Post by: Mikaela Allen, Master of Theological Studies ’19, HDS Office of Admissions Graduate Assistant
Fall is peak recruitment season for Admissions teams everywhere, HDS included. While our full schedule will not become available until later this fall, our office is getting a head start in the Pacific Northwest in late June. If you in the area and want to connect, click here for more details and to register.
Attending recruitment events is a great way to interact with Admissions staff, especially for those applicants who might not have the time or means to visit our office. Representatives from HDS Admissions, including the Assistant Director, Associate Director, and Director of Admissions travel to various locales within the United States to talk to prospective students about our programs and to answer your questions. Many recruitment events take place within larger graduate school or theological school fairs, giving you the opportunity not only to meet admissions representatives from HDS, but also from other schools that may interest you. At other events, HDS Admissions is the sole host, providing information sessions about our degree programs and application best practices.
When I was applying to HDS, Sarah Guzy, the Assistant Director of Admissions, came right down to New Orleans for a recruitment event, only an hour’s drive from my apartment in Baton Rouge, but I missed it because I did not realize how informative these can be! Now that I have worked in the Office of Admissions for two application cycles and have hosted and attended a few recruitment events in the greater Boston area, I now realize how helpful these events are for applicants. As I mentioned earlier, our office’s recruitment and travel schedule is not yet fully updated for the fall, so you should periodically check in on our “HDS On the Road” calendar to stay up to date and register for an event if we are hosting one near you. It is also a great idea to complete an “Online Inquiry Form” to receive updates about future events and application notifications.
For those of you who won’t be able to meet us either on our campus or at a recruitment event, we are still here to answer any questions you may have about the application and student life. As a first-generation graduate student, I had no idea that the Admissions team was here to give me advice about putting forth my strongest application. While I am thankful for the plentiful guidance of my professors back at Louisiana State University, talking to prospective students as a Graduate Assistant has illuminated how helpful and encouraging a conversation with someone in Admissions can be. Whether or not you are able to visit campus or attend a recruitment event, you are welcome to email us at admissions@hds.harvard.edu with any questions you may have or to set up a phone-conversation with a member of our team.
The application for enrollment in fall 2020 will open in mid-September. In the meantime, please review our “How to Apply” page for an overview of our application requirements. Our “Frequently Asked Questions” page is another fantastic resource. I do encourage you to spend time exploring these pages before contacting our office with any specific questions you may have.
I hope this information is helpful to you all as you consider applying to HDS this fall. As always, please reach out to our office at admissions@hds.harvard.edu or give us a call at 617.495.5796 with any questions or concerns.
HDS Admissions Blog 