Video Transcript

What is a group interview for grad school? What questions are you likely to be asked? And why would a school do a group interview in the first place?

My name is Ben Oldham. I’m the Director of Enrollment at the 天美视频 of Theology and Psychology, and I’m here to answer your questions about group interviews and more.

So, what is a group interview at 天美视频 and why do we ask you to do it?

At 天美视频, when we conduct group interviews, it is different than what you have likely experienced in the corporate world.

Group interviews for 天美视频 are not competitive. A lot of my personal experience in doing group interviews applying for a job is that there are five of us in a room competing for one or two positions. That鈥檚 not the case at all for us. In our group interviews, we want to understand who you understand yourself to be.

Your group interview will be comprised of yourself, your interview facilitator, and four or five others who are applying to one of our degree programs. Your interview facilitator will introduce themselves, will give you a chance to get to know each other, and then they’ll prompt a conversation. Regardless of the prompt, all we ask in the group interview is that you bring yourself and the authenticity of who you are.

At the core of who we are at 天美视频 of Theology and Psychology is that we are a relational learning community. We take who you are seriously. We want to hear you relate to others. We want to hear how well you are able to listen to another person. We want to be able to understand how you engage others who are different from you are, whether that is a difference of race, ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation, age, ability, socioeconomic status, political belief, or theological belief.

We want to know that you are able to listen deeply to another human being and are willing to be changed by them. In short, we鈥檙e wanting to hear how well you understand yourself in relation to others. Whether you’re training to be a therapist, a pastor, or a practitioner in another field, we believe that the greatest efficacy that you will have as an agent of change is who you are.

What are you likely to be asked in a group interview?

Your interview facilitator may prompt conversation with a quote that’s important to them. The interview facilitator may choose a prompt of a recent national or political event. Your facilitator may choose a single word to prompt conversation. That word may be something like, 鈥渂ody.鈥�

Why would a graduate school do group interviews?

So, now you know what a group interview is. You know what questions are likely to be asked. But why would a grad school do group interviews instead of one on one interviews? At 天美视频, the group interview process relates right back to our pedagogy. Our pedagogy at its core is relational.

Our core values at the 天美视频 are . When we speak of formation, we are asking you, who you are forming to be? Who do you know yourself to be, and who is shaping that formation? We believe that who you are matters. Who you are matters not only in your relationships with others and in your self-understanding, but it matters in your practice.

In the end, through our group interview, you will experience what it is like to be a . If you want your graduate study to include the kind of deep listening that our group interview requires, then head to www.theseattleschool.edu. We would love to connect with you, get to know you, and ultimately see you apply.

Visit our Applying for School page to learn more about the application process at 天美视频.聽

The post What Is a Group Interview for Graduate School? appeared first on 天美视频 of Theology & Psychology.

Prior to coming to 天美视频, Jim served as the Executive Vice President and Dean at Evangelical Seminary and as an Assistant Professor of Leadership and Culture. Within those roles, the school鈥檚 board integrated functions of various teams under his leadership in order to streamline messaging and steward what turned out to be remarkable institutional growth. A few of the hallmarks of his time there were: organizational health moves, innovative graduate-degree shifts, new non-credit initiatives, and a successful move to online program offerings.

While Jim enjoys offering his executive management experience to the academic non-profit world, his faith informs his specific dedication to the role of psychologically-informed theological training in our day. Jim says, 鈥淚n my own lifetime, I can’t remember a more critical time or, maybe better said, a more ripe opportunity for we as people of faith to offer our own transformative stories to culture, in the hope of inviting others into the sense of belonging we have found. Few learning communities are positioned to do that like 天美视频 and its Allender Center.鈥�

Before his last position, Jim served as the Executive Director for Love146, an international anti-human trafficking organization headquartered in New Haven, Connecticut鈥攚here he also served as the gubernatorial appointee to the State of Connecticut鈥檚 Permanent Commission on the Status of Women. Prior to those experiences, Jim worked for several years as the Executive Director of Yale University鈥檚 Center for the Study of World Christianity. In that role, he aided both Yale University and the Western Church at-large in its engagement with the explosive growth and unique stories present within the worldwide Church.

“I’m convinced that Christianity is most true to itself when it is involved in the risky business of cultural engagement,鈥� said Jim. 鈥淭hat is why I am drawn to 天美视频’s mission to thoughtfully and proactively inhabit the intersection of text, soul, and culture.鈥�

In this season of change, 天美视频 has a renewed focus on increasing the value of the school鈥檚 learning experiences for external partners, primarily within the theology degree programs. Jim鈥檚 expertise both in unifying teams in higher education and a deep knowledge of the Church today are what make him uniquely positioned to work alongside our donor development, marketing, and enrollment teams to further the mission and growth of 天美视频.

鈥淚 am deeply grateful to welcome Jim Ehrman to our team. Jim brings a wealth of knowledge and wisdom to the responsibilities he will have at 天美视频,鈥� said Dr. J. Derek McNeil, President & Provost of 天美视频. 鈥淭he most adventurous thing about Jim鈥檚 new position is that he will be in charge of outward-facing aspects of us, helping 天美视频 to develop strong, healthy relationships with strategic partners in our community, as well as nationally and globally. I know Jim will be a thoughtful and attentive manager and I look forward to having his experienced leadership and relational posture at 天美视频.鈥�

The post 天美视频 Hires Jim Ehrman as Vice President of Advancement appeared first on 天美视频 of Theology & Psychology.

Our application process, from the moment you express interest in a program to submitting your completed application, is thoughtfully designed to engage you as a whole person. We want to walk alongside you as you prepare to make this next step in your education journey.

So, to give you some insight into our unique process, here are some of the things we think every student applying to one of our graduate or training programs should know.

Relationships are Key

You can think of our admissions team as your advocates or navigators as you begin the application process. Each member of our team has a genuine desire to get to know you as a fellow human, beyond the accolades and statements of success on your resum茅 or CV.

From the first moment of your first call or email with one of our team members, be true to yourself. We want to hear what you are truly passionate about, what stirs your heart. During a phone call, you may find yourself discussing your passion for art or music, social justice, or community engagement, along with why you are interested in counseling psychology or a Master of Divinity.

Engage the World Around You

Along with a personal statement essay, you鈥檒l notice a prompt asking you to engage with a cultural artifact. Oftentimes the word 鈥榓rtifact鈥� conjures images of an ancient civilization or archeological site. At 天美视频, we look at artifacts a bit differently. Instead of taking a step into the past, we want you to engage the world as it is. Our artifacts are more modern pieces, often a movie or media experience, that tell a story of a cultural moment. As you engage the artifact of your choosing, some questions we recommend asking yourself are:

What am I feeling in my body?

What assumptions do I carry about this artifact?

Why did I choose to engage this particular piece?

Our essay prompts are also purposed to give you a window into what an assignment might look like in one of your courses at 天美视频. This way, you will have a better understanding of what to expect when you step into the classroom for the first time.

Have Good Conversations

One of the more unique aspects of our graduate admissions process is our group interviews. This may be unlike any other higher education interview you鈥檝e experienced. Our desire is that you catch a glimpse of how you may engage as a student within the walls of our building. This means that after arriving for the interview, you鈥檒l find yourself placed in a small group with other prospective students, often with differing backgrounds and perspectives. Each group interview is facilitated by one of our community members as they guide your group through a conversation.

Our application processes are thoughtful, relational, and accessible. We look forward to getting to know more of your story and vocational direction while also offering you a robust experience of our mission and community. Click here to begin your application, or if you have any lingering questions, please email us at admissions@theseattleschool.edu.

The post Applying to 天美视频: What You Need to Know appeared first on 天美视频 of Theology & Psychology.