GD, PI and WAT Preparation Tips - Expert Advice Crack in First Attempt

Aspirants across India prepare for months before appearing for Common Admission Test (CAT) 2021 in order to pursue their passion in management courses. However, CAT is just 40% of the entire selection process to these courses in MBA colleges in India. While knowledge is fruitful during the selection process, organisations, college administrations and admissions committees look for those candidates with the capability of presenting their knowledge, in a manner different from others. After the candidates have appeared for the CAT examination, they will have to sit for Group Discussion (GD), Personal Interview (PI) and Written Ability Test (WAT). These are the three factors, that the admission committees in B-Schools assess the candidates’ managerial abilities. The results for CAT 2021 conducted on November 29 were announced on January 3, 2022. Candidates who are seeking admission in CAT 2021 Participating Colleges must now prepare for the selection rounds. The next step after clearing CAT 2021 would be to appear for the WAT, GD and PI rounds of the MBA Admission Process.

In this article, we have provided some of the best tips for students who are going to appear for the GD, PI and WAT rounds in the selection process of MBA colleges in India.

Best Tips for Group Discussion (GD) in MBA Admission

Group Discussion is the first step of selection after the CAT exam. Candidates are first formed into a group, where each group is given one or more topic each, and a specified time period to select and research about the topic. At the end of the research time, candidates are asked to mention their points and come up with a fruitful conversation or discussion between the group members and come to a conclusion at the end.

Seems easy! Quite the opposite. It helps the admission committee to narrow down on its candidates at a large scale. Many students, unaware of the presentation dos and don’ts, get themselves kicked off at the end of the group discussion. Here are some pointers you should keep in mind while taking part in a group discussion:

Listen

Group Discussion is not just a process of talking and speaking out their opinion and thoughts. The reason why listening is important here is that some of the other members may make points that you can counter or add on to, thus, indicating to the judge in the group to take note of your abilities.

Be courteous

Being courteous to the other members of the Group Discussion may project you as a team member. In other words, waiting for them to finish their statements, or giving members of the team who haven’t had a chance to speak out, will give the indication of a team leader and team-spirited individual to the judges

Try to be the Leader

Carrying on from the previous point, you must try to be the leader of the group. However, do not force yourself upon the group. One of the greatest opportunities to show yourself as a leader is to begin the entire Group Discussion. Many times, participants feel shy or are too afraid to begin the discussion, which leaves the position of the leader in the group, wide open for leaders.

Do Not Interrupt

In addition to the first pointer, when another member of the group is speaking his/her point/statement, try not to interfere or interrupt the person with your opinions and thought processes. Let the speaking member finish their statements, after which you can put in your point by either saying, “adding to that” or “Contrary to the point”, etc.

Be Mindful About Speaking Time

This is one of the points of failure for a candidate. While it may seem like you are showcasing your knowledge and understanding of a point, it may also indicate to the judges that you do not really care for what others have to say or even believe in giving an opportunity to the other members of the team.

From the above-mentioned points, we can see that a group discussion requires the candidates to be a team player as well as a team leader, all the while displaying their presentation skills on a given topic. Experts and recruiters claim that they look for participants who can lead as well as present themselves and their points clearly and consistently.

Above all, candidates should always be factually aware of the topic before making sudden opinions and statements. It is humanly not possible to know every single thing in this world. There may be situations where you will have no information and the limited amount of time given for preparation may not be enough to understand a topic. In such situations, participants can take up leadership roles, listen carefully to what is being said and tactfully create their statements on the topic.

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Best Tips for Personal Interview (PI) in MBA Admission

Personal Interview is the process where a panel of members from the administration will sit and assess your qualities as an individual. Unlike Group Discussion, Personal Interview is the platform for the candidate to present themselves in the best possible manner. Here, the panel members will judge the candidate based on their knowledge, experience and the way the candidate presents themselves to the panel. Here are some pointers to keep in mind while partaking in a Personal Interview.

Prepare Your Answers

Even though one can never be certain about the questions that an interviewer may ask, you can always prepare your answers for general questions, like current affairs, subjects from the course that you pursued as your higher education degree as well as your previous work experience, if applicable.

Be Confident

One of the last things that you should do in an Interview is to be unsure and unconfident in yourself. There is high competition, especially when you go looking for a job. Therefore, confidence will be your friend during the entire process.

Don’t be Over-Confident

This requires a separate pointer as this can really make or break your case in a personal interview. Knowing your capabilities, skills, and knowledge is one element, however, exaggerating them will lead you to your downfall. Interviewers have a knack for knowing when an interviewee is telling the truth or just exaggerating their actual resume.

Good Body Language

As cliched as it may sound, a good posture will take you a long way in building a good first impression in front of the panel members. A good posture like sitting upright will create an impression among the judges that the applicant is confident and aware of his/her surroundings. Therefore it is important for you to ensure that you have dressed up appropriately for the occasion, i.e. wear formals, well-groomed, with a fresh look.

At the end of the day, it is a Personal Interview. The questions that the interviewer will ask the candidates will be specific to the programme, the CV of the candidate and other different factors that may be important to the recruiters. Therefore, candidates must prepare themselves for any kind of questions, relating to the field or programme you will be applying for.

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Best Tips for Written Ability Test (WAT) in MBA Admissions

B-schools across the nation conduct a Written Ability Test or WAT to shortlist the students for their management programmes the candidates at the college level. Students are given a short period of time, one topic and paper or pen to write down their thoughts. Candidates who are able to form a critically analysed and constructive essay, while clearly communicating their idea will stand a better chance at being shortlisted for the admission process. Here are some pointers that one should keep in mind while attempting a Written Ability Test.

Practice Writing

There is a saying, “Practice makes Perfect”. While you may require years of practice to become perfect, the time that you invest in practising how to write small essays on random topics will help you greatly during WAT. While most of us have the ability to write essays, it has been difficult to write essays that can attract the reader towards your piece. For this, you can learn how to gather your thoughts and compile them into a constructive and informative essay that will help you score well in WAT.

Time Yourself

WAT is a timed testing procedure, where you will be given a small amount of time to write down your thoughts on a given topic. Here the applicants will need to learn how to jot down the important points for the topic without missing out on the gist of the essay. During your practice sessions, practice jotting down important points first and then elaborating on the points.

Compile Your Thoughts

As soon as you are handed over the paper for writing your essay, you must first compile all your thoughts for the essay in your mind. Take a few minutes to think about what you will write as well as the points that will work out to be the best for the essay. While compiling your thoughts, try to give them a structure. In other words, jot down your thoughts in the order that is apt for the essay.

Parameters for WAT Evaluation

Experts and evaluators of the Written Ability Tests have claimed that there common parameters where the essay, written by the candidates, is assessed on. Some of the parameters that have been mention by experts are as follows:

• Basic Spelling and Grammer

• Interpretation and Analysis

• Final Solution or Conclusion to Your Opinion

• Factual Accuracy in the Content

• Quality of Logical Arguments

• Evidence for your Conclusion

• Coherence

• Language Clarity

The parameters that have been mentioned above are just some of the parameters that the colleges decide upon. However, along with the parameters that have been decided by the colleges, each parameter will carry its own weightage, again defined by the College or Institute you wish to join. Therefore, it is important that you adhere to the parameters that have been mentioned above, as much as possible.

At the end of the day, the candidates need to be confident in their abilities but also be aware of their limitations. Remember the tip “You are your Worst Enemy”. The more doubtful you will be of your abilities, the more difficult it will be for you to ace the various testing phases. Going in with a positive mind and a positive outlook to life will allow you to keep a cool mind and calm personality through the various testing procedures, thus, improving your chances of cracking the GD/PI and WAT Testing processes.

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