This question is similar to ‘Chicken or Hen?’ This question can have many versions of answers.
For some people CAT is the most difficult thing to crack and for others GD/PI/WAT is difficult since they lack confidence or shy away from public speaking.
The solution to this is PREPARE YOURSELF. Focus on your nearest target and then prepare, first prepare for getting a high percentile overall and in all sections. After you are through with your exam and have got the desired result start preparing for your/PI/WAT. It is because no matter where you get shortlisted, you will be competing with the best of the bests. CAT is just an exam to get a percentile and achieve a cut off that will get you a GDPI call.
CAT is important because you want that score to get a call so one should work hard for CAT. Whereas when it comes to interviews IIM does not take difficult interviews but follow different styles like stress interviews, honest one on one discussion interviews. They check the ability of a person, his communication skills, his overall profile, and the way he conducts himself and would prefer a candidate who talk sensibly and not just good at clearing an exam.
5 Tips prepare for CAT GD/PI/WAT round in first attempt
But! Getting a good score In CAT is in your hands whereas Interviews are totally a game changer. They can ask you anything and keep discussing on it. Mostly interviews revolve around four basic areas
- Undergraduate stream and work EX
- Current affairs questions
- A lot of in depth questions on your interest, it could be your favorite game, book, or some subject
- Some HR questions – like Why MBA? “Tell me something not written in your application?”
Interviews can also be controlled with good preparation. Cracking interviews involves strategic planning since it is your hand to give the direction to your interview (Mostly). But, make sure that you are well aware about that direction. For example, if you are saying that you like playing cricket they be prepared and know the background and facts about the game as well as current updates on same. Justify your profile and have a valid and justified answer as to why you want to do MBA and what is your motivation behind it. For getting your self-updated about the current affairs devote at least 1-2 hours daily for following the news, this will not only help in your interviews and GDs but also in your written ability test. You will also be asked questions based on your essay in interview so writing anything won’t help there. You must be able to express and communicate your thoughts clearly in essay as no professor will spend more than 3-5 minutes on your essay
Expected CAT 2016 score cut-off for Admission in IIMs
Some tips to perform better in GD/ WAT/PI are:
- Be consistent. Have an opinion about whatever you are saying or writing
- Keep your sentences short and crisp and also well structured.
- Never appear confused in interviews or in essays. Even if the topic generate confusion in your mind never let it come in your writing
- Never appear rehearsed and over smart. Yes, you need to be rehearsed but do not make them realize that this is a well thought of answer and is not honest
- Always enter and exit gracefully and politely greet the panel in the starting and exit the interview after thanking them.
So all in all, you should know that the journey does not end after giving CAT or after getting a high percentile in it. CAT percentile has nothing to do with PI/ WAT/ GDs. One needs to prepare for these the same way he or she prepared for CAT. But the positive side in that Interviews, GDs and WAT are not that tough if you are prepared and are not clue less.
ALL THE BEST J
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