston, currently working, and recently married (to another grad student, getting his PhD in chemistry!). I am deciding between Andover Newton Theological School and Harvard.

Here’s the breakdown:

Andover Newton has a flexible schedule and a part-time option, so I could attend part time while working, and could avoid additional debt (my husband has student loans). The program is overall less expensive, even if I were to attend full time. However, as appealing as part-time work is, I really don’t want to take six years to complete my degree and would much rather attend full time. Additionally, I usually take the MBTA to get around, and getting out to Newton is a royal pain.

Harvard is… well, Harvard. It’s a full time program, it has the academic rigor and interreligious environment I would love, and it has strong support for Unitarian Universalists (my denomination). Additionally, it’s Harvard—it has name recognition and opens up an expansive network of alumni, faculty, and affiliates. It’s also smack dab in the middle of Cambridge. However, Harvard is expensive. I received a half-tuition grant, but that still leaves me with over $12k in tuition, plus living expenses. I haven’t done my due diligence with other funding sources (and frankly, I’m not even sure where to start, besides looking for a scholarship from my hometown church).

Money aside, Harvard is my first choice. I’m really, really frustrated with my current work situation and am dying to quit my job and be a full time student again. I love Harvard’s program, the professors, everything. However, I don’t know if I can bear adding another $75k or $90k to our debt.

Anyone deal with these questions? Advice on searching for outside funding sources? Advice on making this decision? I’m between a rock and a hard place.

If you are planning for congregational ministry and you think you might be able to get a scholarship from your hometown church, there is always the fund for theological education:

http://www.fteleader...nal-fellowships

The deadline is April 1st, though, so you'd have to get on it . I think they match your hometown church's contribution 100% up to $5,000. So if you get your home church to donate $2,000, The Fund would match that for another $2,000. I *think* that's how it works, at least.

I couldn't find many scholarships for an applicant interested in education (like me) -- if you are actually interested in ministry, there seems to be more money out there. I'd pick a random theological school (HDS works fine) and look at their listing of outside scholarships and grants. For example:

http://www.hds.harva...side/index.html

Some of the deadlines will have passed, but you may be able to find something that applies to you. Other resources are fastweb.com and, well, the internets. Search for "unitarian universalist scholarships" -- it often helps if you're part of a denomination, because there are denominational-specific resources out there.

http://www.fastweb.com

Good luck!

Edited March 15, 2011 by vega maudlin

[vega maudlin]

Originally my first choices were Yale and Chicago, but I honestly didn't consider the possibility that I might get full tuition + stipend offers from other schools. So I'm deciding between ND, Emory, and BU.

ND has a superb Biblical Studies program, low cost of living, TA/research opportunities, and proximity to Chicago. It's also in a very freezing middle of nowhere; seriously, I thought I was done with Lake Michigan and midwestern winters when I graduated from U of C. I'm also not sure there is much flexibility in the program -- I still want to explore options, and ND seems very pre-PhD. Aaand I'm pretty sure that the transfer from agnostic Chicago to Catholic Notre Dame would be a bit of a culture shock. But I guess I signed up for that bit

Emory also has a good Biblical Studies program, but less geared towards my particular interests. Atlanta would be fabulous and warm and expensive to live in, and (re: the latter) Emory's stipend is the lowest. However, it seems to have more flexibility than Notre Dame, and I know (via phone conversation) that they are excited about the diversity of my interests.

BU has all the resources of Boston and the BTI, huge flexibility in the program, higher cost of living but larger stipend to compensate, and (from what I can tell) the kind of open atmosphere that I'm looking for. However, it's less prestigious than the other two, and its NT program is a bit lacking.

In summation, ARGH.

[vega maudlin]

I have a tough three-way choice between Yale, Harvard, and Chicago. Yale is the perfect fit for my interests and faculty compatibility, but Chicago div has the strength of a GDR, has perhaps the best PhD placement and among the best New Testament programs overall in the country. It comes down to overall strength versus personal fit. Harvard is in the running because I love Boston, and if I strike out in PhD applications, the name may open other doors in other areas, plus it has one or two people I'd like to work with as well. It will be easier once I get Yale's funding, but for now should I go with personal fit, professional marketability, or contingency options?

Chicago has a really superb NT program, but do note that Margaret Mitchell won't be teaching next year -- she has a Guggenheim fellowship to finish translating some homilies of John Chrysostom's (and that's on top of all the responsibilities of being dean). Klauck and Martinez are also excellent, but I'd check to see which professor lines up best with your area of interest. If you're interested in the Gospel of John, Revelation, Johannine letters, parables, or some Paul, you'll be set with Klauck. If you're into Paul, the Gospel of Mark, or early Christian exegesis, I'd talk to MMM at the prospective students day and present the situation to her. She is an enormously supportive and encouraging human being, and puts a ridiculous amount of time & effort into her students, so I imagine she will try to find a constructive solution.

Hm. Just checked the website, and it looks like she has pushed her Guggenheim year to 2012-13. Still relevant for you, though.

[phoskaialetheia]

Chicago has a really superb NT program, but do note that Margaret Mitchell won't be teaching next year -- she has a Guggenheim fellowship to finish translating some homilies of John Chrysostom's (and that's on top of all the responsibilities of being dean). Klauck and Martinez are also excellent, but I'd check to see which professor lines up best with your area of interest. If you're interested in the Gospel of John, Revelation, Johannine letters, parables, or some Paul, you'll be set with Klauck. If you're into Paul, the Gospel of Mark, or early Christian exegesis, I'd talk to MMM at the prospective students day and present the situation to her. She is an enormously supportive and encouraging human being, and puts a ridiculous amount of time & effort into her students, so I imagine she will try to find a constructive solution.

Hm. Just checked the website, and it looks like she has pushed her Guggenheim year to 2012-13. Still relevant for you, though.

Thanks for the heads up. That is very good to know. It's particularly encouraging to know that the dean is very supportive. I've heard that Klauck is a Mensch as well, just a decent human being. The program is very appealing. I will have to let the dust settle and think hard about my options. Thanks again for the very relevant information.

[vega maudlin]

Thanks for the heads up. That is very good to know. It's particularly encouraging to know that the dean is very supportive. I've heard that Klauck is a Mensch as well, just a decent human being. The program is very appealing. I will have to let the dust settle and think hard about my options. Thanks again for the very relevant information.

Glad I could help! PM me if you want any more information/conversation about NT, ECS (like I said, I consistently attended the Early Christian Studies Workshop), the faculty, etc. It sounds like we are in similar fields -- MMM was my thesis adviser, so if you're thinking of working with her, I'd be happy to chat about it.

Edited March 15, 2011 by vega maudlin

[new mexico]

Well, now i'm not quite sure what i'll do. Although I have a full tuition + stipend at Boston University STH for the M.Div., I was accepted to a program at Brown University that's extremely tempting and, in the long run, could open many more doors for me. Unfortunately, it's a professional program at Brown, so it will cost quite a bit in terms of loans (even with the scholarship I received). Also, I'm somewhat turned "off" by theology, generally speaking. EDITED (appropriate, but I will probably use that in an email he he) The plot thickens, and I need to do some serious prayer concerning my decision. Drats.

Edited March 15, 2011 by new mexico

[feminist21]

I am in a similar situation as new mexico. I have a full funded offer here in the US but am still waiting on funding decisions from Oxford, so I guess we'll know soon where we're headed. I can honestly see myself being happy and continuing my research either in the US or in the UK (or anywhere in the world for that matter) as long as I have only my education and career to worry about and not the funding.

fyi: I posted in this thread because I have some interest in women's spiritualities and reformed religions and thought it might be a good idea to see what everyone else is talking about in religion today.

Edited March 15, 2011 by feminist21

[feminist21]

For me, Princeton's offer got kicked to the curb by my Yale offer (see sig.). So, I'm just waiting to hear back from Duke on funding, then I'll decide between Duke and Yale.

Yale: only 2 years long, better curriculum, better scholarship, better school-name-recognition, expensive cost of living.

Duke: better faculty, longer 3-year program, lower cost-of-living, better stipend (M.Div. paid internships), worse curriculum.

I want to minister to evangelicals (even though I'm more left-of-evangelical), so I think if I have a degree from Yale, it could be more of a liability to my credibility to conservatives, than Duke would. If I do end up getting a good funding offer from Duke, it'll be an excruciatingly difficult choice to make.

I prayed that God would both open doors and close doors, to make the decision easier, so we'll see .

I saw in your info "No GRE." Did the schools you apply to not require GRE scores for your area of study, or did you take any other tests? And the Yale offer looks great; congrats!

Edited March 15, 2011 by feminist21

[phoskaialetheia]

Well, now i'm not quite sure what i'll do. Although I have a full tuition + stipend at Boston University STH for the M.Div., I was accepted to a program at Brown University that's extremely tempting and, in the long run, could open many more doors for me. Unfortunately, it's a professional program at Brown, so it will cost quite a bit in terms of loans (even with the scholarship I received). Also, I'm somewhat turned "off" by theology, generally speaking. EDITED (appropriate, but I will probably use that in an email he he) The plot thickens, and I need to do some serious prayer concerning my decision. Drats.

Good luck with the decision! What kind of program at Brown? I spent a term at Brown, and I loved it. It's a great campus, and students really are generally very happy there. Congrats on the offer, and I hope that whichever of your wonderful options you land on, things will work out for you!

[new mexico]

Good luck with the decision! What kind of program at Brown? I spent a term at Brown, and I loved it. It's a great campus, and students really are generally very happy there. Congrats on the offer, and I hope that whichever of your wonderful options you land on, things will work out for you!

Thanks!! It's for the MPH. I would then want to do a PhD or an MD. Ugh, decisions, decisions

[yetanotherapplicant]

Just declined a(n unfunded) PhD offer from UC Santa Barbara. Hope this helps someone.

[Phenomenologist]

I have a tough three-way choice between Yale, Harvard, and Chicago. Yale is the perfect fit for my interests and faculty compatibility, but Chicago div has the strength of a GDR, has perhaps the best PhD placement and among the best New Testament programs overall in the country. It comes down to overall strength versus personal fit. Harvard is in the running because I love Boston, and if I strike out in PhD applications, the name may open other doors in other areas, plus it has one or two people I'd like to work with as well. It will be easier once I get Yale's funding, but for now should I go with personal fit, professional marketability, or contingency options?

That's an extremely tough decision, wow. Personally, I would go with Chicago Div. In today's academic climate, it'll be crucial to get a job afterward. It'll still be a great program for catching your interests, even if it's not the "ultimate fit." Chicago also opens many doors akin to Harvard, albeit not as much so (but up there!!).

What the heck is this "GDR" I keep hearing talked about?

I saw in your info "No GRE." Did the schools you apply to not require GRE scores for your area of study, or did you take any other tests? And the Yale offer looks great; congrats!

Yeah, those schools didn't require the GRE (praise the LORD!). I haven't had proper math in like a decade, so I wasn't looking forward to competing against these younger scholars fresh out of liberal arts curriculums with strong math scores. Didn't take any tests at all!

The Yale offer was a stunning surprise, thanks a bunch!

[phoskaialetheia]

What the heck is this "GDR" I keep hearing talked about?

Graduate Department of Religion, as opposed to a Divinity School.

And thanks for your thoughts on Chicago, it's definitely appealing. We'll see if Yale comes through with decent financial aid.

Edited March 16, 2011 by phoskaialetheia

[mimetes]

Declining (unfunded) offers from Aberdeen and Durham (NT PhD), and a funding-to-be-determined offer (MA) from UGA. Going to Wheaton (PhD NT, tuition + stipend). Really a very tough decision between Durham and Wheaton, since both prospective supervisors were very, very gracious and since both programs really were a good fit in different ways. But we really loved Wheaton, and funding those UK programs is very difficult!

[sacklunch]

Anyone else struggling with money issues regarding their decision?

I'm living in Boston, currently working, and recently married (to another grad student, getting his PhD in chemistry!). I am deciding between Andover Newton Theological School and Harvard.

Here’s the breakdown:

Andover Newton has a flexible schedule and a part-time option, so I could attend part time while working, and could avoid additional debt (my husband has student loans). The program is overall less expensive, even if I were to attend full time. However, as appealing as part-time work is, I really don’t want to take six years to complete my degree and would much rather attend full time. Additionally, I usually take the MBTA to get around, and getting out to Newton is a royal pain.

Harvard is… well, Harvard. It’s a full time program, it has the academic rigor and interreligious environment I would love, and it has strong support for Unitarian Universalists (my denomination). Additionally, it’s Harvard—it has name recognition and opens up an expansive network of alumni, faculty, and affiliates. It’s also smack dab in the middle of Cambridge. However, Harvard is expensive. I received a half-tuition grant, but that still leaves me with over $12k in tuition, plus living expenses. I haven’t done my due diligence with other funding sources (and frankly, I’m not even sure where to start, besides looking for a scholarship from my hometown church).

Money aside, Harvard is my first choice. I’m really, really frustrated with my current work situation and am dying to quit my job and be a full time student again. I love Harvard’s program, the professors, everything. However, I don’t know if I can bear adding another $75k or $90k to our debt.

Anyone deal with these questions? Advice on searching for outside funding sources? Advice on making this decision? I’m between a rock and a hard place.

If it helps, I know two people at ANTS who seem to think it's not all that great. I have heard it's too geared toward pastoral stuff, without the academic rigor one would expect. Go to Harvard, and if you want to take something at ANTS do it through the BTI. In the end, HDS has a much bigger name than ANTS.

good luck.

[Sky Pilot]

If it helps, I know two people at ANTS who seem to think it's not all that great. I have heard it's too geared toward pastoral stuff, without the academic rigor one would expect. Go to Harvard, and if you want to take something at ANTS do it through the BTI. In the end, HDS has a much bigger name than ANTS.

good luck.

Thanks for the advice!! I know that ANTS is much more geared toward pastoral care, but at less than half the cost... I'd rather go to Harvard, but if it really comes down to money, I could always go to ANTS and take classes at Harvard.... And maybe transfer to Harvard for the last year or so... I don't know, I'm still kind of in the dark about this one. Thanks for the advice, though.

[Theophilos]

Declining (unfunded) offers from Aberdeen and Durham (NT PhD), and a funding-to-be-determined offer (MA) from UGA. Going to Wheaton (PhD NT, tuition + stipend). Really a very tough decision between Durham and Wheaton, since both prospective supervisors were very, very gracious and since both programs really were a good fit in different ways. But we really loved Wheaton, and funding those UK programs is very difficult!

Is Moo your "prosective supervisor"? I'm starting up my MA from GCTS in the fall, and the PhD program at Wheaton has definitely piqued my interest. Hope you enjoy it, and maybe I'll see you there in a couple years!

[Phenomenologist]

Go to Harvard, and if you want to take something at ANTS do it through the BTI.

What's "the BTI"?

[Tahuds]

What's "the BTI"?

The Boston Theological Institute, which is a consortium of theology schools in the area that allow cross registration, including Harvard.