How to Prepare for Top B-School Entrance Exams: A Step-by-Step Guide for MBA Aspirants

You want to build a great career! If you know the exact direction you want to take, that’s fantastic. Chances are that you will find relevant resources for that here. In case you are not very sure of your long-term career goal, an MBA can be a great choice for you.  I am not saying that MBA is for confused individuals. What I mean is that an MBA helps you explore different aspects of a business – through the curriculum, the projects, the internships. And that helps you discover what you enjoy the most. Your decision, thus, is a well-informed decision. If this appeals to you, then let us talk about how you can prepare to get into the top B-schools of the world.

The first thing that you need to do is write an aptitude exam. It could be the CAT, The XAT, the GMAT, the CMAT, the SNAP, the NMAT, the Maharashtra MBA CET etc. Once you are shortlisted based on your exam score – and at times your academic and work profile – you would typically go through a Personal Interview, a Written Ability Test, maybe a Group Discussion or even a psychometric test designed to analyse your personality. Let us talk about the first step of the journey – the aptitude exam. If you're a first-time aspirant juggling college assignments or office deadlines, this article will help you navigate the journey without losing your sanity. (I wish I could guarantee the same for your social life though.)

Most of these exams test your English, Logic, Data Interpretation, and Quantitative Ability. Some exams may venture into Decision Making and GK too. The exact ‘syllabus’ and the difficulty level may vary from exam to exam. Here is a plan to help you get started:

English aka VARC

The section typically has Reading Comprehension along with questions based on paragraphs, grammar, and vocabulary.

One of the key action items for you in this section is reading. Make sure that your read every day and that your reading is extensive and eclectic. You can read books, articles, and editorials. The thing to keep in mind is that you read something that takes you a little beyond your comfort zone. If the text is way too challenging, way too easy, or from the same genre / subject matter, then you need to switch up things a bit. Additionally, start attempting 10 RC Passages every week.

Similarly, take out some time for vocabulary and Grammar every day. For vocabulary 15 to 30 minutes of learning new words using a word-list or some other resource should be a great start. For Grammar, pick up any Grammar book catering to the high school. Read seven to 10 pages of this book every day until you have read it twice.

All the paragraph-based questions fundamentally test you ‘composition’ skills i.e. writing skills. Write something ever day even if it is just for five minutes. Thereafter, you can start attempting the individual question types one-by-one.

Quantitative Aptitude

Brush up your class 7th to class 10th  math using NCERT. Afterwards, focus on master arithmetic and algebra – these two modules contribute significantly to the section. Once you are comfortable with these, you can begin to explore geometry, number system, probability and other areas of modern math.

Afterwards, start practicing 15-25 questions every day from different areas. You can refer to YouTube videos for practice and explanations.

Data Interpretation and Logical Reasoning

Initially, you would want to work on your calculation skills. Along with that, you would want to develop a certain degree of comfort with visual representations of data. Pick up a graph, a pie chart, or a table from publications or websites. Spend a few minutes observing it carefully. Focus on figuring out the various things that you can infer from this visual representation of data. For LR specifically, start solving puzzles every day. You can pick up a newspaper and go through Sudoku. Or you can pick up a book on puzzles may be even join an online forum that shares puzzles regularly. In the next phase, you can start solving the caselets and LR questions. 

Testing

Once you have covered 70% of the syllabus, start writing the test regularly. You may begin with writing a section test and then move over to writing the full-length mock tests in simulated exam conditions. Focus on test taking strategy and time management. Maintain an error log that guides you towards areas of improvement.

Mental Conditioning

As exam day approaches, your biggest enemy will not be difficult questions – it's self-doubt. Remember, CAT tests your ability to make smart decisions under pressure, a skill you'll need throughout your MBA and career. No matter how your mocks make you feel, remain persistent and strategic.

Your B-school journey isn't just about getting into a great B-school – it's about developing the resilience, analytical thinking, and decision-making skills that will define your professional success.

Start today, stay consistent, and trust the process. Your future MBA self is counting on your current discipline.