- Introduction
- Tips to Prepare for MBA Entrance Exams
- Best Books to Prepare for MBA Entrance Exams
- Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
- Wrapping up
Introduction
Getting into a well-reputed MBA college is a race among millions of MBA aspirants. It is not an easy task and demands proper strategy and planning.
That is why it is advised to take some time to organize your thoughts. Many people overlook the fact that studying for an MBA admission exam also entails studying for a challenging business degree after passing the exam. So the adventure does not finish once you have gotten into your dream school. It is merely the beginning.
We are not here to scare you! In fact, we will guide you on how to prepare for the MBA entrance exam. Here are a few things to keep in mind:
Tips to Prepare for MBA Entrance Exams
Tip#1 – Give attention to your strength, fix your weaknesses
Amidst all the hustle, take a break and think about the topic areas that you want to improve about yourself. How would you categorize the thing you chose: Is it a strength or a weakness?
The ideal way to achieve your goal is to give more attention to the section that comes naturally to you than the ones where you need to spend more time.
Bonus Tip: Taking a test after practicing the sections that contributed to a lower score can dramatically increase your success.
Tip#2 – Work smart
Develop your style of tackling difficult questions. Try to solve them unconventionally with the best shortcuts possible. Come up with unique ideas. If you stick to solving a problem traditionally, like using the long method to solve mathematical equations, it can lead to poor time management. However, to work on this technique, you need to build a strong foundation of the concepts. Many students develop their techniques by creating diagrams or codes that help them solve Quantitative ability questions.
Bonus Tip: Learn more about Vedic Mathematics, a collection of Techniques/Sutras. It can help you solve mathematical arithmetics faster.
Tip#3 – Opt for online mock tests
“I worked more on the areas that I found tough by giving mock tests,” says Prakriti Kar, who scored 99.93 Percentile in XAT.
Mocks are exams similar to the actual exam. Solving mocks will give you an idea of the questions that can be expected on the exam day. Also, it gives a reality check on how effective your preparation is. While working on a mock test, you will get an idea of how fast or slow you are. When you solve mocks, you might realize that you need more time for a particular section and less for another.
Tip#4 – Go through the previous year’s papers
Solving previous years’ papers can help you understand the patterns, analyze the types of questions, and marking schemes. It also helps students enhance their speed and accuracy. Candidates can develop new shortcut tricks while solving questions from previous year papers. Lastly, attempting the previous year’s paper will boost the momentum of the candidates. The higher the confidence, the best they will be able to perform in their examination.
Bonus Tip: Practicing these questions will improve your speed and confidence.
Tip#5 – Invest time wisely
When someone says time management, it doesn’t mean blocking time by deciding the best strategy that suits your requirement. Analyze the time that you need for your study, sleep, and other activities. Based on this analysis, cut down on the time you spend on unnecessary activities and make more time for your studies.
Time management is a crucial consideration for an MBA entrance exam. Abhipsa Panda, who aced one of the MBA entrance exams with a 99.88 percentile, advises students to invest time wisely and double-check accuracy at the same time. She suggests doing 4 Mock papers every day and developing a practice of reading newspapers daily to boost your knowledge.
Applicants should plan how much time they will devote to each section. It does not matter how well prepared you are if you do not know how to focus your efforts at the right time.
Bonus Tips: The best way to go about is to prioritize your subject and allot time to them accordingly. Devote less time to your stronger areas and more time to weaker areas.
Tip#6 – Make the most of the Digital Media
Yes, we are not saying this just for the sake of saying it because people usually say that you need to stay away from social media to prepare for your examination. Subscribing for education websites, news websites, and social media groups can be of great help. Articles, sample papers, study materials are available on most of these websites and can be downloaded for free as well. Ask questions, share thoughts, and broaden your knowledge base by connecting with other MBA aspirants. Many specialists assist students in studying for such career-defining tests may also be found in such forums.
Bonus Tip: You can follow and join different forums and groups related to CAT preparation to stay updated with the latest trends.
Best Books to Prepare for MBA Entrance Exams
The list below contains some of the best and well-known books that can help you prepare for your MBA entrance exam-
1) Verbal Ability Section
Wiley’s ExamXpert Verbal Ability and Reading Comprehension
Author – Captain AK Kalia
How to Prepare for Verbal Ability & Reading Comprehension
Author – Arun Sharma, Meenakshi Upadhayay
2) Reasoning Ability Section
A Modern Approach to Verbal & Non-Verbal Reasoning
Author – R S Aggarwal
Complete Guide for MAT and Other MBA Entrance Exams
Author – Disha Experts
3) Quantitative Ability Section
How to Prepare for Data Interpretation for CAT
Author – Arun Sharma
Quantitative Aptitude for Competitive Examinations
Author – S Chand Publishing, R S Aggarwal
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Q1: What is the ideal time to prepare for the MBA entrance exam?
Ans – Although there is no hard and fast rule, toppers advise candidates to be consistent in their exam preparation and always assume that the exam is approaching.
Q2: I wish to self-prepare for my entrance exam. How do I start preparation without coaching?
Ans – First, get acquainted with the MBA exam pattern & syllabus. Then, collect the best study material and begin your preparation section by section, leaving nothing to chance.
Q3: How many mock tests before the exam are sufficient to take?
Ans – The toppers take around 40 Mock tests before the final exam. Only taking mock tests is not enough, it is also necessary to analyze your mistakes and improve yourself.
Q4: Which subject should I focus more on?
Ans – The MBA entrance exam does not assess your understanding of a specific subject. It assesses your overall abilities.
Q5 How should I plan my learning sessions?
Ans – Before you sit down to prepare, set a goal. If you plan to study for three hours, you should know what you want to accomplish by the end of the session.
Wrapping up
Preparing for an MBA entrance exam is a long and tiresome journey. Students become apprehensive due to the rigor of competitive tests. As a result, this anxiousness can impact their performance. By keeping the above-mentioned tips in mind, you can crack any MBA entrance exam test in no time and take admission to a college of your choice.
Every year, lakhs of students who wish to pursue management studies appear for top entrance exams. But only a tiny percentage of them can make the cut and secure a seat in an MBA program of their choice. In such a case, you can always consider enrolling in the UGC entitled Online MBA Degree Program by Shiv Nadar University, Delhi, NCR, offering specializations in Data Science & Analytics / Marketing / Digital Finance / Human Resources, which are currently among the highest paying industries in India.
If you also have some tips on how to clear an MBA entrance examination, then do mention the same in the comment box below.
