Paradigm shift
Preparing for MBA entrance exams require quite a change in mind-set. While in school your focus may have been on solving all questions rightly, chances are that in a b-school entrance exam, if you are answering correctly whatever questions you attempt, you are through. In other words the choice of questions you attempt becomes very important because time is of essence. Every time you get an answer wrong, not only have you lost time but you have been penalized in the form of negative marks. Your paradigm has to be “Speedy and accurate wins the race”.
Attempt different formats
The last thing you want to do is go for the exam with a fixed format in mind because the beauty of these entrance exams is that every year they will come up with something different in the format. So you would do well to take practice tests from different sources. For instance, if you are taking tests only at your coaching institute, chances are you will get so used to their style that any other style will tend to ruffle you. It may be a good idea for friends to join different coaching institutes as you can then exchange practice tests.
Don’t stop, move on
Don’t ever get stuck on any one question. Lot of times you will find simpler questions at the end of the section. So it is important to be able to at least see all questions if not attempt them. Mentally be prepared that you will not be able to attempt all the questions, but whatever you attempt should be bang on target.
Spread time among the sections
A very basic tip but an important one. If sections are not being timed separately for a full length test, before starting, have a look at the sections and distribute time among them. This means when your time for the section is over, you should on your own move on to the next section. This will ensure you do justice to all the sections and not get disqualified because of poor performance in any one section.
Time your tests
Whenever you take a practice test, be sure to time the test. If one was to answer the paper in four hours, an average student would get almost all the answers right. But here the emphasis is on speed and that skill you will develop/hone only if you are timing your tests.
Root cause analysis
Every minute you spend on a practice test, please spend two minutes to do an analysis to know where you are going wrong. Reason is very simple – while it may seem to be a boring exercise, if you don’t do an analysis, you are likely to continue committing the same mistakes! Also you will get a fair idea of your weak areas and you can work a little more on them.
Relative grading
The MBA entrance exams are graded on a relative basis which means your performance is measured vis-à-vis your peers. So when you see a tough question paper, don’t get nervous, keep reminding yourself that the paper is equally tough for everyone.
Peaking at the right time
You need to start your preparation well in advance but not too much in advance J strange it may sound, but true it is. This is the “theory of peaking” which says that after hours of rigorous practice you tend to peak at some point in time after which your performance will dip due to burn-out. So it is important to start your preparation in a manner that you peak around the exam. Experts believe that 5-6 months before the exam is a good time for kick-off. A word of caution – the preparation being talked about is the one that is specific to the exam. If you want to improve generic skills like vocabulary and reading speed, you can start any day!
Coaching institutes
A lot has been debated about the usefulness of MBA preparation classes. If you are looking to build basic skills in Maths and English, you will be wasting your time. While the classes help you hone your skills, the biggest value that MBA preparatory classes offer is in terms of making you regular in your preparation and that is the essence – only two hours a day but on a continuous basis – and you are like a hard rock, unshakeable.