Each year sees many well-deserving MBA aspirants pouring months to put together strong MBA applications. But in spite of their relentless efforts, around 80% don’t make it to the program of their choice. The slam dunk they visualized in their mind ends very differently in reality.
Not because they weren’t good enough – but owing to the school’s high selectivity, that can make even the most competitive candidates sit back and wonder where they fell short.
That’s why you’d usually find several reapplicants in most of the top-ranked MBA programs. These are the ones who’ve demonstrated their commitment and a strong interest in the program; their persistence has finally paid off!
How do business schools view reapplicants?
As we discussed earlier, the top elite schools have low acceptance rates. For example, for the most recent batch, at Stanford it was 6.8%, at Harvard it was 11.2%, at MIT Sloan it was 14.10%, at Duke Fuqua it was 19.5%, at Wharton it was 20.50%, at Columbia, it was 20.9%.
The admissions committee recognizes this clearly. Applying to business schools can be a lengthy and tedious process, MBA reapplicants are the ones who have shown perseverance, worked on the weak areas of their application, bounced back stronger, turning a setback into a comeback.
At Michigan Ross where reapplicants make up around 5-10% of the incoming class each year – reapplicants are not viewed negatively rather the admissions committee appreciates the fact that these students have shown resilience. These students often end up being some of their most active student leaders and alumni.
So is the case with Stanford which is also reapplicant-friendly and also recognises that due to its high selectivity, a lot of deserving applicants are not able to make it in a given year. Being a reapplicant would not be a negative factor.
Harvard Business School also welcomes reapplicants who make up around 10% of the MBA class. This means that 1 in every 10 of the incoming class has applied again. Harvard mentions that reapplicants do not have an advantage or disadvantage over other applicants.
If you’re one among those with an exceptional profile and yet staring at a rejection, trying to figure out what went wrong, be assured, you’re not alone. There are many others with stellar profiles in a similar situation.
MBA reapplication process
Each school has its own application requirements for reapplicants, so it’d be a good idea to have a look at your target school’s individual requirements for reapplicants. While some schools may expect you to fill out an entirely new application, others may expect you to update/complete certain sections.
The application fee may be waived off in some schools. For example, those who reapply at Michigan Ross within a 5-year period, the application fee is waived off. So also at NYU Stern, reapplicants do not need to pay an application fee.
Reapplicants may need to submit their updated resume and the reapplication essay. The other required/optional components may include new test scores (if you have re-taken your tests), new recommendations, new transcripts/certifications (if applicable). School may require reapplicants to respond to the same essay questions as first-time applicants.
Top questions to address if you are an MBA reapplicant
Think of ways to chart out a solid reapplication strategy. Instead of resubmitting the same information as before, spend time reflecting on and re-evaluating your previous application and trying to identify areas that need to be strengthened.
Also remember that business schools usually keep the previous applications on file and may refer to it during the assessment process. Here are a few areas to consider:
1. Was your GMAT / GRE score low/below class average?
If you believe giving another shot at the GMAT/GRE might help improve your test scores, then go for it. Schools like Tuck, in fact, encourage candidates to share their new score whether or not it improves after retaking the test as this additional effort reflects the candidate’s persistence and is viewed positively by the adcom.
For those with limited prior quant exposure, Tuck also recommends strengthening your quantitative profile by taking up courses in finance, statistics, financial accounting and microeconomics.
2. Were your career goals well-defined or were they too broad?
You could also work on providing more clarity on your post-MBA career goals – to align it closely with the MBA program’s strengths and focus.
Have you provided in-depth insights on the ‘why MBA’ question, how your short-term goals will lead to your long-term goals and how you think the school will help you in your career journey?
You need to have a compelling storyline with plenty of points to talk about in your essays and interview on how the school is a good fit for you. You should sufficiently research the MBA program, its clubs and various initiatives, attend webinars, connect with current students and alumni to have a better understanding abut the school’s culture and student experience.
You need to convey how passionate and enthusiastic you are about attending the program and what would be your unique contribution to the MBA program. Also read: Forté Fellowship with T15 MBA admits after rejections from 6 business schools & a reputed admission consultant
3. Was there an unexplained education/career gap in your application?
Instead of leaving a career or education gap open to interpretation by the admissions committee, take the opportunity to provide a well-reasoned explanation.
Was the career gap due to layoff, medical reasons or for travel? You can make use of the optional essay to explain how you utilized this period to stay productive and gained valuable experiences and skills. Read more: Executive MBA after career break: Top EMBA admits from INSEAD & IMD for Indian mom
4. Did you have enough leadership experience?
Since the admissions team is interested in finding out how your candidacy has changed since you last applied, it’s important that you’re able to demonstrate growth.
So make it a point to highlight any new experiences in leadership position, increased responsibilities, promotions, impactful projects, accomplishments, extracurriculars or community engagement. Also read: High GMAT score doesn’t guarantee admission & scholarship says 760 scorer
5. Were your Letters of Recommendations (LORs) too vague or superficial?
Choose recommenders who know you well and who would be willing to dedicate time and effort to create an impactful LOR.
He/she should be able to talk about the various occasions when you displayed leadership or some exceptional skills and what sets you apart from the others. Also read: What every applicant should know about MBA letters of recommendation
6. Was your MBA interview the Achilles heel?
If you stumbled in the interview during your previous attempt, be well-prepared this time. It’s not just about giving the right responses rather it’s more about positioning and having a coherent storyline. Also read How to Impress MBA Admissions Officers
Be genuine, stick to facts and work on how to present them well. Practice using MBA interview questions. Don’t get overly stressed out. Mock interviews can help boost confidence. Read more: MBA interview etiquette
Some schools may provide MBA rejection feedback to those who ask for it. That can give you an idea of the weak areas to focus on in your application, though it would be advisable to work on the entire application and put your best foot forward.
Tips from CMU Tepper for re-applicants
We reached out to J.R. McGrath, Executive Director of Masters Admissions at the Tepper School of Business to find out if the school follows a different process while evaluating reapplicants.
“No,” he clarified, “Each applicant in each admissions cycle gets the same attention and evaluation. However, we do offer a re-application workshop and waive the application fee for the next application cycle.”
He shared several aspects (not specific to Tepper) that reapplicants can focus on to improve their chances of getting in.
“I encourage re-applicants to complete an honest self-assessment of their MBA application. You can find a lot of information about the typical candidates accepted into each MBA program, such as class profile (test scores, GPA, years of work experience, etc.), as well as attending information sessions and application workshops.
Once you have this information, look at your application in each area to see how you compare. Is your test score too low? Are you light on work experience? Are you too experienced?
Some of these things can be addressed in a short period of time, like test scores, and some need more time, like work experience. Some cannot change, like your UG GPA. If you struggle in any of these areas, can you address them? If so, please do. If not, are you able to strengthen other areas of your application to help make up for the less competitive areas?”
At MBA Crystal Ball, we’ve helped several reapplicants get into the top MBA programs with scholarships. Drop us a line at info@mbacrystalball.com if you need our help.
You may be interested in:
- After 8 rejections, this CA & Big 4 auditor got into 3 top b-schools that rejected him earlier
- CA rejected by ISB, admitted in second attempt: Here’s what she did differently
- 9 Top reasons why you got an MBA rejection letter (and what you can do about it)
- Top reasons why you got an MBA rejection
Image: August Phlieger (Unsplash)
