How to Prepare for MBA Entrance Exam
The mantra for success in today's corporate world is
the MBA degree. Thousands of graduates every year compete for entry into one of
the prestigious management institutes hoping to make it big in the corporate
world later in life. The media highights that fresh graduates from buiseness
schools have been able to get jobs with multinational corporations at astounding
starting salaries of Rs 3-4 lakh per month and sometimes even more. Graduates
from all streams-arts, science, engineering, medicine and even working
executives are today taking MBA entrance exams hoping to get into rewarding
career. THe demand for MBAs has overshot the supply. Today, MBAs are in great
demand in multinational companies, banks and large Indian companies.
There are more than 500 MBA institutes in India today. If
foreign universities and those offering correspondence MBA programmes are added,
the number of institutes would be much higher. If MBA be your aim, you must try
to get into some of the better institutes.
The admission process for management institutes
consists of three steps: written test, interview and group discussion(GD).
Students must prepare for all these steps because a failure in one may nagate
the whole process and one will not be able to get admission. Usually students
make the mistake of preparing for the written test and think they can prepare
for GDs later on. This is a mistake because it is not possible to prepare for
these steps later on. Hence the preparation for all the three stages must be
started simultaneously.
Wriiten tests for MBA Enterance
Institutes conduct their entrance tests for admission in MBA. There are some
centralised tests, like CAT and MAT, and some tests conducted by individual
institutes.
CAT: The most coveted one is the Common Admission Test(CAT) for
the Indian Institutes of Management(IIMs) and about 50 other institutes.
Students coming to their final year of graduation with minimum 50% marks in any
stream are eligible to appear for CAT.
MAT: The Management Aptitude Test(MAT)
is conducted by All India Management Association(AIMA), which caters to middle
to lower level institutes. The MAT is held several times in a year.
Apart from these centralised tests, some institutes conduct their own tests.
Among them are : Narsee Monjee institute of Management(NMIMS), Xavier Labour
Research Institute(XLRI) and the Faculty of Management Studies(FMS), University
of Delhi. Engineers can hope to get into the MBA programmes offered by the
Indian Institutes of Technology(IITs). Regional universities also have MBA
programmes all over the country, for which they conduct separate entrance tests.
List of Top entrance tests for MBA is given below:
CAT: Conducted by IIMs for admission to a number of institutes.
MAT: Conducted by AIMA several times a year.
SNAP: Conducted by Symbiosis, Pune, for admission to institutes
run by it.
JMET: Conducted by IITs for management programmes conducted by
IITs.
XAT: Conducted by XLRI, Jamshedpur, for its Programmes and some
other institutes.
IRMA: Conducted by Institute of Rural Management, Anand
IIFT: Conducted by Institute of Foreign Trade.
FMS: Conducted by Faculty of MAnagement Studies, University of
Delhi
MIB, MHROD: Conducted for admission to management of Delhi
school of Economics
NMAT: Conducted by Narsee Monjee Institute of Management
Studies, Mumbai
CET: For admission to management Institutes of Maharashtra.
Which MBA Entrance test should I take?
It is advisable to be selective
about the MBA entrance tests and not fill up all the forms. You should adopt a
three step approach:
I. Which is the area in which you want to do MBA.
II. How good are your scores in practice and mock tests.
III. What are your long term aims.
For example, if you are interested in a particular area such as rural
management, you should not apply for general MBA entrance tests. Similarly when
you do mock tests, work out your scores. If the scores are satifactory, apply to
the top MBA Institute's entrance tests, amd vice versa.
Pattern of MBA Entrance Test
MBA Entrance tests traditionally have three sections. Maths or quantitative
section, English or verbal ability section and Data interpretation or Reasoning
section. Some institutes add an additional section on general knowledge or
buiseness judgement. To avoid being taken by surprise, it is important to do a
number of mock tests on different patterns, within the given time frame. As
nobody can do all the questions in the given time, the candidate must have the
ability to pick and choose the questions that must be done.
Some Tips to Prepare for MBA Entrance Test
A. The time to start preparation is as early as possible. It is
necessary to be attuned to the kind of questions that are asked and the time
should be spent in developing extra reading habits and increasing vocabulary.
B. A high level of logic and reasoning skills must be developed
as the questions are not straight forward in MBA entrance Exams specially in
CAT. Each question requires some thought and what may appear to be answer
initially, may usually be wrong.
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C. An important thing to keep in mind for the Praparation of
MBA Entrance Tests is the fact that the student must exhibit proficiency in all
sections of the paper. This means that all sections must be attempted. Usually
students make the mistake of attempting only those areas in which they are good.
This is not the road to success. The students must attempt all sections and get
over limitations while preparing.
D. Another thing to keep in mind to get success in MBA Entrance
Test is that there is negative marking . So the number of attempts is
immaterial. If you attempt more and get more mistakes, your net score will go
down. The tendency to over-attempt must be kept in check. Only attempt what you
are sure of.
How to Prepare for MBA Entrance Test
The preparation for MBA Entrance tests involves knoledge and ability to do
things fast. Speed will come from a good background of all the subjects that are
asked. In maths, it is not important to work out each sum by making equations
and solving by the proper method. Instead, the student must develop the ability
to do sums mentally. Similarly, in English or verbal ability section, if one has
the habit of reading, he will be able to do the vocabulary and reading
comprehension with ease. The student must develop, over a period of time, the
ease of doing the paper without actually solving it.
Step I for the Praparation of MBA Entrance Test:
Start the prepartion of CAT and other MBA Entrance Tests by learning
the basics. Develop the habit of extra reading. In Maths, do the basics and also
try to see the logic of each question.
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Step II for the Praparation of MBA Entrance Test:
After doing the basics, do a number of section mock tests and practice tests.
place emphasis on doing the uestions with speed, dropping those in which time
may be consumed. The idea is not to know how each sum is done, but to do sums
using shortcuts and quick calculations, as fast as you can without sacrificing
accuracy.
Step III for the Praparation of MBA Entrance Test:
After the section tests, it is time to do the full length mock tests. Any
effective preparatory strategy for the CAT must invariably have the provision of
a number of mock tests taken under virtual exam conditions at different stages
of your preparation. Before you commence the prepaprations the papers help you
give direction as to what must be emphasised. Second, in the midst of your
preparations, when you would have made a significant progress in all the areas
of study, they will help you to assess as to where you stand.
Bear in mind that the written test is only a part of
the preparation. You must simultaneously prepare for the next part of the
selection process, the group discussion and the interview. By reading newspapers
and magazines, become aware of the latest issues. Discuss them and learn to put
forward your viewpoint forcefully.
Though MBA entrance tests are tough, they are
achievable. All it requires is a lot of practice. If a high salary be your aim,
keep in mind that you have to mould yourself to be able to get that high salary.
You cannot achieve it by shortcuts. Prepare well and make a very good effort.