Sunday, March 29, 2009

how about this for a brochure?

RAKTABH’S CAT-A-THON
It goes without saying that to crack a good ivy-league B-school nationally or internationally one needs to have a well-rounded personality with a holistic upbringing. It also requires you to be upgrading all the time. Take the example of CAT (Common Admission Test), India’s largest and most reputed MBA entrance examination, which has gone online this year and changed paradigm on the lines of GMAT (Graduate Management Aptitude Test), which is the most sought-after international MBA entrance examination. CAT has switched over from the conventional paper-and-pencil test to a CAT (Computer Adaptive Test). All these years CAT has been known for springing surprises to its aspirants. This year it has already proven to be toeing similar lines.
Let us try to know what any major MBA exams’ test you on. Let us first break them in two stages or call them two-pronged in strategy:
A. HARD SKILL TEST (WRITTEN)
It comprises three major sections
1. Verbal
2. Quantitative
3. Data Interpretation, Sufficiency and Logical Reasoning

VERBAL SECTION
CAT tests a potential management aspirant on English language, which has now become the global medium of communication in this ‘flat’ world of ours. The idea is not to come up with an insurmountable barrier as few might perceive English language to be like. The intent is to get the potential manager comfortable with what is the most spoken language in the entire world so that business communication becomes standardized for all and sundry. It goes without saying that English language is the chosen one amongst all other languages. Let us as a non-English speaking nation face it!
The basic hard skill test in this section can be segmented into two folds:
1. EU (English Usage): It tests the candidate on the finer nuances of English grammar that require a sound comprehension of vocabulary (read vocab), syntax, semantics inter alia so as to prepare the candidate for the basics. It can have questions on direct or indirect vocab, jumbled paragraphs, sentence corrections, FIBs (fill in the blanks) etc etc.
2. RC (Reading Comprehension): A layperson can justifiably construe it to be the more familiar sounding ‘Unseen Passages’. As the very abbreviation states it tests you on your comprehension of English passages based on a gamut of topics with diversified, explicit, or inferential connotations. To cut the long story short, it tests you on your reading and comprehension skills. It helps if you have been a voracious reader and if not then it assumes you are well on course to become one.:)


QUANTITATIVE SECTION
CAT tests also on basic mathematical aptitude in any potential manager. It does not mean to reduce you to mere number crunching geek. However, a basic understanding of Math is a mandate for any managerial profile and that is perhaps reason enough to incorporate this as a section in the exam. The level of difficulty is of class 10th with a bit of mentally challenging questions thrown here and there. Questions can be largely from Arithmetic, Equations, Functions, Time, Speed and Distance (TSD), Mixtures and Alligations, Work and Time, Geometry, Fundamental sequences of counting, Permutation and Combination (P and C), Probability, Sequences, Series, Progressions, Advanced Math etc. A sound conceptual clarity and understanding of the basics complemented with an alert and cautiously accurate eye on the nitty-gritty can see one sail through this section.
DATA INTERPRETATION, DATA SUFFICIENCTY AND LOGICAL REASONING
CAT tests you on your comfort level with facts or numbers i.e. data collected for examination, consideration and decision making. This kind of ensures that as a practicing manager you will ably be juggle through tons of data to convert it into organized systematic information as and when required. You can be required to cull relevant info from tables (every conceivable type), charts (bar, pie-explosion, area, radar etc), diagrams (Venn, network, triangular, scatter, doughnut etc), graphs (pie, Cartesian, direction etc), Caselets among others. Data Sufficiency tests your ability to find out whether a given data is sufficient to arrive at an answer using given information set. Logical reasoning tests you on your reasoning skill that is a must for any suitable decision making.

B. SOFTER SKILL TEST (ORAL)

It majorly comprises Group Activities (Discussion usually) followed by a Personal Interview with a handful of institutes also going for extempore (FMS, TAPMI etc.), case studies, role-plays, essays(TAPMI, IIM-A,L et al), SOPs (Statement of Purpose)(FMS, NIRMA et al) or any other suitable personality assessment exercise.
Regards,
RAKTABH MAHESH (CAT mentor since 8 plus years majorly at PT, IMS NEW DELHI) with OA 98.57 in CAT08 AND 99.97 in VERBAL section.
PH: 09919730841, 09454779843, 09811941958, 0983831411,
E-mail: raktabh@gmail.com, Blog: http://raktabh.blogspot.com/
ALL FACULTY WITH 99 PLUS IN ACTUAL CAT IN THEIR RESPECTIVE SECTIONS OF TEACHING
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