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.
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