For Donald Trump, he knew that the graphic tapes where he discussed women were going to come up, and he was ready for it (eg. he knew his weakness and had a plan to mitigate it). He stayed on message, continuing to describe the contents of the tapes as ‘locker room talk,’ which fits with his tactic of presenting himself as the “anti-polished politician” politician. Whether you agree with his message or not, based on polls the day after the debate, it resonated with his supporters and reinforced the brand identity that he’s building around frankness and being “unfiltered”. Ironically, being “unpolished” has been Trump’s strength among his base according to many analysts and he’s continue to leverage that.

What does this have to do with MBA applications? Know what may be an issue on your applications and ensure that you overcome it directly. Low GPA? Take an online class and then directly point to it in your optional essay. Limited years of work experience? Reinforce your leadership skills and experience throughout your application so the admissions committee knows that you already have what it takes.