MAT 2016: How you can prepare in next 6 days; know the strategy to enhance your score

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MBAUniverse.com News Desk |
August 29, 2016
MAT 2016 September exam will serve not only to boost your confidence level in forthcoming CAT, IIFT, SNAP and XAT exams; it will also prove a yardstick to measure your level of preparation for other exams
During the last week, you should not begin anything new and must concentrate on what you have prepared

Thousands of you will appear in MAT 2016 paper based test on September 4, to explore admission in MBA 2017-19 or to give your best shot to this test as this is the first MBA entrance exam for admission 2017-19 batch.

MAT 2016 September exam will serve not only to boost your confidence level in forthcoming CAT, IIFT, SNAP and XAT exams; it will also prove a yardstick to measure your level of preparation for other exams leading to top IIMs and other B-schools.

Besides, admission in good B schools out of the list of B schools available at the AIMA site can be explored with a high percentile of 90+ in MAT 2016 September exam. Apart from them other B schools are also accepting MAT scores. Accordingly, the more you score in MAT 2016 September exam, the more admission opportunities in good B schools would be waiting for you.

The main query from the aspirants is how to prepare in a short time of one week and how to increase the score in MAT 2016. Those who are hopeful and are working hard to score high in MAT 2016 on September 4 should take care and practice more in accordance with the choice  they have opted - Paper based test or CBT pattern of MAT 2016.

Don’t begin anything new
Prof S K Agarwal, Verbal Ability expert and mentor on MAT preparation is of the view that during the last week, you should not begin anything new and must concentrate on what you have prepared. It will be better to further strengthen your strong areas instead of working out on such areas that consume more of your time. Since MAT 2016 September is not going to be a very difficult examination as it never is, candidates should devote more time to revise and practice more mock tests.

Analyse Mocks
After attempting the MAT Mocks, analyse where you went wrong, what mistakes you committed knowingly or unknowingly during your practice tests and then ensure not to repeat them. This is an important strategy to score high in MAT.

Devise methodology
Once you are aware of your strong and weak areas, you could fairly understand what to avoid and what to attempt in MAT September test. With this method you could not only improve your score but would also be more confident while attempting the questions and searching for suitable answer options.

Increase attempts
In the first attempt in MAT test, solve only those questions that you can solve with ease. Your next attempt could be for slightly more difficult questions and next 2-3 attempts could be devoted to most difficult questions. This will ensure better scores and fewer mistakes.

Keep an eye on negative marking
Don’t attempt the questions in MAT 2016 that are out of your domain. If you mark 2 answers correct and 4 answers wrong, you have lost 1 full mark. Besides the wastage of time that was done, is an additional disadvantage.

Scan past MAT papers
Whether it is paper pencil or computer based MAT examination, the difficulty level, type of questions, composition of questions do not vary much. It is advisable to go though the past MAT papers to understand the type of questions that appear in MAT exam. There are many sites also that offer free download of MAT papers. If you can lay your hands on the past questions that appeared in earlier MAT exams, it will be of good help to you as it will give you fair idea about the probable topics and question types.

Don’t leave anything: Revisit test pattern
MAT 2016 on September 4, will be divided in 5 sections namely Language comprehension; Mathematical skills;Intelligence and critical reasoning; Data analysis and Sufficiency; Indian and Global environment with 40 Multiple Choice Questions (MCQs) in each section.

Each question will carry 1 mark and ¼ mark would be the penalty for each wrong answer. The test shall have to be solved in 150 minutes.

Language comprehension
According to Prof S K Agarwal, Verbal Ability Expert and mentor on MAT preparation, out of 40 questions in language Comprehension section 10 are supposed to be based on vocabulary comprising synonyms-antonyms, jumbled words and picking odd man out, inserting correct words to fill in the blanks. There are expected 5 short comprehension passages followed by 4 questions each. Other questions are supposed to be based on jumbled paragraphs, core grammar usage, summary/main thought essence of paragraphs. Questions are supposed to be moderately difficult and are expected to be answered in 30 minutes, if you attempt the section with due concentration.

Mathematical Skills
This section in MAT 2016 September exam is expected to have around 26 questions based on Arithmetic like Percentages, Profit and Loss, Time and Work, Averages etc. The difficulty level is expected to be moderate but may consume a bit more time. Candidates with more practice will be able to solve more of the questions within prescribed time. Those who can attempt this section with accuracy may expect a higher score.

Intelligence and critical reasoning
Favourite MAT topics on which the questions in this section are proposed are Assertions reasons, Family tree, analogies, Direction, series, cause & effect, calendar, distribution, assertions.  The section is supposed to have moderate level of difficulty but may be more time consuming.

Data analysis and Sufficiency
70% of the questions in this section are expected to be on data interpretation. Pie charts, bar diagrams, charts, line graph, and data comparison are the main areas on which the questions are expected in this section. A few questions may be time consuming but overall the questions are supposed to have moderate difficulty level.

Indian and Global environment
Most of the B schools accepting MAT 2016 scores keep this section as qualifying, although it is an integral part of MAT question paper. Scoring well in this adds to your scores and your score card also reflects it. In the final admission round good B schools consider the score in this section also.

Questions in this section are based on conventional GK, business and economics, current affairs, International events, Who’s who. 15 minutes is a sufficient time to answer this section.

Time Management: watch your step
Out of 200 questions in MAT 2016, although you would like to attempt maximum questions, the problem is-if you are stuck on one question and waste your time, you may lose the score on more number of questions which you could have attempted.

Besides you do not have plenty of time and cannot scan all the 200 questions before moving to attempt them one by one. If you are able to solve the question and if it belongs to your strong area, attempt it immediately else leave it and move on to attempt the next one. You may come back to it later.

Sno

Section

No of Questions in each section

Suggested  time (in minutes) to solve

1

Language Comprehension

40

25

2

Intelligence and Critical Reasoning

40

40

3

Data Analysis and Sufficiency

40

35

4

Mathematical Skills

40

40

5

Indian and Global Environment

40

10

 

Total

200

150

Score card for MAT 2016 exam will be made available by the last week of September and before any other forthcoming MBA entrance exam. It will help you to know your preparation level and improve further as the other MBA entrance tests like IIFT, CAT, SNAP will be from the last week of November only. Accordingly you will have 2 months to plug your weak areas and further strengthen your strong areas.

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Stay tuned to MBAUniverse.com for more updates on MAT 2016