What are my chances?

[Johannes Climacus]

 

Hello, I am on track to graduate this semester from a Christian University with a degree in Christian Studies. I have decided to take the coming academic year off in order to make some money and figure out my medical situation(recently diagnosed with Bipolar 2 and unmediated at the moment). I am planning on applying to the MDiv programs at Princeton, Yale, and Duke (with Fuller as an insurance option) for the 2017 Fall semester. I was wondering how likely my chances of getting accepted into the programs would be considering my situation/credentials.

Freshmen year: year long paid internship at an Evangelical Free church under the youth pastor. Two month long mission trip over the summer.

Sophomore Year: Volunteered at a Chinese school helping kids after classes and part of a campus open air evangelism group. Two month long mission trip over the summer. 

Junior Year: Campus program dedicated to spending time with kids from bad neighborhood every Saturday.

Senior Year: Spiritual Leadership position on campus, primarily focused on leading weekly Bible studies. I am going to intern with missions organization over the summer. 

I will be graduating with a 4.0 however I have not learnt any ancient languages and the school i attended is nothing to boast about. I am not planning on taking the GRE because if I remember correctly it is not required for any of the schools I have mentioned. Is it still advisable to take the GRE or is it a non-factor? Lastly, during my year off from school I plan to intern with a church from September to May. I will also be engaging in community services activities during this time. 

I was wondering if my goal to get accepted into PTS, Yale, or Duke is at likely. Furthermore, I was wondering if I should be candid about my mental illness if it comes up on applications or if I should not mention it. Thank you in advance and sorry for the long post.

 

Edited April 11, 2016 by Johannes Climacus

[xypathos]

PTS, Yale, and Duke have admit rates for the MDiv somewhere around 50%+-.

Given your christian undergrad background and presuming it was a regionally accredited college, I don't see that impacting Duke or PTS. Yale though is a little harder to size up.

If you feel that your mental diagnosis is relevant to a particular essay question or your personal statement, by all means discuss it. However, do know that discrimination about mental illness exists at every level of society and it's especially true for divinity/seminary schools. Divinity Schools are particularly hard and trying programs, and if you're doing them right, you should be plagued with an existential crisis here or there - it's in these moments that we grow. You will need to have a handle on your condition at all times, and that means meeting with a professional on a regular basis. If/when the time is right, perhaps they'll suggest more informal venues for you to pursue - be it group support and/or meeting with a peer specialist but it needs to be them that suggests it, not you. The second you slip on your counseling, you'll fall - even counselors need counselors. I tried for years to handle my situation on my own and I've soured great friendships b/c of it. You'll be a healthier you with others to help but even then, as I stated earlier - share your mental illness carefully, it won't be seen as a benefit by anyone and the second you stumble, the administration will use it as an excuse that you're unfit to continue in the program. I've seen students excused at VDS and my current program b/c they wrestled with their own demons. Anyway - just be concerned for your own safety before anything else.

Don't worry about the GRE, it's a waste of time for the MDiv unless you're applying to HDS and/or Chicago.

[sacklunch]

Assuming your school is accredited, you should get into most of these seminaries. As noted above, even the top seminaries have somewhere between a 40-60% acceptance rate for MDivs. Having ancient languages will make little difference for an MDiv; most have little if any training in any language before an MDiv. I would be somewhat cautious about your mental illness. If it has a substantial share in your narrative, then, sure, you could mention it in your SOP. On the plus side, your past academic record will likely put any anxiety that your illness will impact your academic pursuits at X school to rest. 

Edited April 21, 2016 by sacklunch

[Johannes Climacus]

Thank you for the replies. The school I attend is regionally accredited so it seems that will be a non-issue. I suppose I will just draft both a SOP that mentions the Bipolar (seeing as it plays a substantial role in my narrative) and another that does not, and then decide which is more effective from there.