Does reapplying to schools lower chances?

Hi Tony,

Generally speaking, admissions committees do not look negatively upon re-applicants and will evaluate applications with a fresh set of eyes. (Granted, if you've done little or nothing to address what kept you out in the first time, that will raise some eyebrows and won't bode well for you.)

If you're considering applying to schools like NYU Stern this year, then should really focus on boosting that GMAT score. Stern's median GMAT is 720, and while its middle 80% range is a fairly wide 650 to 760, you'd probably be better off waiting anyway if you ended up with a similar or only slightly higher score with the GMAT re-take.

Promotions, advancement, and leadership are definitely good, so the new opportunity sounds like it will add value. Applying with 5.5 years of experience to enroll with 6.5 begins to push you toward the higher end of many schools' middle 80% range, but that's still very much a fine juncture at which to apply. As always, you'll want to be proactive about explaining why you're pursuing an MBA and "why now." Only a few programs offer drilled-down work experience detail, but for context, Kellogg's middle 80% work experience range is 3.5 to 7.0 years and Columbia's is 3.0 to 8.0 years. (I know you didn't mention those programs, but those are good representative examples.) Long story short, you'd still be in the middle 80% range for work experience at that time; though the year after that, you'd begin to step out of it for some programs.

If you do boost your score into better range for NYU Stern and similar programs and have the itch to apply, I think you'd be justified in doing so. At the same time, it depends on how interested you are both personally and professionally in the new job. If you think you'll like it and think one or two years there will boost your MBA and post-MBA prospects, then should feel comfortable being patient and applying in earnest next year or the year after.

Whether now or in the future, make sure you are extremely thoughtful and specific about your career goals and rationale for needing an MBA; tell your story; make sure you get to know the programs extremely well; consider how who you are and what you've done to this point PLUS the MBA equals or leads to your short- and long-term goals; consider what knowledge, skills, and experience you have that are already relevant; consider what knowledge, skills, and experience you're missing and therefore need to acquire via the MBA; consider how exactly you'd acquire them at each MBA program (courses, clubs, extracurriculars, etc.); how will you uniquely contribute?; what about a given program's culture, community, and career opportunities make it right for you; attend events, speak with current students and alumni, and visit if you can.

Hope this helps! Happy to have a more nuanced conversation if ever helpful: https://www.avantiprep.com/free-consultation.html

Best Regards,
Greg