Do’s and Don’ts for Reapplying to Business School

Scrabble tiles spelling 'TO DO' above a yellow sticky note labeled 'My MBA Application Checklist' on a textured navy background

Many top MBA programs welcome reapplicants—and even encourage them to do so. Reapplying to business school signals resilience and a deep commitment to your goals. As this UVA Darden blog post affirms, reapplicants can absolutely succeed. But you must show how your candidacy has grown stronger. Take a closer look at the application components below to figure out where to focus as you prepare for a second (and more successful) attempt.

Did you know SBC offers a Ding Analysis as an a la carte service? Contact us today to learn more.

Reapplying to Business School? Rethink Your Target Programs

If you received multiple dings, consider revising your list of schools. You may have applied to programs that didn’t align well with your profile. Prioritize fit over brand. Match your learning style with each school’s teaching approach.

Series of closed doors symbolizing different MBA program choices for reapplicants.

DO apply to at least four schools across a range of competitiveness.

DON’T apply to too many schools—usually six or more—believing that hedging your bets in this way will guarantee admission somewhere. While that strategy sounds logical, in reality, your efforts will become diluted with each successive application. There won’t be enough passion there to sway the admissions committee.

DO include your dream school. Even long shots are worth the swing when you’re all in.

Refresh Your Letters of Recommendation

Unsuccessful applicants sometimes don’t realize that the rejection occurred because their letters of recommendation came across as weak endorsements at best.

Black-and-white image of a hand giving a thumbs up next to the words 'Highly Recommended!' in script font.

DO make sure whoever you ask is willing to write a compelling recommendation. Since it’s not a given that you’ll see the letter once it’s written, it’s perfectly OK to come right out and explicitly ask for what you need.

DON’T choose a recommender for superficial reasons. We’ve seen too many applicants dinged for committing this mistake. Asking the president of a company, an alum of your dream school, or any other bigwig won’t do you any good if they cannot speak intimately and enthusiastically about your many virtues.

DO remind your recommenders to address specific examples of your accomplishments and leadership abilities. They should also discuss your work ethic or team-building skills. Writing a strong endorsement requires some effort, so make it easy for your recommender by providing a list of the accomplishments you want to highlight.

Raise That GMAT or GRE

Business schools always stress that test scores are just one metric of admissions decisions. However, they are valuable because the admissions committee has to ensure the people they accept can handle the quantitative work.

Partner with Stacy Blackman’s best-in-class GMAT and GRE experts and increase your score significantly. Check out our test prep services here. Request a free game plan chat with SBC’s lead test prep coach by emailing testprep@stacyblackman.com.

If your initial scores don’t compare to those of an average student at the schools you’re applying to, you need to make significant gains on your GMAT score in subsequent sittings or have other extremely impressive qualifications when reapplying to business school.

“Most students take the GRE or GMAT test two or three times—and that’s fine,” says Anthony Ritz, SBC’s Director of Test Prep. As discussed in prior posts, preparing early and adequately for the entrance exam is critical.

Frustrated man in a white t-shirt holding a laptop, yelling in front of a red wall with the text 'Why can't I get my GMAT score above 700?!

DO allow time to retake the exam. Nerves or lack of preparation might have torpedoed your first effort.  The familiarity of taking it a second or even third time will often lead to a higher score.

DON’T wait until the last minute to take your GMAT. Take care of it early in the year before you have to juggle the other aspects of the application.

DO consider alternative preparation methods to see if they yield better results. If you studied on your own last year, see if a formal class or working with a GMAT tutor helps you improve your weak areas more efficiently.

DON’T cancel a score when the option appears upon completing the test, even if you’re pretty sure you’ve blown it. Schools will evaluate your highest score, so don’t worry about a low score reflecting negatively on you.

That initial score provides valuable feedback about your testing strengths and weaknesses. You may also find out that your performance was not as bad as you imagined.

B-Schooled Podcast Episode #182: Updates on the New Shorter GRE and GMAT Tests

Rock Your Essays with a New Narrative

Sometimes, applicants get hung up on writing the “perfect” essay. In reality, they should focus on writing a compelling essay instead.  Candidates must really do their homework about the schools they have targeted.

After doing so, they can create compelling essays convincing the AdCom that the program will help them reach their career goals. This also predicts how they would contribute to the school as students and eventual alumni.

Close-up of a vintage typewriter typing the words 'Stories matter' on white paper.

DO use the additional essay to explain what’s changed in your situation to make you a stronger candidate when reapplying to business school. Make sure to address both professional and personal advancements, but show that you are realistic and self-aware. Revealing your humanity, with all its quirks, weaknesses, and flaws, can often help the admissions committee like you.

DON’T recycle essays from the first time around, and don’t use the same essay for multiple schools. At best, your essays will all sound generic. At worst, you might accidentally leave the wrong school name in the essay. Trust us—we’ve seen this unfortunate error happen many times. You’ll get rejected outright for your lack of attention to detail.

@stacyblackmanconsulting #mba #mbaadmissions #sbcyourjourney #hbs #harvard #stanford #reapplicantadvice #dualadmit ? original sound – Stacy Blackman Consulting


Key Takeaways for MBA Reapplicants

  • Refresh and refocus your school list with better alignment.
  • Make clear, measurable upgrades to your candidacy—test scores, essays, and leadership stories.
  • Lean into support. Reapplying to business school is tough, but it’s not a solo mission.

Finally, take comfort in knowing that many people in business school right now were dinged the first time they applied. The MBA admissions process requires resilience, so take some time to recover, reassess, and dive back in.

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Reapplying to business school takes strategy, resilience, and the right support. Whether you need a full reset or targeted feedback, Stacy Blackman Consulting can help. From Ding Analyses and test prep to essay overhauls and recommender coaching, our services are designed to help you stand out the second time around.

Contact us today for a free 15-minute advising session with a Principal SBC consultant and create a winning reapplication plan.

Here’s a snapshot of the caliber of expertise on our SBC team.

Stacy Blackman

SBC’s star-studded consultant team is unparalleled. Our clients benefit from current intelligence that we receive from the former MBA Admissions Officers from Kellogg, Booth and every elite business program in the US and Europe.  These MBA Admissions Officers have chosen to work exclusively with SBC.

Just two of the many superstars on the SBC team:
Meet Beth who held the position of Director of Admissions for Kellogg’s Full Time MBA program selecting candidates for the 2-year, 1-year, MMM and JD MBA programs.

Meet Kim, who was an Senior Associate Director of Admissions at Chicago Booth.

Tap into this inside knowledge for your MBA applications by requesting a consultation.

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