Wow I needed this forum months ago! Stressing Over MTS Help!

[11Q13]

I had no idea a place like this existed, don't know how active it is, but if there's anyone out there I'd really appreciate some help. I tried to be as thorough as possible...

I'm in the middle of getting my apps, recs, etc ready to apply for Fall '10 MTS/MAR/etc programs.

• I graduated last year (Spr '08) with a double-major in Biblical Studies, Youth Ministries, and a Minor in Biblical Greek from from a pretty mediocre private university.
  GPA: cum laude 3.72
  Past Experience: Taught a high school Sunday school for a year
  was a church volunteer for three years (formally an intern for 1) more or less directing the Youth Ministry, preaching, events; administering sacraments; on campus student leadership for two years which involved giving a few presentations on religious issues. I was volunteering about 30 hours per week in addition to a part-time job, and a full course load.
  Present Experience: see below
  RECs: Three Bible profs: one well known as an academic reference, one not well known as an academic reference, one well know as a personal reference; my senior pastor; the Vice President/Dean of Students for my university
  GRE: my score was 480 verbal, 720 quantitative and a 4.5 analytical. Needless to say, I walked out of the room with a big WTF; I outscored the majority of engineering grad students at math (something I'm dreadful at), and scored only average on something I think I'm quite good at.

I know this isn't perhaps as big like it is in undergrad but I'm hoping my story and present work will be a hook:

For a substantial portion of my undergraduate career I was in some state of homelessness, and dangerously malnourished. The last two years of my undergrad when this was no longer the case my GPA was pretty steady at about 3.9 and the contrast is marked, would it be awkward to mention this or use it as an excuse?

Presently I'm doing somewhat dangerous yet groundbreaking work in the Middle East. Based in Jerusalem I am working for a Christian group which brings Muslim children from Gaza, West Bank, and Iraq who need heart surgeries, along with their parents, to Israel to receive heart surgery from Israeli doctors. I'm at the Gaza border typically no less than 3 times a week and have built strong personal bonds with conservative Muslims from Gaza and Iraq, and am directly involved in breaking down walls and saving lives in some very dramatic ways. I have some pretty dramatic stories.

My Goal for the MTS: these two points I fully intent to develop for some of my research goal/interests which are emotional expression in the Bible for which I believe if I could reach the level of 'scholar' I would be able to make some meaningful contributions. I am also very interested in the correlated topics of Poetical and Wisdom Literature, especially in the Bible but the broader Ancient Near East as well, such as the divine human relationship as expressed in poetry, wisdom sayings of Jesus, etc.

My Ultimate Goal: I have a few ultimate goals, when I really probe my motivations for studying religion, my beliefs, and my desire to continue, it is because I

[studyordie]

I think you're story definitely helps at the grad school level. Do you mention that you're going for an M.Div.? That's what you need to do. The story will count more in those applications and the GRE less. If you want more than an M.Div. you'll have to retake the GRE for the verbal section, don't be good at it, study it like your life depends on it, I've posted on that. Many places would eat up that ministry experience and for good reason. Now for the pure opinion, if you're only doing an M.Div., or are shakey on PhD aspirations, don't limit yourself to "big name" schools. In many cases, the biggest difference between them and regionally or denominationally known places is in reputation, full stop. In CA look at Fuller, don't look at Pepperdine even though you could get in without Hebrew, they'd teach you Hebrew, just don't go there. PM me if you'd like.

[11Q13]

I think you're story definitely helps at the grad school level. Do you mention that you're going for an M.Div.? That's what you need to do. The story will count more in those applications and the GRE less. If you want more than an M.Div. you'll have to retake the GRE for the verbal section, don't be good at it, study it like your life depends on it, I've posted on that. Many places would eat up that ministry experience and for good reason. Now for the pure opinion, if you're only doing an M.Div., or are shakey on PhD aspirations, don't limit yourself to "big name" schools. In many cases, the biggest difference between them and regionally or denominationally known places is in reputation, full stop. In CA look at Fuller, don't look at Pepperdine even though you could get in without Hebrew, they'd teach you Hebrew, just don't go there. PM me if you'd like.

Thanks for the reply. I am not applying to MDiv programs, and here's why (maybe you can tell me if these are valid reasons):

like i said in my first post, my ultimate goal is teaching at the university level:

My Ultimate Goal: I have a few ultimate goals, when I really probe my motivations for studying religion, my beliefs, and my desire to continue, it is because I

[studyordie]

After the master's virtually all PhD programs will not only require the GRE, they will be very interested in it (mostly verbal, not so much maths). UK programs and Princeton are the exceptions to this that I know of. Self disclosure- I'm an M.Div. that just got rejected by all the PhD programs I applied to, that said, I dont think in and of itself the MDiv is a bad thing for the PhD route, that would depend on the adcomm committee. Anyway, if you want to go the PhD route go to absolutely the most prestigious Masters program you can get into, with your good but not unbelievable stats and incredible experience the MDiv might actually land you in a bigger name than the MTS route. I would think that places like Vandy, Chicago, and Emory would be interested in an MDiv applicant who has hands on experience in Palestine and whose project will make use of that experience. Then again, most MA's are paying so they may not be picky if you've go the $$$. Anyway 1) at least consider the MDiV, there is no substantial future academic disadvantage in the eyes of most religious studies programs and you may find a program that you like/ likes you when you look into MDiv programs 2) Can't stress it enough, MA, MTS or Mdiv are all less important than getting into absolutely the most prestigious "name" school you can....sad but true

[James105]

Hey 11Q13! I sent you a PM.