5 Reapplication Tips that Work

by , Mar 18, 2011

Okay, so you didn't get accepted to any of the b-schools that you applied to. The best thing you can do now is turn to the future and consider reapplying next year. Here are five tips to help you so that the next time you apply is also the LAST time you apply.

1. Evaluate your application. If your applications from this year didn't get you accepted, you have no reason to believe the same presentation will get you accepted next time. Don't turn in the same essays! Instead, evaluate how your essays can better portray your qualifications. Consider using Accepted.com's application evaluation service to help you with this step.

2. Assess your qualifications. Look at your qualifications objectively in light of your target schools' average admissions stats and requirements. Maybe you applied to schools that were beyond your reach last time and you should change your expectations next time around. During the course of the next few months, you'll need to either improve your profile, or, come next Fall, apply to less competitive schools.

3. Seek feedback. If the schools that rejected you offer feedback, take advantage of it ASAP. The criticism may be difficult to hear, but it could help you identify your application's weaknesses so that you can improve on them next time. Note: Some schools only provide feedback during a small window of time, so dont delay.

4. Work on improving weaknesses. If you didn't have concrete examples of leadership in your application, see if you can bulk up your leadership experiences during the next few months. If you didn't have enough volunteer experience, think about packing in some community service hours into your schedule. If your GMAT was a bit below your target school's average, take a GMAT course and retake the test.

5. Prepare to highlight recent experiences. Your job in your new application is to present "the new and improved" you. Make sure your new application highlights your recent achievements and the lessons you learned in the time between your last application and the next one.

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