For all those students who wish to pursue an MBA and are interested in the management discipline, MBA exams are not much hard to crack if you prepare thoroughly and religiously concentrate on the topics you find harder than the others. You need to strategically divide your time for each subject and prepare thoroughly. Also, if you have plans to study abroad, you need to take the GMAT or GRE exam. To get a good rank in MBA exams, you can use these 7 basic tips to crack any MBA entrance exam and get into your dream business school:
1. Get in touch with your basics again:
Knowing your basics for any entrance exam is important. When you start preparing for your entrance exam(s), start by revising the basics of the subject in concern. Many students concentrate entirely on difficult and complex problems of the syllabus but a majority of questions are based on fundamental concepts. Thus, running through the basics helps in gaining a strong foundation of the underlying concepts and formulas.
2. Start revising early:
Every exam needs sufficient time for preparation. Similarly, MBA exams need prior preparation. The hack is to start preparing little by little every day and going through every chapter/topic thoroughly. The ideal time span required to prepare for such exams varies between a minimum of 6 months to nearly a year. Try to dedicate minimum time (at least one hour per day) at the start and then you can increase your preparation time as per your pace and convenience.
3. Be your own competitor:
Don’t belittle yourself by comparing yourself with other students. Remember, you are your own competitor. While solving problems, track and compare your speed and accuracy with the previous day. Consider a certain time limit to solve each question. This would enable you to manage your time adequately and increase your speed and accuracy each time you sit down to solve questions. You can target to solve about 15 to 20 easy problems within 25 to 30 minutes and keep targeting to beat that time and increase your speed and accuracy while you attempt those same number of questions.
4.Solve online mock tests:
Mock tests imitate the actual question papers given at the exam center. They have the same exam pattern and curriculum but the questions would vary. Keep practicing these mock tests without fail as they help in managing time and can also help you cover the topics you have might have missed. There are many online mock tests that are available online/offline for free. They can be downloaded along with the answer key, and you can evaluate your performance and results from time to time and compare it to your previous marks. Few mock test websites also provide free and downloadable materials that can be used for additional references. Hence, you can gain access to innumerable study resources and materials to ace your entrance exams.
5. Previous year question papers:
This is the most important step to be followed to crack your MBA entrance exam. Try solving as many previous year question papers as possible. Practicing and attempting these papers will not only build your speed but also boost your confidence to a great extent. Also, you can analyze the pattern of questions asked from each topic or subject. This helps you in comparing the papers and focus on the topics from which more questions were asked or were related to. This helps you save a lot of time and effort because you will be able to concentrate on demanding and crucial topics.
6. Learn from your mistakes:
Learning is a process where you learn from your mistakes and build upon your weaknesses. Try to observe and figure out the common mistakes you make while solving a paper or attempting any question. Try to find out the reasons and analyze where you are getting stuck because of those mistakes and adopt an alternative approach toward them. Again, revisit and revise the topics if you have confusion regarding any formulas or the fundamentals associated with the topic. Instead of holding back and panicking, practice the problems where you find yourself making the most mistakes.
7. Try using shortcuts:
MBA entrance exams are mostly objective type. Thus, while practicing for those exams, you need not write/perform each and every step or memorize them. Use and/or create shortcuts- this will save you a lot of mental energy and time. Try approaching the problem in your unique style rather than sticking to the fundamental or bookish approach and complicating the procedures in your head. Attempting or solving it in the conventional method is usually not recommended because it is too lengthy, complicated, and involves a lot of redundant formulae and steps. Try to keep it simple and easy as well as efficient. The shortcut approach needs to be practiced and devised while you prepare for your exams or when your basics are cleared and you begin to solve complex problems. Thus, try doing this during the revision or the practicing time, and not directly when you sit down to give the exam. Otherwise, it could prove to be your nightmare to get perplexed on your final or crucial day of the examination, and you would end up wasting a lot of time.
Even though these are important and the most basic tips, they form an integral part of every competitive exam’s preparation. A few other tips suggested include-
- Try knowing your syllabus properly. Do not overlook topics even though they do not seem much important to you. Going through all the topics is recommended even though you don’t feel like focusing on the topic in detail. You can check the exam’s website for knowing the exact syllabus so that you can prepare accordingly.
- Try watching helpful youtube videos for further assistance. This can be done if you are in the need of a professor or professional to train you on a topic or assist with a specific problem. There are a lot of videos for your reference and would help you understand solutions easily with the correct approach.
- Try solving more questions in less time. This would benefit you a lot in your examination. Due to the stipulated time in the examination, it becomes difficult for the exam taker to concentrate on the exam due to anxiety brought in by the time constraint. To cope up with this, try solving mock tests or practice papers more quickly or better set a time for each question.
- During the exam start with the topics you are best at. This also helps save a lot of time because you would be able to solve them much quicker and you can concentrate on the more complex topics later during the examination. If you cannot do this (a few exams have a specific order to solve questions), try attempting as many questions as possible in the given time. Most MBA entrance exams have a few sections like verbal, quant, logical reasoning, etc., thus students can smartly begin their exam with the section they are most comfortable in attempting.
Lastly, but not least, do not panic during the exam or when the deadline approaches. Stay calm and do not do any last-minute preparations before going to the exam hall as it is bound to leave you feeling confused and jumbled. Simply give your best and prepare well beforehand.
About Author:
Abhyank Srinet holds a Masters in Management degree from ESCP Europe & has an engineering degree with a specialization in Instrumentation & Control. His interest in the digital landscape motivated him to create an online startup for Masters in Management application consulting (MiM-Essay), focused on spreading quality information about the MiM degree & performing application consulting services for clients. He is the chief consultant of the company and takes care of the Business Development and Digital Marketing side of the company. He is very passionate about writing and marketing.
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