MBA admission help

Some of you who have been preparing for the IIM
admission test for some time well in advance may
already have started to read economic news and
business magazines and may be more prepared than
just the average novice.

For such MBA candidates the level of preparation
should now be towards identifying likely IIM Group
Discussion topics. Here are 3 secrets for identifying
likely IIM GD/PI topics:

1) Employment: Which sectors of the economy are
adding most to employment and which are not. This
will immediately point you into the direction of
such hot sectors such as the retail trade sector and
BPO. Now you should identify major issues related
to these sectors

2) Resolved Disputes: How did a major argument
get resolved- IIM's love such topics as they present
good case studies. Identify how Mittal gained control
of Arcelor Steel, how Tata finally nailed Corus, what
prompted Jet airways to take over Sahara, what
changes did BCCI introduce after Team India's
dismal performance

3) Capital market changes- Business revolves
around money. What are the changes being
introduced that allows Corporate India to raise
money domestically and abroad, identify changes in
Indian bond markets, currency markets, stock
exchanges, commodities exchanges. Try to
determine how corporates are likely to benefit. For
example a better bond market allows more
Corporate Bond trading and encourages corporates
to raise money domestically, or proposed Rupee
exchange futures allows corporates to hedge their
import requirements.

As you can see; thinking contra may lead you to
preparing for the very IIM GD/PI topics which you may cleverly prepare very well in advance. Continue to keep an eye out for such topics and you may find the MBA GD/PI topics to be smooth sailing.

One of the most toughest aspects of the IIM MBA
admission test is determining the kind of preparation
required for Abstract topics

The problem with abstract topics is that you can say
anything and nothing is wrong. So what exactly are
you supposed to say and be tested upon. If you try to
understand what the GD panel is trying to test you
on you can perform better at the Abstract GD topics

Here are some tips on preparing for an Abstract GD
topics such as "Deeper shades of Black"

1) Add structure: The reasons why IIM's favour
abstract topics is that business decisions do not
present themselves as clear cut problems with
identfiable methods of solution. So suppose you say
-"ladies and gentlemen when companies are in
profits the books are in the black, in that case then
the latest Q4 financial results of corporate India
display deeper shades of black- as the profits are up
47.36% as per the data in the newspaper Mint on 11
June 07"

2) Add clarity: You will be looked favourably upon
for adding clarity for the other participants. So you
could explain by saying "Ladies and Gentlemen - the
term Deeper shades of black seem to imply that the
issue is important as it has been marked distinctly
and boldly - thus making it a point for immediate
action. For example a quick glance of the daily news
papers show how Inflation is always boldy
mentioned across all newspaper headlines which
underlies the importance of it to the economy in
general.

Using the above tips you can make the most
Abstract of IIM GD/PI topics look like a simple and effective means of getting noticed favourably by the MBA Group Discussion and Personal Interview panel

Once you have cleared round one of the IIM
common admission test, it is time you began your
preparation for the IIM GD/PI

To begin your preparation use the following tips on
identifying likely IIM GD/PI topics that may be
asked

1) State of the Economy : Since you are the be a
Master of BUSINESS administration it is crucial
you have more than just working knowledge of
the economy. List 10 aspects of the economy such
as infrastructure, real estate, SEZ, retail, Agri
commodities, etc and identify the 5 most important
news items related to those 10 aspects to get started.

2) Major Disputes and Mergers: Keep a close eye out
for any major trade disputes and failed merger
attempts. These are always hot topics for the IIM
MBA Group Discussion. For example the merger of
Sahara Airlines with Jet airways or the dispute
between the developing nations against the g7
conutries at the WTO trade meetings. Learn the 3
most important aspects of these issues

3) Stock market and commodities market: Unless
you have been living under a rock you should know
that India right now is hot property. Know the
changes that are taking place in terms of improving
the stock market, the growth of commodity
exchanges in India and how introduction of hegde
funds and liberalising foreign exchange controls will
impact the markets.

While all this may seem like a whole lot work, start
by breaking down things into 10 aspects, then
choose 5 from each and furthr break down into 3
points that you memorise. You will notice that you
will learn a lot faster and retain better this way than
simply reading 10 newspapers daily.

Get FREE readymade Group Discussion strategies for IIM GD/PI topics that have appeared previously at the IIM Group Discussion and Personal Interview

One of the crucial aspects of preparation for the IIM
GD/PI round of admission test is a good
understanding of the economy.

Now you only need to know whats happening in the
economy and dont have to be an expert at
economics which is a separate field of study itself,
unless you are a Commerce or Economics graduate.
The most burning issue facing non Commerce
candidates such as engineers and arts graduates is
understanding the basic information of the
economy. Here are some tips that may help.

1) Break down the economy: Prepare smart- thats
the key. First break down the economy into its
components. You can start by focussing on 15 topics
- Construction, Exports, Foreign Exchange,
Agriculture, etc...identify 3 topics from each 15 to get
started

2) Dont immediately read the Editorial section: Most
people choose to start by going into the heavy duty
editorial section. That is best for those who have
been following the issue for some time and already
have a good idea of the issue. Start with your 45
chosen topics and skim through the newspapers to
identify the 3 most lastest news related to that topics

3) Now you have 135 pieces of information on
specific areas of the economy. Now all you need to
do is prepare these 135 pieces of information and get
a group of 5 people to conduct mock GD and
Personal interviews. Ask your mom or dad to
supervise to make it serious and add that element of
pressure to perform well

Strong preparation is the key to success in the IIM Group Discussion and Personal Interview, get started and you will gain the confidence on a vast number of the MBA GD/PI topics.

There are many MBA prep providers; from Career
Launcher, IMS, TIME, Ascent,PT Tutorials which
provide written CAT test exam preparation and CAT
GD/PI preparation.

Which exam prep provider is the best is subject to
your evaluation, however do you even need CAT
GD/PI preparation when all you need to do is read
newspapers and business magazines?

1) A mirror can't talk back: Preparing in front of a
mirror can be deceptive. At the Group Discussion the
participants may try to make your points look
stupid, they will interrupt even before you finish
your sentence, and they may speak so loudly that
you can hardly hear yourself.

2) A stranger makes you nervous: If all you did was
participate with freinds and family- then all you did
was giggle and laugh. When the real deal comes,
when engineers from IIT, toppers from St Stephens
sit down with blood in their eyes- you will wince.
Don't go with the notion that engineers are poor
communicators, you will be disappointed
thoroughly.

3) CAT GD/PI preparation providers give you a feel
of all the above 2 weeks in advance. Nothing works
better than real life testing, and actual competition
from competing strangers. Because you don't have
to be nice to them and can judge your mistakes
objectively you will be in a better position to
evaluate your likely performance at the actual IIM
Group Discussion and Personal Interview.

Examining your performance can help you make extra preparation and careful strategies to win at the IIM GD/PI . Use strategies based on Economic concepts for your CAT GD/PI topics preparation for best results

Most of you who have cleared the written test and
with GD/PI call letters in hand must have already
started preparation for the IIM GD/PI in advance.

While there is a lot of advice on what you should do,
here are a list of things that you should not do when
preparing for the MBA Group Discussion and
Personal Interview.

1) Not timing yourself: Many candidates overlook
this singular most important aspect. Its not just
about a time limit to the overall Group Discussion
but timing your repsonses to keep it curt and
relevant. It is a fact that the average retention of the
human mind is 2 minutes of what you said. Same
applies to the GD panel

2) Manage your accent: Due to the diversity of the
India and its regional languages, English is spoken
with a regional touch. Be careful to get your
phonetics correct and vowels easy to understand.
Ask 5 people who don't like you to know how you
really sound. Try and improve your best by listening
to TV News broadcasters and emulate their accent
and mannerism's of speaking. Remember
embarrasment here is better than rejection at the
IIM's

3) Watch the body language: Hands to yourself. Do
not make the mistake of touching a candidate in an
attempt to quieten him/her. You will get automatic
negative points. It is OK to emphasize points with
your hand but never to touch a candidate. Always
watch how you use your body to talk in front of a
mirror to know whether you appear composed or a
juggling clown.

There are always some overlooked things that can result in your strong beginning or early end. Learn more about common mistakes to avoid for the CAT GD/PI preparation

Having an idea of your goals that you want to
achieve in life is the starting point of all Interview
questions. It forms the basis for all other questions
that will be asked in the IIM Personal Interview.

For those of you who have just finished college,
defining your goals is one of the toughest questions
to deal with. Most college graduates are unsure of
exactly how to determine what they want in life
much less define their goals immediately.

Here are a few pointers on how to define your
Goals/Statement of Purpose:

1) Your goals must be measurable: Always define
your SOP in terms of the achievement and how it is
measured. Suppose your SOP is to create a career in
Finance. Then be prepared to answer questions on:

-Which field do you wish to enter in Finance, i.e.
Investment Banking, Private Equity, Trade Finance?
-What kind of qualifications and knowledge base is
required to perform the activities particular to that
field of Corporate Finance?
- How does your undergraduate and graduate
education augment your ability to stand out in that
field of Corporate Finance?

2) Your goals must have a certain deadline: Always
state the timeline by which you aim to achieve your
goals. Suppose you want to enter in the field of
Private Equity. Then state what kind of deals do you
envision yourself performing 1 year from now, and 3
years from now?

3) What further steps are you taking for progressive
realisation of your goals: Suppose you want to enter
into the field of Investment Banking, then what are
steps have you taken in addition to reach your goals?
You could state that you intend to pursue CFA to
further enhance your knowledge base suited to the
specifics of Investment Banking

Defining goals is hard work. The reason why we put
it off is because when we decide to make any goals
we are afraid of failing. So when you write your
goals approach it with an attitude of having already
achieved the goals. This will put you at ease and
allow you to truly determine what you wish to do.
Using the above guidelines will then allow you to
further define your SOP for the IIM Personal Interview.

Many of you must have gone through a lot of the
literature about preparation for the IIM Personal interview questions . You must have noticed that all
MBA Personal Interview questions state that having
achievements and awards aid in the IIM Personal
Interview process .

However what should your strategy be if you have
no awards and achievements (other than being
school prefect - somehow all MBA candidates are
school prefects) to speak of and you found yourself
selected by one of the IIM's or other top tier
B-schools.

For you to succeed here are a few pointers that can
aid in the process:

1) Be clear about your goals: In your case you will
have to be definitive about what you want to achieve
in the next 3-5 years and exactly how an MBA will
fit in the picture. Suppose you are an Arts graduate,
suppose Psychology Honors. Now you should focus
on the industry to begin with- suppose Finance and
Investment Analysis. You can state that a major
part of the investment analysis is examining trading
psychology. Why some stocks tick despite poor
fundamentals and some fail to move despite good
fundamentals. You can state that you have enough
of numerical understanding and backed by an MBA
in finance you could carve out a strong niche in the
area of Investment Analysis and Dealing of
securities.

2) Show your ability to think business: If you have
never won a award, examine activities that seem to
add value to some process. For example you could
start a blog on a topic such as Tax planning for
home based professionals. Talk about what kind of
advice and articles you wrote for the blog and how
popular your blog was by examining the page views
received from the blog. You can start a blog on
wordpress or blogger as they allow free blogs and
also have a statistics section to measure how many
page views you received.

3) Be well prepared to talk about your academics: Be
clear of the basic fundamentals, as they will surely
want to know how serious you were about your
studies. Go over the major fundamentals and be sure
to be able to answer them

It is not an easy task to prepare for IIM Personal
Interview questions. So dont punish yourself
mentally if the initial answers you write don't seem
impressive enough. Keep practising