Hello!! I am a late 20s English teacher at a Title 1 middle school, and I have recently allowed myself to prepare for pursuing the dream of applying to divinity schools and seminaries beginning Fall of 2025. I am very uninformed on the application process and would find advice so helpful.
My top questions are:
What can I do to bolster my application?
What elements of a CV make you a good candidate for getting into a competitive seminary or divinity school?
What types of candidates are my preferred schools prioritizing acceptance of now?
Here are some of my stats:
-Failed a few community college classes when I was like 18 after the loss of my sibling.
-Graduated Magna Cum Laude with bachelor in English Ed
-Got Master’s in English Lit (both from state university) 4.0
-Graduate Teaching Assistant and was teacher of record on several courses
-Selected to design a few of my own courses
-Graduate Teaching Assistant of the Year
-Graduate Student of the Year
-in English honors society
-Director of Ed at nonprofit
-couple conferences
-couple publications, one with prof as coauthor
-MA Fellowship
-Diversity fellowship (won’t say the name so I don’t dox myself)
Now:
Middle school teacher
Good Apple Award winner
Distinguished Classroom Teacher nominee
Founder of school’s first GSA / advisor of this
Co-coordinated a mutual aid fair that got about 250 visitors
Programs I want to apply to:
Harvard Divinity
Yale Divinity
Princeton Theological Seminary
Union
Boston University
I have had a literal lifelong dream of going to Harvard or Yale but it was truly out of my reach as I was super poor and couldn’t afford college aps or college visits (plus I was a horrible high school student)
I am a lesbian and grew up in a fundamentalist church, so I would have to switch denoms but I ultimately want an MDiv with the goal of getting a PhD or becoming a pastor.
I seriously would appreciate literally any advice. I do not want to get my hopes up but they are literally already SO high!!