If you are like thousands of other Americans who are exhausted by the election campaigns and the 'nasty' debates, take solace in the fact that there are some lessons that you can apply in your MBA application essays.
1) Address your Weakness head-on
Hillary Clinton is widely perceived as impersonal and 'dishonest.' She is aware of the perception. If you notice the debates where there are Town Hall style questions, in the end, Hillary makes it a point to repeat the name of the person who is asking the question, acknowledge their pain, and then answers the question. While answering the questions, she almost always brings in some form of 'policy detail' or her experience as 'secretary of state' into the answers. This might seem natural for any politician, but Ms. Clinton is cleverly contrasting the rhetoric-filled answers that Trump gives with 'details' - a specific strategy to impress the independent voters and millennials, who are keen on the specifics.
Before you write a draft version of the essays, listing out your weaknesses is crucial. We have shown that in Winning MBA Essay Guide. Read the Chapter, "Insead MBA Essay Tips" where we have demonstrated with an example on creating an IMPACT table for a candidate working in the telecom industry. Most applicants are too scared to address their weaknesses.
By addressing the commonly held stereotypes about your profession, nationality, gender, or your scores (GMAT/GPA), you are demonstrating maturity in discussing your weaknesses.
2) Reinforce your Messaging theme
No matter what your political view about Trump is, he is extremely effective in sticking to the theme of his campaign. Even a 5-year old knows "Make American Great Again." You might argue that American is already great, but Trump set the theme for all his campaign and message with a memorable slogan. All his rhetoric is about reinforcing the idea that "America is behind Mexico, China, Korea and other rising economies," and needs new leadership to you guessed it right, "to make America great again."
You can't openly brag in MBA Application Essays, but a subtle expression of your strengths through life lessons or professional achievements, with contexts offered in the recommendation letter, will reinforce your personal slogan throughout the application.
If you are creative problem-solver, the thought that went into solving the problem should be expressed in the essay while the recommender should bring a third-party reinforcement of your slogan "Creative Problem Solving."
Applicants are often tempted to include tens of positive traits, but this strategy often dilutes the 'Slogan' of your personal brand. Ideally, include three core traits that define your personal brand.
Related: Personal branding tips for your MBA Application.
3) Know the Audience
Clinton and Trump has a clear understanding of the audience they are addressing.
Democrats
• Liberal
• Pro-Choice
• Open to Disruption (Technology & Life Style)
Republicans
• Conservative
• Pro-Life
• Keen on keeping Status Quo (Lifestyle & Tradition with slow adoption of new technology)
You can't guess the Admission team's political lineage, motivations or compass on ethics, but understanding that you are applying for an MBA program where you would have to interact with other candidates on a daily basis should help you shortlist relevant life events.
Teamwork is paramount. Individual achievements and contribution are important, but any hint that it was at the expense of team goals or organization goals would not impress the admission committee. Lone Wolf and brilliant individual contributors, or candidates with Entrepreneurial vision and skills rarely make it to Top MBA programs. Your initiative should be highlighted but understanding that your ability to work within the boundaries and rules of the organization is a hint on how you would work in a class environment. Rebels and disrupters are not appreciated in a traditional MBA program. For Entrepreneurial MBA programs, the story is different.
Develop a keen sense of the winning traits for an MBA program before shortlisting life events for your essays. If you need any help with your essays or shortlisting MBA programs, take advantage of the following resources:
• Winning MBA Essay Guide
• MBA Application Essay Review Service
• Detailed Profile Evaluation
• Basic Profile Evaluation
• MBA Admission Consulting Service
About the Author
I am Atul Jose, Founding Consultant of F1GMAT, an MBA admissions consultancy that has worked with applicants since 2009.
For the past 15 years I have edited the application files of admits to the M7 programs: Harvard Business School, Stanford Graduate School of Business, the Wharton School, MIT Sloan, Chicago Booth, Kellogg School of Management, and Columbia Business School, together with admits to Berkeley Haas, Yale School of Management, NYU Stern, Michigan Ross, Duke Fuqua, Darden, Tuck, IMD, London Business School, INSEAD, SDA Bocconi, IESE Business School, HEC Paris, McCombs, and Tepper, plus other programs inside the global top 30.
My work covers the full MBA application deliverable: career planning and profile evaluation, application essay editing, recommendation letter editing, mock interviews and interview preparation, scholarship and fellowship essay editing, and cover letter editing for funding applications. Full bio with credentials and admit history is here.
I am the author of the Winning MBA Essay Guide, the best-selling essay guide covering M7 MBA programs. I have written and updated the guide annually since 2013, which makes the 2026 edition the thirteenth.
The reason I still write and edit essays every cycle: a good MBA essay carries a real applicant's voice. Writing essays for F1GMAT's Books and Editing essays weekly is how I stay calibrated to what current admissions committees respond to.
Contact me for school selection, career planning, essay strategy, narrative development, essay editing, interview preparation, scholarship essay editing, or guidance documents for recommendation letters.