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PhD Applications Fall '18 Season


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Scratch above -- I re-read the application information and confirmed that they were, in fact, submitted to the correct department code and should have been received...and yet, seemingly, they weren't. Anybody else have this issue?

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4 minutes ago, sd_waco said:

Scratch above -- I re-read the application information and confirmed that they were, in fact, submitted to the correct department code and should have been received...and yet, seemingly, they weren't. Anybody else have this issue?

Couldn't hurt to call or email someone in the admissions office. I had a similar issue a few weeks back with my SLU app and my transcript that they helped me get sorted. Hope it's not too late for you!

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Mine were submitted to the University and subsequentlyĀ cross listed with the Divinity School. Ā But it could be that stuff mergedĀ differently for me since I was a student there once upon a time. Ā 

Edited by EarlyXianity
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25 minutes ago, sd_waco said:

Scratch above -- I re-read the application information and confirmed that they were, in fact, submitted to the correct department code and should have been received...and yet, seemingly, they weren't. Anybody else have this issue?

Same issue for me. I submitted to 5156 (Duke)Ā Departments 4901 and 4999, and the scores don't appear on the site. Bit late to be worrying about it now, however.

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5 minutes ago, kenshiro said:

Bit late to be worrying about it now, however.

Agreed -- I'm fully expecting bad news as I didn't get an interview, but wanted to make sure that wasn'tĀ whyĀ I didn't.

But I emailed and asked, and someone responded to tell me that they do in fact have my scores, even though they aren't showing up. I imagine it's a common problem.

Edited by sd_waco
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Whoops, totally missed everyone's "didn't get in" comments, re: Duke Div, before I asked if anyone had good news. Sorry, y'all! I was WLed. Can't win 'em all, I guess.Ā 

As far as the scores, I was told Div admissions pulls them from those submitted to Duke University; I can see my scores, but I also applied to the GPR.Ā 

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10 hours ago, kay0213 said:

Hello everyone!Ā 

I have seen two rejection posts from Brandeis. I am wondering if they have already extended offers or interview invitations? Since I have not heardĀ any wordĀ from them, I do not know how to interpret this...Thanks in advance for your help! May the odds be ever in your favor:)

When I applied to Brandeis two years ago, I got moved to the MA program. It showed up on their website a day or so before I got the notification. You can tell if they've done this to you by logging on the website and seeing if the application title reads MA instead of PhD. When they move your application over, it's a process and not everything updates at once.Ā 

Ā 

(Also, Brandei's MA is quite expensive, even with financial aid. I'd recommend looking elsewhere if you do get demoted)

Edited by Almaqah Thwn
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27 minutes ago, Almaqah Thwn said:

When I applied to Brandeis two years ago, I got moved to the MA program. It showed up on their website a day or so before I got the notification. You can tell if they've done this to you by logging on the website and seeing if the application title reads MA instead of PhD. When they move your application over, it's a process and not everything updates at once.Ā 

Ā 

(Also, Brandei's MA is quite expensive, even with financial aid. I'd recommend looking elsewhere if you do get demoted)

Thank you so much for your reply, Almaqah! I have literally been checking my application website every hour, but whether fortunatelyĀ or unfortunately I don't see any change yet. I guess I feel a bit relieved for not being rejected yet. Have you also applied to Brandeis this year? Btw, congratulations on your acceptance to UT-Austin. It is really an excellent program!Ā  Ā 

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24 minutes ago, kay0213 said:

Thank you so much for your reply, Almaqah! I have literally been checking my application website every hour, but whether fortunatelyĀ or unfortunately I don't see any change yet. I guess I feel a bit relieved for not being rejected yet. Have you also applied to Brandeis this year? Btw, congratulations on your acceptance to UT-Austin. It is really an excellent program!Ā  Ā 

Thank you! No, I skipped on Brandeis. I'm unsure what is going on, then.Ā Honestly, one of the programs that I interviewed for sent out an interview in my field a week before I got one and I was freaking out in the mean time. So, you never can really know where you stand with a program until they tell you.

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I have an offer for Vanderbilt PhD (w/Theology and Practice fellowship and Honors fellowship) as wellĀ as for theĀ Duke ThD (still waiting on PTS).Ā  Anyone with a similar decision orĀ thoughts onĀ the relative merits of the programs?Ā  My intent is to teach atĀ a seminary/divinity school, but I'd like to keep the door open to work at a SLAC.Ā  Are there any notable downsides to either program?Ā  Is this a coin toss?Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā 

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32 minutes ago, PastProf said:

I have an offer for Vanderbilt PhD (w/Theology and Practice fellowship and Honors fellowship) as wellĀ as for theĀ Duke ThD (still waiting on PTS).Ā  Anyone with a similar decision orĀ thoughts onĀ the relative merits of the programs?Ā  My intent is to teach atĀ a seminary/divinity school, but I'd like to keep the door open to work at a SLAC.Ā  Are there any notable downsides to either program?Ā  Is this a coin toss?Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā 

Those are both great options.

Iā€™d say field, POI, and the fit of your research interest and matter the most at this point. And if the funding is workable.Ā 

Duke ThD has an excellent placement rate at small liberal arts schools, especially those with ā€œtheologyā€ departments rather than ā€œreligious studiesā€ departments. I donā€™t know as much about Vandyā€™s placement rates, but Iā€™mĀ sure they are available.Ā 

When considering funding, donā€™t forget to consider healthĀ insurance, conference travel, etc.

Edited by EarlyXianity
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41 minutes ago, PastProf said:

I have an offer for Vanderbilt PhD (w/Theology and Practice fellowship and Honors fellowship) as wellĀ as for theĀ Duke ThD (still waiting on PTS).Ā  Anyone with a similar decision orĀ thoughts onĀ the relative merits of the programs?Ā  My intent is to teach atĀ a seminary/divinity school, but I'd like to keep the door open to work at a SLAC.Ā  Are there any notable downsides to either program?Ā  Is this a coin toss?Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā 

I'm a Duke alum, and I can tell you that the program has major drama. They've been bleeding faculty members since 2016,Ā so that's definitely something to keep in mind. It just depends on who you want to work with. If you do the "civic augustinianism" thing with some one like Bretherton then Duke is the answer. If you want to do literally anything else, I'd go to Vanderbilt. Duke's theology faculty is non-existent right now.Ā 

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A former prof of mine that did his ThD at Harvard has advised me to stay away from ThD programs if you want to be a professor. His objections are that it's noticeably harder getting a teaching job with a ThD when so many applicants have a PhD, even when it's from Harvard. There are all kinds of arguments to be made for and against ThD programs but I think it's a valid concern. If you're wanting to teach a seminary/divinity school then it won't be as hard for you but I've met a surprising number of RS professors that don't know about ThD programs.

As someone that went VDS - I loved the school. Their placement isn't amazing on initial placement but they tend to find tenure positions quickly.

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I'm going to claim the UCLA acceptance. Also, I just got accepted to the Bible program at Johns Hopkins! So, I'm really stoked right about now!Ā 

Ā 

Ā 

3 hours ago, ugh2017 said:

I'm a Duke alum, and I can tell you that the program has major drama. They've been bleeding faculty members since 2016,Ā so that's definitely something to keep in mind. It just depends on who you want to work with. If you do the "civic augustinianism" thing with some one like Bretherton then Duke is the answer. If you want to do literally anything else, I'd go to Vanderbilt. Duke's theology faculty is non-existent right now.Ā 

A couple Duke Divinity graduates told me this as well.Ā 

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30 minutes ago, Almaqah Thwn said:

I'm going to claim the UCLA acceptance. Also, I just got accepted to the Bible program at Johns Hopkins! So, I'm really stoked right about now!Ā 

Ā 

Ā 

A couple Duke Divinity graduates told me this as well.Ā 

Congrats man. those are both amazing departments. Let me know what you decide. I'm hoping to catch a waitlist invite off the back of whatever you choose not to do.Ā 

If you don't mind me asking, were you shortlisted at Johns Hopkins?

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3 hours ago, ugh2017 said:

I'm a Duke alum, and I can tell you that the program has major drama. They've been bleeding faculty members since 2016,Ā so that's definitely something to keep in mind. It just depends on who you want to work with. If you do the "civic augustinianism" thing with some one like Bretherton then Duke is the answer. If you want to do literally anything else, I'd go to Vanderbilt. Duke's theology faculty is non-existent right now.Ā 

Wow - good to know. Would this affect me as an M.Div applicant? As far as I've been told, Duke is on the up and up. It would be good to know if you think these problems will have an impact on short/long-term reputation or if they are nothing more than a nuisance.Ā 

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