For anyone who has experience getting in an MDiv program...

[NervousNellie]

This is probably one of those ignorant questions...I probably missed something big along the way...

I keep hearing folks on these Grad Cafe forums (not the religion one specifically) talk about contacting profs and finding advisors ahead of time. These usually seem to be people studying in research-heavy fields, but not always.

I am planning to make a few contacts at the schools to which I am applying, but I am not sure...am I supposed to try to find an advisor? What should be the goal of these contacts I am making? What should I be asking?

[Febronia]

I don't think that making contact with professors is at all expected of an M.Div. applicant. I didn't do so (and was accepted everywhere), and don't know of anyone else who did so before applying. I'm sure this various by school, but usually doctoral applications are read first by faculty in your area of interest, who decide whether to pass them on, and M.Div. applications usually go straight to an M.Div. admissions committee. Thus even if you want to work with specific faculty members, they might not even see your application, let alone be in a position to influence things. At this point, the biggest advantage in contacting faculty members would be simply if you weren't sure about applying somewhere, and were trying to decide if a school would be a good place for you.

If someone gives you different advice about a specific school, by all means listen to them. But in general, I haven't heard of M.Div. applicants being expected to write to faculty members or to choose an advisor. Usually your advisor will be assigned to you based upon the general field of interest you indicate.

[Thanks4Downvoting]

While applicable to other fields, as far as I have heard from all my advisors at the undergraduate level, seeking out an advisor or making extensive contact with professors at your program is not something that is common practice. Where are you applying btw?

Good luck with your applications,

CBF+Pwn

[NervousNellie]

HDS, Andover Newton, YDS, and Meadville Lombard

[Thanks4Downvoting]

I'll be applying to HDS, YDS, Emory, Duke, Wake, Boston Theological next year.