2013-2014 M.A./M.T.S/M.Div Application chitchat

[Yetanotherdegree]

  Yale v. Duke M.Div. Let's assume no funding from either. Go!

Depends.. What's your denomination? Plans re ordination etc? What culture is a better fit? And how does the $$$ work out? (I know there's no funding, not sure what the overall costs are for either place, if one is significantly cheaper for you, that's worth considering) what areas are you most interested in studying, are there specific people you want to work with and/or a faculty "fit" that works for you? Do you have friends or family in either place? And where do you want to go? Do you feel more drawn or called to one place? All else being equal, pick Duke. Weather's better. Good luck deciding.

[Balatro]

Duke's weather is better but if you lean left on the theological scale, Duke *might* be a little hard.

 

That said, as a YDS grad, Yale has a very seminary feel to it and for a lot of people that's a huge turn off.

 

Yet hit the nail on the head though - Duke obviously has a lot of Methodist, Yale has a lot of Episcopalians - pick your poison.

 

Going through the Financial Aid websites of both: both suggest a yearly budget of around $41,000 but obviously financial aid will take care of a huge chunk of this.

[TTG49]

Just found this site--I must say it's pretty cathartic reading these posts!

 

I applied to: Duke Div MTS, Yale Div MAR concentrate in Bible, ND MTS, Union Theological Seminary MAR NT.

 

Got acceptance emails from YDS and Union today. WHOO! No word on finances from YDS; they said that would be on March 15th.

 

For Union, I was offered essentially full tuition/fees (27,500) for each year. Which is pretty awesome and surprising (didn't expect that kind of scholarship from Union) except... I have to accept/reject it by March 15th : /

 

Here's hoping that Duke and ND let people know before then!

Edited March 5, 2013 by TTGannett

[TTG49]

I'm at Warner Pacific College, a small regional liberal arts school. We aren't well known either, but the professors in my major/minor fields are excellent.

 

 

Josh,

 

u from Forest Grove? Cool man, I'm in Oregon City. I have friends who went to Warner Pac

 

Looks like there's a few Portlanders on this thread! Best of luck Josh, and maybe, depending on how things work out for us in the coming weeks, I'll see you in Durham next year.

[indefiniteintegral]

Thanks to all who have weighed in on Duke v. Yale M.Div. so far!

 

* I was raised in a Methodist household, but now identify more with Episcopalian and even Catholicism. 

* I pretty far left on all matters religion and politics, but it would be nice to interact with folks on the other end of the spectrum too.

* Eventual goals are academic/non-profit/community leadership (PhD is the plan). Will likely get ordained but do not plan to be a practicing pastor/priest.

* Academic interests are ethics, morality, philosophy of religion/science. Shame that Hauerwas is "retiring" this spring!

[CrisDonlon]

Just found this site--I must say it's pretty cathartic reading these posts!

 

I applied to: Duke Div MTS, Yale Div MAR concentrate in Bible, ND MTS, Union Theological Seminary MAR NT.

 

Got acceptance emails from YDS and Union today. WHOO! No word on finances from YDS; they said that would be on March 15th.

 

For Union, I was offered essentially full tuition/fees (27,500) for each year. Which is pretty awesome and surprising (didn't expect that kind of scholarship from Union) except... I have to accept/reject it by March 15th : /

 

Here's hoping that Duke and ND let people know before then!

 

I wonder if your acceptance to the MARc means more will go out this week.  There are a few of us here who have applied and have been waiting to hear from someone who has been accepted.  I see you applied for the concentration in Bible, do you have a specific focus?

Edited March 5, 2013 by CrisDonlon

[doobiebrothers]

Accepted into Yale M.Div. via email about 30min ago.

 

Now...Yale v. Duke M.Div. Let's assume no funding from either. Go!

depends on your field and your future goals! also where is cost of living higher? my best advice after years of doing grad administrative stuff: either go where the money is, or don't go at all. A div degree is NOT WORTH THE DEBT. I can't possibly emphasize that enough.

 

also, and obviously, CONRATS!

Edited March 5, 2013 by doobiebrothers

[Therewillbeluke]

Got acceptance emails from YDS and Union today. WHOO! No word on finances from YDS; they said that would be on March 15th.

 

Congrats on your acceptances! 

 

BTW, I just realized that I'm the only History of Christianity concentrate that I've seen on here for YDS. Hopefully that means I'm the only applicant and get it by default hahahah.

[DyingTrades]

Just found this site--I must say it's pretty cathartic reading these posts!

 

I applied to: Duke Div MTS, Yale Div MAR concentrate in Bible, ND MTS, Union Theological Seminary MAR NT.

 

Got acceptance emails from YDS and Union today. WHOO! No word on finances from YDS; they said that would be on March 15th.

 

For Union, I was offered essentially full tuition/fees (27,500) for each year. Which is pretty awesome and surprising (didn't expect that kind of scholarship from Union) except... I have to accept/reject it by March 15th : /

 

Here's hoping that Duke and ND let people know before then!

I was in this sort of situation before and spoke with the YDS admissions office- do feel free at least to *ask* if you could hear about fin aid a few days before so as to make an appropriate choice/have the time to mull it over. They may or may not be able to meet your request but they will appreciate the time bind you're in. CONGRATS on both! Both are amazing schools. (I'm going to YDS myself.)

[DyingTrades]

Thanks to all who have weighed in on Duke v. Yale M.Div. so far!

 

* I was raised in a Methodist household, but now identify more with Episcopalian and even Catholicism. 

* I pretty far left on all matters religion and politics, but it would be nice to interact with folks on the other end of the spectrum too.

* Eventual goals are academic/non-profit/community leadership (PhD is the plan). Will likely get ordained but do not plan to be a practicing pastor/priest.

* Academic interests are ethics, morality, philosophy of religion/science. Shame that Hauerwas is "retiring" this spring!

 

HEY! Have you visited both/either? These two were my top choices and eventually (with a great deal of pain!) I decided to go with Yale. If you'd ever want to have an actual phone conversation about it (posting on the boards can get tedious) just send me a message! I've visited both and agonized over this choice myself and I'd love to chat about it!

[Josh J.]

Woke up to an email this morning from Vanderbilt, I was accepted into the MTS program! I am super excited! Now I gotta calm down because they are mailing funding information, so I don't know what that looks like yet.

 

Josh

[Seatbelt Blue]

Congrats on getting into Vandy! Now if only BC would hurry up!.

[DyingTrades]

Woke up to an email this morning from Vanderbilt, I was accepted into the MTS program! I am super excited! Now I gotta calm down because they are mailing funding information, so I don't know what that looks like yet.

 

Josh

CONGRATULATIONS!

[Josh J.]

Thanks! Vandy is my first choice, and I am beyond excited this morning!

[DyingTrades]

Thanks! Vandy is my first choice, and I am beyond excited this morning!

 

that's awesome!! it's an amazing school. btw, did we catch you sleeping 'til noon or did you take a whole 4 hours to post the good news? haha

[Seatbelt Blue]

Dude lives in Oregon.

[Josh J.]

that's awesome!! it's an amazing school. btw, did we catch you sleeping 'til noon or did you take a whole 4 hours to post the good news? haha

 

LOL. I waited a bit, plus I'm on the West Coast. 

[HustleAndFlow]

Josh! Congrats on Vandy, man! That's great news.

[JillUMASS]

Congrats Josh!

[TTG49]

I wonder if your acceptance to the MARc means more will go out this week.  There are a few of us here who have applied and have been waiting to hear from someone who has been accepted.  I see you applied for the concentration in Bible, do you have a specific focus?

 

I don't think I had to list any specific focus beyond just Bible, but it would be NT (Is that what you're asking?)

 

It sounds like the MARc is something which gets decided when specific faculty make the decisions, so not all at once. It said that my application status would be officially updated March 15th, and that's when I'll get financial information, but that they wanted to tell me now... so yeah, March 15th is the date, but I would expect people to start also getting notifications.

 

Shalom, and best of luck!

[CrisDonlon]

I don't think I had to list any specific focus beyond just Bible, but it would be NT (Is that what you're asking?)

 

It sounds like the MARc is something which gets decided when specific faculty make the decisions, so not all at once. It said that my application status would be officially updated March 15th, and that's when I'll get financial information, but that they wanted to tell me now... so yeah, March 15th is the date, but I would expect people to start also getting notifications.

 

Shalom, and best of luck!

You don't have to list it, no.  But cool, I'm also looking to do NT.

I'm pretty sure you're correct on that.  You just happened to be lucky enough to get a faculty member that got things done a little early!  Haha.  It's just good to know the process is underway.  Of course that also means I'm checking my email constantly.

[TTG49]

I was in this sort of situation before and spoke with the YDS admissions office- do feel free at least to *ask* if you could hear about fin aid a few days before so as to make an appropriate choice/have the time to mull it over. They may or may not be able to meet your request but they will appreciate the time bind you're in. CONGRATS on both! Both are amazing schools. (I'm going to YDS myself.)

 

Thanks for the advice! I think I will do that, but probably wait until the end of this week.

[TTG49]

Congrats on your acceptances! 

 

BTW, I just realized that I'm the only History of Christianity concentrate that I've seen on here for YDS. Hopefully that means I'm the only applicant and get it by default hahahah.

 

Well, that would work--whatever works right?

[TTG49]

You don't have to list it, no.  But cool, I'm also looking to do NT.

I'm pretty sure you're correct on that.  You just happened to be lucky enough to get a faculty member that got things done a little early!  Haha.  It's just good to know the process is underway.  Of course that also means I'm checking my email constantly.

 

Nice! I know how that goes... I'm now checking my email for Duke and ND every 20 seconds or so, especially now that I have to pretty much decide by the 15th. Does anyone know when notifications will be for those schools? Duke said 6 weeks from the Feb 1st deadline, ND website just says "by the end of march," but it seems like last year it was the 8th when everyone found out... hoping it's closer to the 8th...

[TTG49]

Woke up to an email this morning from Vanderbilt, I was accepted into the MTS program! I am super excited! Now I gotta calm down because they are mailing funding information, so I don't know what that looks like yet.

 

Josh

 

Congrats man!!