Sul -

Thanks for contacting Clear Admit for some application advice . . . I'm sure that you've heard people say something to the effect of "the definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over and expecting a different result." This statement usually holds true with the MBA re-application process, too. Hopefully you've done some quality self-assessment to identify what might've gone wrong last year and mapped out a revised strategy for this cycle. I know it's easier said than done to re-address every element of the application, but you want to be sure to improve on every element possible within the parameters that each school establishes for reapplicants.

Many schools will look at your new application and review it with your previous application as reference. As a result, you want to be very mindful of what old materials you're submitting in your new application as just sending in a facsimile of your prior application will send the wrong message to the adcom . . . and it's unlikely to garner you a different admissions result, too.

Regardless of what elements you end up addressing, schools are going to be interested to see what is different about your application this time around versus the first time that you applied. The obvious example is GMAT - if you were below a school's average or at the lower end of their 80th percentile, do whatever you can to bring your score up. Perhaps it was the clarity of your goals or your specific connection to the school in your essays. If your undergrad performance wasn't very strong, consider taking a course. Hopefully you've taken some initiative to seek out additional leadership roles at work and/or in your extracurricular activities. All that can sound very daunting, but you want to make the most of the re-application opportunity.

Getting back to your original question about recommendations . . . I'll assume that you've actually seen the recommendation letter and there are no red flags in it. I'll also assume that the recommender in question was, and still is, your direct supervisor. If these factors are true, then I generally don't have an issue with using the same recommender.

However, I'm more concerned about recycling the same exact content. Let me frame out some hypothetical parameters for the sake of the discussion. The exact timing is going to depend on when you actually applied, but let's say you applied in Round 2 last year, so around January. As mentioned previously, I'll also assume that your recommender is your direct supervisor, and the letter was written around December. Haven't you had additional accomplishments in the last 10 months that your recommender could tout? Can't your recommender's writing benefit from the revised strategy and focus that you've established for your new applications? You might be hesitant to ask your recommender to do you the favor of writing you a revised recommendation, but I strongly recommend it.

If you're unsure about how to guide your recommender well, take a look at our recommendation guide. It has some great information about how to appropriately coach your recommender through the process.

Best wishes to you as you work on your applications for this cycle, and please don't hesitate to contact us if you'd like to take advantage of our services.

Regards,
Jon

Jon Fuller
Clear Admit, LLC
215.568.2590

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