MBA aids in shaping and moulding future thought leaders, who can take decisions, multi-task and deliver results within stringent deadlines. These abilities are precisely what management schools use as a basis for elimination in their testing procedure.
Management entrance exams, such as CAT, test the students’ aptitude, not only in the accuracy of their answers, but also in their ability to choose the right questions. Today, attempting the right set of questions and eliminating questions takes precedence over any parameters, as it reflects the student’s presence of mind and the ability to decide between alternatives in a stressful, time-bound environment.
A section-wise roadmap
This brings us to the most vital question: ‘What strategy should one adopt while preparing for management school entrance exams?’ Most of these exams test the student’s abilities in basic mathematics, logical reasoning, language skills and general awareness. A few exams, like GMAT, test one’s ability in analytical writing, which requires practice to analyse and structure one’s thoughts in the given time-frame. Having a section-wise roadmap is definitely the key to achieving success in the various tests.
Quantitative Aptitude : This is probably the one section that opens up the gates of doom for many candidates. It can be tackled by building up knowledge of the basics of various topics tested in this section.
Candidates should analyse the various topics based on their strengths and weaknesses and plan their strategy for preparation accordingly. It is then vital to supplement this by practising the advanced level of questions for the concepts from reference books and study material.
Language Skills : Managers create and evaluate a huge volume of reports as part of their functional responsibilities. Which is why management exams test these abilities in the ‘language skills’ section to assess the candidates’ proficiency. This section provides an opportunity to score during these exams. Thus, students must practise reading comprehension, concepts in grammar and vocabulary to ace it.
Reading comprehension : Reading newspapers aids in this endeavour as it not only enriches one’s vocabulary but also helps one form and analyse opinions via the editorial section. This will also play a key role in the reading comprehension section by increasing the speed at which candidates read and understand the paragraphs. The importance of learning new words cannot be emphasised enough in answering the vocabulary-based questions. Creating a ‘book of words’ with the synonyms, antonyms and usage will prove helpful and could be a game-changer.
Logical reasoning and data interpretation : This section requires candidates to allot ample time in their daily preparation schedule. Though most exams combine these sections, there are a few that test them individually.
However, this has no impact on one’s preparation strategy. Begin preparation for this section by building upon the basics and further augment it with the advanced level of questions. Practice is the only key to succeeding this section, as it can turn into one’s Achilles heel if one is not able to answer the questions within the stipulated duration of the section. Having a proper grasp of the topics and their application is pivotal.
Practice writing skills: A few management exams, like GMAT and XAT, test the ability of the students to evaluate the topic assigned and present their views and opinions. The topics can range from abstract ones to those being currently discussed in the global domain. This is where reading newspapers and keeping up with global news plays an important role. This is one section where students walk into a trap by not allotting enough time for preparation. Practise passages and have a mentor or professor critique it. Keep writing, refining and reading to refine your writing skills.
Management entrance exams require immense hard work, practice, dedication and patience. Take mock tests, sectional tests and topic-based tests by planning a preparation strategy after careful assessment and evaluation. The scores are an indication of the topics you should work on. A high score shouldn’t lead to over-confidence; similarly, a low score shouldn’t beat you down. The key is to remain patient and positive and to persevere, irrespective of the hurdles you encounter.
So, stay calm and design a strategy that works best for you. The corporate jungle gyms of the world await you on the other side.
(The writer is Professor of Marketing at International Management Institute, Delhi.)