MAT 2016: 5 mistakes you must avoid; last minute tips to bust your stress

With the stage set for MAT 2016 going to be held tomorrow on Sunday May 1 at 51 test cities across the country, the aspirants who have prepared well and wish to get admission in top B schools in 2016 through MAT 2016 are getting a bit nervous and are under stress as less than 24 hours are left for the D-Day. Losing the high level of confidence can be detrimental to your journey to score high percentile and may be an obstacle to your success in the exam.

MAT 2016 May exam is the gateway to MBA/PGDM programme offered by 330 B-schools in India. The test will comprise 5 main subjects on which questions will be formed. AIMA has also prescribed suggested time limit to solve questions in each of the 5 sections in MAT May 2015. The test is designed to measure the test takers general aptitude.

Dont be stressful In view of Prof S K Agarwal, Verbal Ability Expert and mentor on MAT preparation, Getting under stress is the biggest mistake that we make just before the exam and prepare ourselves ready to lose the race. His expert advice to the aspirants is not to worry about the outcome and keep your cool. And sure if you are positive, remain cool and calm throughout the exam, you can score high and remain motivated.

In fact MAT 2016 May exam would more prove to be a test of your wisdom than to be a test of your knowledge, if you attempt it intelligently without any pressure and avoiding the avoidable mistakes. According to the expert, any feeling of pessimism or the stressful feeling, fearing some problems related to preparation, exam room strategy or unanticipated glitches just before MAT 2016 is uncalled for and unfounded. You have to take the bull by the horn. Be confident and remain motivated, any dip in the confidence level at the eleventh hour may turn the tables against you.

Dont leave any document behind The admit card that you have downloaded for MAT 2016 May exam contains the list of necessary documents that you will have to carry to the test venue. Apart from this the Admit Card for MAT 2016 May exam contains Candidates Name, Form No, Roll No, Test Date, Test Time and Test Venue Address.

You are supposed to reach the test venue latest by 9AM with your Admit card, Photo ID proof, Blue or black ball pen, HB pencils, eraser and sharpener. Duration of the exam is 10AM to 12.30PM. Dont take any valuable material with you as the mobile phones, watches are not allowed inside the test room.

Dont enter with biased mind Many pieces of advice from your well wishers must be coming on dos and donts for the examination. However, if you can have a few from those appeared and became a winner, it would be more useful. Nonetheless, our suggestion is not to get biased or limit yourself in attempting the number of questions. You may or may not attempt all the questions in all the sections, given the time constraint or for fear of getting penalty on wrong answer. But please do not go with a biased mind that you will not attempt a particular question on a particular topic. It is very much possible that the question you face on the topic may be much easier and you may happen to crack it effortlessly.

Dont stick to one section; move on There is no need to take any question as a challenge as all the answers will carry equal marks. You have the liberty to move between the sections as there is no sectional time constraint, so you can maximise the attempts and solve the easier section first moving to the more difficult one.

There are candidates who begin well usually, with the first section in MAT. They consider themselves strong in the section and start from the very first question. They continue solving questions in the same section one after another without realizing that in their zeal to maximise the attempts, they are losing time rapidly. Later on they have to struggle through a few very tough questions and it may take plenty of their time which may not be available then.

The other sections which you could not attempt so well despite having the guts may cast the penalty of low scoring. So dont take any question as a challenge and dont stick to one section only because you have pretty good idea about it.

No need to cram your head now Go easy for whatever you can learn, revise and practice, do that but something which might create confusion in your mind should be avoided at this moment. Remain calm and cool throughout the examination. Just relax and sleep well before the night of the examination.

Speed & Accuracy: Key to success If you mark one wrong answer, you will lose the credit for the question and will be imposed a penalty also, pushing you back in score. It is advisable not to waste time, In case you find the same beyond your reach. Switch over to next one. You may come back to it, if time permits.

If you find that you have zeroed in 2 answer options and have to choose one of them. Give a few seconds to visualize and choose the preferred one. But dont try to gamble and it will be better to skip the question. Your testing room strategy To avoid mistakes in MAT 2016, adopt the following strategy in testing room

-- Target high percentile to get an edge over your peers

-- Make 4 to 5 attempts per section. The best doable questions should be covered in the first attempt followed by more difficult questions.

-- Skip the questions which you do not find doable in the first instance. If time permits, come back to it.

-- Begin with the most favourite section. Also try to maximise attempts in last section also as you may get tired by the time you reach the last section.

-- Dont try to cram your head with the unknown type of questions that may cause fatigue.

-- Go to the examination hall with open mind to attempt any type of questions.

Please remember your high scores in MAT May 2016 will help you explore admission opportunity in more than 300 good B schools in the country.