You've Been Rejected. Now What?!

Remember how your teacher told you that if you believed in yourself, you would succeed? Well, obviously you’re old enough to realize that that’s nonsense! Rejection is a part of everyone’s life. The question is — what do you do once the business school of your choice rejects you? Simple – either give up or reapply.

Here are some pointers for those who are more persistent:

Make your application stronger. This may seem obvious, but there’s no point in sending in the same application you sent last year. Improve your GMAT scores, experience, recommendations, etc. You have to put in additional work if you expect to see a different result.

Tailor your application to a particular school. Do you like it when you receive junk mail addressed to “Resident”? The same thing goes for college admissions committees. They like to know that you’re talking specifically to them, and not generically to a dozen business schools.

Get someone to look at your rejected application. Believe it or not, some schools actually offer advice (either in person or via mail) to people who have been given a rejection letter. This will also help with improving your application.

Pay attention to reapplication procedures. Some schools keep applications for a few years, which is a sign that they actually have hope for those who have been denied. You may be required to submit either more or less material depending on the school, but if you don’t follow rules, you won’t be getting an acceptance letter.

Do not do a 180. They don’t want you to become a yes-man and contradict everything you said in last year’s application just so you can agree with them. Instead, reconsider what you said in your last application with the experience you have gained since then.

People who try harder have a statistical tendency to succeed. That’s why serious business school applicants go to Manhattan Elite Prep to prepare themselves for business school. The only way to increase your luck is by working harder.