Between Two Schools

[JusticeYeti]

Hey Team,

So I've been accepted to Emory University Candler School of Theology M.Div program

And I've been waitlisted at Duke Divinity M.Div program,

At this point I'm down to the waiting game, because I really want to know who will offer me more money, pending on a yes from Duke.

The problem is I'm geographically challenged, I live in Seattle and have never been to North Carolina, and I've driven through Atlanta once when I was five. I've devoured the literature from both schools and done the research, but visiting is an issue due to finances.

Can anyone who is at Duke Div or Emory (Candler) give me a heads up as to what the students are like? I'm a Roman Catholic, Jesuit educated kid from Alaska, grew up outdoors, and I've now lived in Seattle for 4 years. I know these are both UMC schools, but I was raised protestant and I work in a protestant ministry now.

With Duke, I really like Richard Hays and Ellen Davis, plus I love basketball

With Emory, I like Luke Timothy Johnson, and the Open Door Community always grabs some Emory students.

[caballar1]

Justice,

I am living in Atlanta right now. I am planning on applying to the MTS program at Emory in the Fall. I contacted Luke Timothy Johnson by email several months ago and asked him about doing a PhD there. His reply was one sentence, very short, and very vague. So I emailed him back to ask a follow up question. He told me to stop emailing him and he had better things to do! Out of the dozens of profs I have emailed, he is the only one who was an A-Hole to me, a real piece of work. Now, maybe he was just having a bad day, who knows. But I wouldn't do a PhD with him, given his superiority complex. Maybe you would have better luck with him. I would go to Duke if I were you. It's more respected and it will be easier for you to get a job with a degree from there. The OT dept at Emory is super nice,though. Carol Newsome was more than willing to correspond with me. So just depends on what your interests are. Maybe you should email Johnson and see how he reacts.