GD PI WAT Trends in MBA Admission 2014: How to prepare for GD & Personal interview

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MBAUniverse.com News Desk |
March 22, 2014
Final admission round in MBA admission 2014 in highly ranked B schools is passing through a different innovative trend than what continued in the past. This articles shares with you the GD PI WAT Trends in MBA Admission 2014
B schools are shifting the focus from abstract type to current issues and are more growth oriented one

Final admission round in MBA admission 2014 in highly ranked B schools is passing through a different innovative trend than what continued in the past. Number of times candidates find themselves trapped in the jugglery of words in WAT which may or may not be a part of Group discussion. A few B schools have started focusing more on Written Ability Test followed by Personal Interview while a few of others have introduced Psychometric tests, situation analysis, GD on caselet followed by summary writing and PI, Group exercises and so on.

 

What does the observation reveal?

 

When observed closely, you will find that the GDPIWAT round is becoming more focused on putting the candidates to show their writing skills in one or other way and the weightage to the same is gradually increasing. Weightage awarded to Group Discussion round is reducing whereas it is increasing on Personal Interview round. 

 

These observations clearly indicate that now candidates have to improve their writing skill, communication skill and analytical skill. Sometimes the Group Discussion exercise turns into a fish market and nothing is audible in the din. This is probably the reason that the GDPIWAT session is losing its GD charm and is replacing it with other skill tests.

 

GDPIWAT in IIMs
Candidates who are passing through the final admission round of various IIMs know well that WAT is now the key word to get admission in IIMs. These top rated B-schools have either replaced GD by WAT or have added WAT to GD in final admission round.

 

Know the key trends:

 

- Trends in WAT in Top B schools
More focus is now being placed on current affairs, business and economics in this round. Candidates writing essays in IIMs ( IIM A,B,C,K, new IIMs) MDI,  XLRI, have found topics like Business lobbying in India; Mission to Mars; Rise and fall of AAP Government in Delhi; Redefining democracy;  Relevance of pre opinion polls. MBAUniverse.com had already published and discussed such topics and the model essays can be studied before hand to understand the topic.

 

WAT 2014: Complete guide on IIMs WAT- PI round for Admission 2014

 

- Trends in GD
GD topics that have been making appearance in top rated B schools are also shifting the focus from abstract type to current issues and are more growth oriented one. For example MDI Gurgaon had GD round on ‘Preventing FDI in multi brand retail is a political move or economic move’

 

MDI Gurgaon Final admission round 2014: Real account of GD Round at MDI Gurgaon

 

IMT Ghaziabad had Group discussion on a caselet

 

Personal Interview at IMT Ghaziabad: What happens at the Personal interview round?

 

One of the participants of final admission round at IMI shared that she had to appear in Psychometric test apart from other components.

 

 IMI Delhi: Real account of Personal Interview at top B school for MBA Admissions 2014

 

Recent GD topics in MBA colleges have been: Should India focus on Renewable energy more than thermal and nuclear energy; Is corruption a failure of the system; Social media is a waste of time for students; Can young generation provide leadership to the country; Can India sustain its growth over long run.

 

- Trends in Personal Interview
This is the last component of GDPIWAT session. It is the test of verbal communication skill as well as your knowledge.  On the top of it you must be able to make the deliveries in a systematic, to the point and coherent manner. No bluffing will do, on the contrary it may bleak your chances of getting through the final admission round. 

 

New trends in PI round have emerged in various B schools. While new IIMs have a common Admission Process (CAP) a few of other B schools conduct group interviews; a few need 1 or 2 minute extempore speaking by the candidate after the Personal Interview. Some current spot topic is given and the candidate after thinking for 30 seconds or a minute on it, has to speak for 2 minutes. Apart from this questions on General awareness are becoming more prominent in Personal Interview round.

 

IIM A, B and C
IIM Ahmedabad, Bangalore and Calcutta conduct WAT followed by PI and award a higher weightage to both these components of final admission round. Candidates are going through this process in Bengaluru, Chennai, Hyderabad, Mumbai, New Delhi/NCR and Kolkata.

 

IIM Kozhikode
IIM Kozhikode conducts a 30 minute test of Written Ability Test including a brief discussion on it thereafter. Personal interview follows it. The weightage awarded to this process is 60 on a scale of 100. 

 

New IIMs
Common Admission Process (CAP) for admission to PGDM 2014-16 batch to six new IIMs Kashipur, Raipur, Ranchi, Rohtak, Trichy, Udaipur is being coordinated by IIM Trichy after declaration of shortlist on January 25, 2014.

 

To score high marks in GD PI WAT process of B schools for Admission 2014, Click here

 

How to prepare for the unexpected?
The methodology is slightly different among the institutes but since a candidate applies to various institutes and expects to convert the call in final admission round, he or she has to prepare for all the components of GDPIWAT round.

 

Know what is desired in GDPIWAT?
In fact this round is a selection as well as elimination round before the final admission to the B-school. If two candidates out of the group of eight candidates are selected – remaining six are eliminated. It implies that the winner in this round is one who can make the best impact on the group.
To win in this round you require effective expression power and utilizing the knowledge in a systematic manner. For the caselet, how do you present yourself will amount to your approach in solving the issue.

 

- Be firm with positive stand
Take positive stand even if you are critical to the topic. Your criticism should suggest how to overcome the problem. You may support your views with facts and figures to some extent.

 

- Be confident
When you begin to write- think for a while and then begin. When you speak in group, take the lead, speak for a minute or two and then taking more clues from others put forward your analysis of problem/situation. This will give you an edge.

 

- Understand the topic well and Listen to the complete question
You should not only be a convincing speaker, good analyst of situation but also a patient listener otherwise you may interpret the topic or question in your own way, losing your chance. It is therefore assessed well whether you can listen to others attentively and put forward your views when the person in front of you has spoken.

 

- Interpersonal skills in GD
Display effectively your Interpersonal skills of interaction with the leadership qualities like decision making etc in the group discussion round.

 

- PI round is the core test
You should show a good knowledge when you begin speaking, your quotes, facts, figures coherent delivery of ideas, let them become the measuring points of subject knowledge and outstanding personality.

 

Apart from the above tips, please remember to be meticulous in preparation, try to read and write various topics even the ones that don’t interest you. When you speak, remember the listener sitting on the other side of the table is more intelligent, so be brief but to the point.  There are certain general questions asked in personal interview round-practice how to answer them.

 

To score high marks in GD PI WAT process of B schools for Admission 2014, Click here

 

Apply to MBA Colleges with your CAT/XAT/CMAT/MAT Scores for Admission 2014, Click below:

MBA Colleges in Delhi NCR

MBA Colleges in Bangalore

MBA Colleges in Ahmedabad

MBA Colleges in Chennai

MBA Colleges in Mumbai

MBA Colleges in Pune

MBA Colleges in Coimbatore

MBA Colleges in Hyderabad

MBA Colleges in Bhubaneswar

MBA Colleges in Cochin                                             MBA Colleges in Kolkata

 

Are you the interested? Click below to know more:

Foreign MBA: MBA in United Kingdom (UK)

MBA in Entrepreneurship

MBA in Real Estate & Construction

MBA in Leadership & Innovation

 

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