What to Change in Your MBA Application If You Are Reapplying

1. Letters of recommendation

If you are not confident that you had the best LORs last year, consider asking someone else to write a letter for you this year. Some schools may require you to submit at least one new LOR regardless. Watch this quick-tips video from Personal MBA Coach for LOR advice:

2. Evidence of analytical skills

This is particularly true if you are compensating for a low GPA. Look for options to prove your analytical abilities—for example, taking local or online math classes. Earning a top grade in a class such as Math for Management at Berkeley is a great way to demonstrate that you have what it takes to keep up in business school. Finally (and most obviously) consider trying to improve your GMAT/GRE score this time around.

3. Interview skills/preparation plan

It takes practice and training to master the art of the interview. If you were rejected after receiving an interview, revisit your preparation (for tips on how to ace your MBA interview, head here). Ask yourself what went wrong. Consider a mock interview with a consultant or an experienced coworker to identify any weaknesses and improve your skills. Personal MBA Coach offers interview prep services with former M7 admissions interviewers: find out more here.

What You Should Tweak in Your Application

1. Extracurricular activities

Have you added any new activities since the last time you applied? More importantly, do your activities align with your long-term goals? Have you demonstrated initiative and leadership in your extracurriculars? If not, consider how you can improve upon the activities you have or what activities you can add. To get started, check out Personal MBA Coach’s Enhancing Your Extracurricular Profile blog.

2. Work experience

Highlight new projects you have tackled at work that demonstrate your leadership, analytical, or risk-taking skills. If you felt your last application was weak in a certain area, have you strengthened it this round? Consider new responsibilities you can take on to improve your MBA resume.

What You Should Generally Not Change in Your Application

1. Goals

Your goals are your goals, and you should never change them because you believe an admissions panel wants to hear something different. Once you submit your application the first time, they will have a record of your past submissions — if you drastically change up your goals, they will notice and believe you are only saying what you think they want to hear.

Keeping your goals the same or similar in your MBA reapplicant essay demonstrates you are consistent in your ideals and focused on your passions. Of course, as you grow and learn more about who you are and what you want out of your life, your goals may naturally evolve. If this is the case for you, make sure you take the time to outline how these goals have grown or changed, creating a clear path for the admissions team to follow and understand.

Still, even if your goals are precisely the same as they were, it may be beneficial to reexamine your vision and rewrite your goals to fit better with the rest of your application. Make sure you demonstrate skills that will assist you in achieving those goals, and articulate them as clearly and concisely as possible.

2. Your story

Likewise, your story is something you can add to but not change. Your story demonstrates your purpose and sense of self, and while those will evolve over time, too many changes are likely to raise some red flags at the admissions office. Instead of rewriting your story entirely, consider:

• Expanding on what you discussed: While it may feel like you have to cram as much of your history into a word-count-limited essay, you are probably better off choosing a couple of major events that demonstrate your readiness for an MBA program. If your story reads like a summary of your life, think about how you can better construct a narrative that is more direct and specific to your goals.
• Explaining major shifts: Maybe you already have a degree in another field, or you took a gap year to take care of yourself. It can be confusing for admissions teams to see these instances without an explanation for why they are there. Addressing these gaps will strengthen your story by explaining yourself more fully and building a better picture of how you got to where you are.

Want to learn more about how you can improve your story? Check out Personal MBA Coach’s blog post about Articulating Your Personal Story.

Explore Personal MBA Coach’s Tips for MBA Reapplicant Essays

For more than 17 years, Personal MBA Coach has worked with students from every walk of life to get them into the MBA programs they want most. Our 96% success rate speaks for itself, plus our clients take home millions of dollars in scholarships every cycle. When you work with us, you will have unlimited support from experienced MBA admissions consultants in readying your applications, writing essays and polishing your work to perfection.

Our staff consists of former MBA graduates and admissions panel members from some of the most competitive programs in the world. We know what your dream school wants to see because we have been there and provide you with exclusive insights that help you put your best foot forward.

Looking for Help Maximizing Your Chances of Reapplication Success?

Being an MBA reapplicant is nothing to be ashamed of — in fact, it is a great opportunity to take what you have learned in previous cycles and apply it to create a more effective and competitive application. At Personal MBA Coach, we will evaluate your application with a close eye and work with you to change what needs improvement while highlighting the best parts of yourself. Your goals are our goals, and we will work tirelessly to give you every advantage possible.

Learn how Personal MBA Coach can help with our comprehensive MBA application packages or contact us to discuss your MBA reapplicant strategy.