Reapplicant Action Plan

If things did not work out last time and you are planning to reapply to business school it is great that you are reading this now, because you still have plenty of time to create a strategy for success.  After you have analyzed the reasons why your applications were not successful, you can start to take action to gain a different result the next time around.

The most important thing for a reapplicant to do is to show clear improvement.  A reapplicant will only be admitted if the admissions committee believes they are a stronger candidate this time.  The good news is that there are a lot of things that a reapplicant can do to show improvement.  The bad news is that it takes an investment in time to improve.  So act now!

Professional:  Career progress is probably the most effective way to show improvement.  Thus a reapplicant might attempt to find a new job that is clearly better, seek a promotion or at least transition to a role with different and increased responsibilities.  Doing any of these things can show that a person is progressing professionally and/or taking steps toward their future career plan.

Community:  If you lack college extracurricular or outside-of-work involvement then consider assuming a leadership position in a community service organization.  This can go a long way to show that you are an active person who cares about your community.

Test Scores:  If you feel you can make solid gains in your GMAT or TOEFL score then go for it.  There is a huge difference between a TOEFL iBT score of 100 and 110.

Academics:  If you had a weak performance in a college course (like Statistics) that might cause the admissions committee to doubt your quantitative abilities, then now is the time to retake that course (and earn a high grade).      

Career Goals:  In your previous applications you might not have clearly explained your career plan, or failed to convince the admissions committee that you could achieve those goals.  It may have appeared to the admissions committee that you were not committed to or knowledgeable enough about your future career path.  Talk to more people in your target industry or function and learn as much as possible so that next time (in your essays and interviews) you can provide more convincing reasons why you can succeed in this future job.

"Fit" for the School":  Perhaps you started preparing your application materials at the last minute and did not have a lot of knowledge about the schools you applied to.  Take action to learn more about the programs you are interested in by connecting with alumni, current students or visit the school if you can so that next time you can more easily show your knowledge, enthusiasm and "fit" for the program.  

Essays are critical for a reapplicant!  A reapplicant is often asked to write a new set of essays, or they might only be required to submit a reapplicant essay.  However, simply writing more interesting essays with better English will not be enough to succeed.  It is critical that the essays clearly demonstrate: a) That the reapplicant has taken action with the aim of getting better; b) After taking such action the reapplicant is now a more qualified candidate who is likely to make a strong contribution to the class and succeed in their future career plan.  The conclusion the admissions committee must make is that the reapplicant did some things differently and is now an improved person.  If a reapplicant can do that -- they will take a huge step towards an admission!

It is never too early to get started on this process.  There are a lot of strategies and actions a reapplicant might take.  If you are interested in getting some specific input about your reapplication plan, feel free to reach out to us at david@transcendadmissions.com.  

MBA Application Myth: Reapplicants are Unlikely to Succeed

We would like to offer some words of encouragement to anyone who was not accepted into the MBA program they applied to and are contemplating reapplying in the next admissions cycle.

As we mentioned in our previous post about reapplying, there are few competitions more fierce than trying to get into a top MBA program.  We give a lot of credit to anyone who has simply made an attempt -- regardless of the outcome, you have dedicated yourself to an extremely difficult mission and seek to better yourself, which requires incredible discipline and a very forward-thinking mentality.

Upon reflection, if you have decided that you still want to pursue an MBA, and more importantly, that you absolutely need an MBA to achieve your career plan then there is no reason to give up.  However there seems to be a myth that reapplicants cannot succeed, or are less likely to succeed.  Based on our experience, we believe that is not true.  In many cases, we have seen reapplicants succeed the next time around.  Here are a couple common myths that we would like to address:

Most schools do not welcome reapplications:  Most MBA programs (except for a few) welcome reapplications.  If there is a school that you are really in love with, there is nothing wrong with reapplying, as the admissions committee can appreciate the dedication and persistence you have shown to getting further education at their school.  If you are applying to the same school in the next application cycle, it would probably be even more important to apply in round 1 in order to display your enthusiasm for the school.  If you wait until round 2 or 3 they might wonder whether you are really dedicated to their program.  Be sure to carefully review and follow the reapplication policy, which can vary from school-to-school.

If you did not get in the first time, you are unlikely to get in the second time:  Experience matters.  Creating and submitting a few MBA applications is a long and involved process.  After going through this process, even if you were not successful, you will have gained a lot of experience in crafting essays and how to handle yourself in a high-pressure interview.  We find that when people reapply, this past experience becomes very valuable.  With some important adjustments, reapplicants are often able to create better essays and market themselves in the interview with more confidence.  As they say, practice makes perfect.

However, a reapplicant cannot expect to simply write more attractive essays and interview a little bit better and expect to succeed next time.  You must convince the admissions committee that you are now a stronger candidate than you were last year.  To do so you will need to take real action so that you can provide solid proof of your improvement.

In our next blog post we will discuss the actions a reapplicant might take to make their next application a winner.      

Some Food for Thought for Reapplicants

The top MBA and top Master's program application process is one of the most fiercely competitive "games" anyone will ever enter.  The applicant pool seems to get stronger each year.  Many extremely outstanding candidates are turned away by top schools for one reason or another.  If this happened to you, you must continue to stay positive.  One key to success is believing that you will succeed.  Another key to success is analyzing what happened and correcting your mistakes.

So if you are committed to getting an MBA or Master's degree at a top university you should not give up.  NOW is the time to analyze what happened so that you can make necessary adjustments and ultimately put forth a stronger effort next time.  Here are some things for reapplicants to consider going into the next application cycle:

- Analyze Your Goals:  Did your goals make sense based on your background and abilities?  Did you very clearly articulate them in your essays and during your interviews?

- Analyze Your Profile:  Does your profile fit the school you were applying to?  Were your GMAT & TOEFL scores and work experiences competitive compared to others in that program?  Not sure? -- then it's time to talk to current students or alumni.

- Analyze Your Target Schools:  Did you choose the schools that were the right fit for your background and goals?  Are your test scores and work experiences competitive for typical members of that school's class?

- Analyze What Happened During the Application Process:  If you did not get any interviews then you need to take a closer look at your resume and what you presented in your essays.  If you received several interview invitations and no admissions it's time to focus on your English speaking ability and how you presented yourself.  Perhaps you were not able to communicate your unique value in the interview or came across as too shy or immature.

If you plan to reapply now is the time to analyze these key issues and create an action plan for success.  Most schools do not give feedback to rejected applicants but a few do, such as U. Virginia (Darden) and Dartmouth (Tuck).  It won't hurt to ask if your school would be willing to give you any feedback.  Otherwise, reach out to your network for help, or better yet, contact me at david@transcendadmissions.com.  In my next post I will discuss more specific actions that a reapplicant should take to achieve success the next time around.