How to Prepare for an MBA
An MBA degree can add weightage to your resume. However, cracking the entrance exam and its preparations come first. It can feel daunting but it's achievable.
To begin with one needs to have an actionable plan in hand. Getting an MBA from a top institute requires dedication & hard-work. Don’t fret, we have got you covered. Here, we will discuss some techniques for MBA preparation which will help you get into the best MBA institute of your choice.
How to prepare for an MBA exam?
1) Timetable – A daily, weekly or monthly timetable will help one align with the preparation. Have a clear & realistic vision when you create the study timetable. It enables one to stay on track with MBA entrance exam preparation.
2) Collate Study Material - Have all the books, online resources, physical notes etc all organized so there is no panic during the MBA preparations.
3) Mock Tests - The key to cracking an MBA entrance exam is to feel confident. This is possible only once the student has spent ample time in solving mock tests. The more, the better here. This prepares one for each and every possibility.
4) Track Progress & Get Feedback - Tracking progress of your MBA entrance exam preparation will provide you with valuable insights. This will help you course correct if required. Getting feedback from experts will further ease your nerves during preparation.
5) Wellbeing - An often overlooked factor when it comes to MBA preparations. It is crucial to eat well & get proper rest as you prepare. Physical & mental health should be given equal importance with breaks, exercise & diet.
Cracking the Entrance Exam:
There are numerous entrance exams across India. Your MBA preparation will revolve mostly around the “entrance exam” accepted by your desired business school. MAT, CAT, CMAT, GMAT, ATMA are few of the well known ones.Here's a brief overview of each of these management entrance exams:
MAT (Management Aptitude Test) - Accepted by over 600 business schools across India for MBA and related programs.
Conducted by: All India Management Association (AIMA)
Frequency: Four times a year (February, May, September, December)
Mode: Computer-based test (CBT), paper-based test (PBT), and internet-based test (IBT)
Duration: 2 hours 30 minutes
Sections: Language Comprehension, Mathematical Skills, Data Analysis and Sufficiency, Intelligence and Critical Reasoning, Indian and Global Environment
CAT (Common Admission Test) - Accepted by IIMs and other top B-schools in India for MBA/PGDM programs.
Conducted by: Indian Institutes of Management (IIMs)
Frequency: Once a year (usually in November)
Mode: Computer-based test (CBT)
Duration: 2 hours
Sections: Verbal Ability and Reading Comprehension (VARC), Data Interpretation and Logical Reasoning (DILR), Quantitative Ability (QA)
CMAT (Common Management Admission Test) - Accepted by over 1,000 AICTE-approved institutes across India for MBA/PGDM programs.
Conducted by: National Testing Agency (NTA)
Frequency: Once a year (usually in January)
Mode: Computer-based test (CBT)
Duration: 3 hours
Sections: Quantitative Techniques and Data Interpretation, Logical Reasoning, Language Comprehension, General Awareness, Innovation and Entrepreneurship (optional section)
GMAT (Graduate Management Admission Test) - Accepted by over 2,300 business schools worldwide, including many top MBA programs in India and abroad.
Conducted by: Graduate Management Admission Council (GMAC)
Frequency: Multiple times a year (can be taken up to five times in a 12-month period)
Mode: Computer-based test (CBT)
Duration: 3 hours 7 minutes
Sections: Analytical Writing Assessment, Integrated Reasoning, Quantitative, Verbal
ATMA (AIMS Test for Management Admissions) – Accepted by many management institutes across India for MBA/PGDM and other management programs.
Conducted by: Association of Indian Management Schools (AIMS)
Frequency: Multiple times a year (January, May, and July)
Mode: Computer-based test (CBT) or Internet-based test (IBT)
Duration: 3 hours
Sections: Analytical Reasoning Skills, Verbal Skills, Quantitative Skills (two sections for each)
Sharpening the Relevant Skills
Verbal Ability & Reading Comprehension: A good command over language will make it easier. For those who find it challenging, giving sufficient time to oneself is the key and beginning the preparations well in advance. You may begin taking online language exchange sessions or ideally converse with somebody proficient in the language.To improve reading comprehension, start with small books or magazines in your area of interest. Once you get familiar, you may progress to those involving medium difficulty and above. You may also follow up ideally with high school grammar books to ensure further command over your skills.
Data Interpretation and Logical Reasoning: These subjects will test one's interpretation and analytical skills. Preparing for the same can be tricky however one can begin with solving puzzles. Gradually it is recommended to advance to problem solving with sample sets of varying degrees available online.
General Awareness: This is fairly straightforward. One would simply need to be aware of the factual information. Having a good memory will help as ‘recollection’ is the key here. Online you will find tons of material for the same.
Quantitative Skills: This will test one’s calculation competency. One must be sound with formulas, theorems, ratio and so on. It is crucial to keep a cool mind and approach these problems in steps, this way there is a high chance of success. For practice, one can use the available mock tests and datasets online.
MBA Entrance Exam - Book Recommendations
1) How to prepare for Logical Reasoning for CAT - Arun Sharma
2) How to prepare for Verbal Ability and Reading Comprehension - Arun Sharma
3) Word Power Made Easy - Norman Lewis
4) Quantitative Aptitude for Competitive Examinations - R.S Aggarwal
Conclusion:
MBA preparation can be fairly easy if one sticks to a schedule & plan in advance. Ideally, the earlier you begin the preparations, the better. There is plenty of study material available, both offline as well as online. In the end, being confident in one’s abilities post preparations, is the key to scoring well and ultimately joining your preferred business school.
