MAT Preparation 2023: Best Books, Key Topics, Preparation Plan
MAT exam Preparation is easier than many other national level MBA entrance exams like CAT, XAT, SNAP. The MAT 2023 May exam will be held from May 14 to June 7, 2023, in three testing modes namely CBT, IBT and PBT. The IBT MAT will be held in a long testing window of 1 week on different dates in May and June 2023. Candidates can take IBT MAT from the convenience of home while CBT and PBT MAT will be conducted at test centres. You have the option to apply for one MAT or two MAT exams with the opportunity to improve your score further.
Since MAT May 2023 exam offers more than one test taking opportunity and the time to prepare is now short, before we go deep into MAT preparation 2023 strategy which requires more time, let us focus on the best test taking strategy as suggested by MAT experts and toppers.
10 MAT Test Taking Tips to Maximise your Score
MAT exam has 5 sections, time duration is of 2½ hours, number of questions are 200 divided into 40 MCQs in each section with same scoring pattern. The MAT exam preparation and test taking strategy to score 95+ percentile as shared by MAT toppers and experts, suggest following test taking tips:
Test Taking Tips-Before Exam Day
1. Better to Opt and Apply for IBT MAT instead of CBT or PBT MAT. You can appear in IBT MAT from your home. It will save your commuting and waiting time as test centre.
2. Check & browse through the MAT exam Pattern, its sectional composition and syllabus
3. Take 2 Mocks a day before the exam date, analyse them, check for errors and improve
4. Nearing the exam date, do not start preparing on any new topic.
5. Further strengthen your strong areas and improve on weak ones. Leave the topics now that you have not prepared.
6. Timely download your MAT Admit card and check your details, test date & time slot. Get ready for the exam at least one hour before the exam at your home (If applied for IBT exam) or report at the test centre at least one hour before the exam time (If opted for CBT or PBT MAT)
Exam Day Tips
7. Don’t waste time on scanning the complete question paper. Begin to attempt the paper when the exam starts
8. In the 1st attempt, begin with easiest questions and attempt all of the doable questions in first four sections in 60-70 minutes
9. In the 2nd and 3rd attempts solve and try to maximise the number of questions that you can solve with 100% accuracy in another 60-70 minutes.
10. In remaining time of 20-30 minutes attempt the questions that you find a little difficult but doable. If time is still available try to solve more questions but don’t spend more time on any question. Skip the questions that you find difficult and are consuming more of time
11. Don’t spend more than 10-15 minutes to attempt GK section on Indian and Global Environment as it would not be counted for composite and percentile score calculation
Now let us know how to prepare well for MAT exam with MAT Exam Study Material or with MAT coaching, what are the important MAT Exam Preparation Topics and other key points in MAT preparation
MAT Preparation 2023
First you need to know the MAT exam pattern, sectional composition, syllabus and then start your MAT preparation 2023 as suggested below. Despite all the changes in testing modes, MAT question paper has remained unchanged over last many exams and has moderate difficulty level. Accordingly, MAT May 2023 preparation can be completed without much difficulty. Major tools for MAT May 2023 preparation are:
- MAT Sample papers prepared by experts: The papers are based on MAT previous year papers with answers
- MAT Practice Questions & Mocks: MAT practice questions and MAT Mocks with solutions are a good tool for MAT exam preparation.
In fact, MAT May 2023 Preparation can get you admission to MBA programmes in good MBA colleges like PUMBA Pune, IPE Hyderabad, JIMS Rohini, Jaipuria Noida among others.
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MAT Intelligence and Critical Reasoning - Download PDF Now |
How to Start MAT Preparation 2023?
It is high time that MAT exam preparation must be started without any further delay as per the MAT exam pattern. In view of the experts and past MAT toppers, the MAT Exam preparation must be well defined. One of the important points, which differentiates MAT exam preparation from other exams is the separate section with 40 questions in MAT on Data Analysis and Data Sufficiency (DADS)’ which is slightly different from Data Interpretation in other exams. The DADS Preparation for MAT exam and the strategy to prepare for this important MAT section is to be properly planned and followed to score high.
During the past years, MAT exam preparation strategy has remained on the same path as the exam pattern is not changed. You need to have right MAT exam study material, should understand the MAT exam composition and check all the important MAT preparation 2023 topics as per the MAT syllabus
How to Prepare for MAT
How to prepare for MAT 2023, is not a big question as the preparation pattern can be kept same. MAT exam preparation strategy needs more focus on four core sections keeping the ‘Indian & Global Environment’ section at second place. Accordingly, your MAT exam Preparation should be focussed on following key points:
- When and How to prepare for MAT?
- What are the key MAT exam preparation topics?
- Which are the best MAT Preparation Books?
- What MAT study material for MAT preparation is required and is available apart from the books?
- MAT Preparation Tips by MAT Toppers
- Whether to Prepare with MAT Coaching or Self prepare - which is better
- MAT Preparation Online
- Strategy - how to crack MAT 2023 Exam with High score
MAT Exam Preparation Time: Important to Plan
As the MAT preparation time goes on reducing month after month with every passing day, you need to revisit your MAT preparation strategy and synchronise it with remaining MAT preparation Time for each MAT exam that you are planning to take. MAT preparation tips by toppers suggest ‘How to prepare for MAT in 3 months or 2 months’; ‘How to crack MAT Exam with a planned MAT Preparation strategy in 2 months.’
MAT Coaching or MAT Preparation at Home
After synchronizing the MAT preparation time, you need to find out whether to go for MAT coaching or start MAT Exam Preparation at home. One of the important MAT preparation tips for beginners is to come out of this dilemma of moving between MAT coaching and MAT preparation at home.
If you wish to prepare with MAT Coaching institute in big or small cities, you can find best MAT coaching centres in Delhi, Kolkata, Bhubaneswar and all the other cities. However, it is important to find out the best coaching for MAT exam preparation that can focus on all the sections to prepare for MAT, like Analytical Reasoning; Data Analysis & data Sufficiency which are not common sections for other exams. Even the best coaching for MAT exam may have its draw backs in regard to imparting MAT coaching on certain topics. So alongwith your preparation through the best MAT coaching, you should find out the best coaching for MAT preparation for the topics that need your greater attention.
If you wish to self prepare for MAT 2023, you need to understand first how to prepare for MAT exam at home with the help of MAT Preparation Books, and other appropriate MAT Study Material. So instead of depending upon only on MAT coaching, focus on MAT preparation books recommended by MAT toppers - like MAT preparation books by Arun Sharma, MAT preparation book by Nishit Sinha, available good MAT Study Material for MAT preparation, MAT Preparation Online Study material, freely available MAT preparation online facility, MAT exam Quiz 2023, MAT Mock test 2023. These MAT Preparation Tips can pave your way in right direction to MAT Exam Preparation and make you aware how to prepare for MAT exam with a well devised MAT preparation plan and clear understanding ‘How to Crack MAT Exam without MAT coaching’.
MAT Exam Preparation Tips
MAT Preparation Tips will guide you how to start MAT exam Preparation as per the revised MAT exam pattern. When you begin your MAT Preparation Online or offline, you should keep in mind the following tips for MAT 2023 preparation:
- MAT 2023 Exam Pattern: You must be aware about the MAT exam pattern
- MAT 2023 Syllabus: Read the topics in MAT Exam Syllabus thoroughly
- Online MAT preparation: It could save your time
- How to prepare for MAT in 6 months?
- How to prepare for MAT in 3 months?
- How to prepare for MAT in 2 months?
- How to prepare for MAT without coaching and with self study?
- Best Books for MAT preparation
- MAT Preparation with Coaching
- MAT Mock Test & MAT Previous Test papers
- Strategy How to crack MAT exam with 90+ percentile
Prepare for MAT 2023 as per exam Pattern
The very first thing before you proceed for MAT preparation and add more marks to your score is to understand the MAT exam pattern which comprises 5 sections with 40 questions in each section. Along with the exam pattern you should be aware about the time limit within which you must complete your sectional attempts and save your time to attempt questions from other sections.
MAT exam pattern has remained more or less similar over past many years. However, now the MAT exam is conducted multiple times in the same month comprising two or three testing modes – Paper based, Computer based and Internet based proctored test (IBT) which you can take from your home. For May MAT 2023, AIMA has added one more CBT and PBT exam, giving the opportunity to the candidates to improve their score. However, there is no change in the number of questions or exam pattern in any of the testing modes. So, you need to devise a well chalked out plan for your MAT 2023 preparation as per the MAT 2023 exam pattern.
The basics of the MAT exam remain the same. As per the revised MAT 2023 exam pattern, MAT exam will consist of five sections without any demarcation. The section on ‘Indian & Global environment’ (GK section) will not be counted in score calculation for Merit list preparation and for overall shortlisting for final selection round. With a total of 200 questions, there is no sectional time limit and entire test paper has to be completed in 2 and half hours duration. You need to ensure high score in each of the 4 sections as there is also a sectional score cut off in good MBA college for shortlisting.
MAT 2023 May Exam Pattern
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S No.
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Section
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No of Qs
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Ideal time limit (in minutes)
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Percentage Weightage in merit determination
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1
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Language Comprehension
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40
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25
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25%
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2
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Intelligence and Critical Reasoning
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40
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40
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25%
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3
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Data Analysis and Sufficiency
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40
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35
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25%
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4
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Mathematical Skills
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40
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40
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25%
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5
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Indian and Global Environment
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40
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10
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Nil
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Total
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200
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150
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100%
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Key Points to Note about MAT Exam
- Total Questions 200
- Each of the 5 sections will have 40 questions in MCQ format
- Total time limit to solve is 150 minutes.
- Individual time limit for each section has been suggested by AIMA
- Candidates can move from one section to other within overall time limit
- Only 4 sections in MAT exam will determine the percentile and merit position
- Score of 5th section ‘Indian and Global Environment’ will be separately reflected in MAT score card but will not be taken into account to calculate the MAT percentile
MAT Exam Syllabus
As advised by the experts, you should thoroughly check MAT syllabus on which entire MAT exam pattern is based. The topics emerging from the MAT syllabus would remain the same although questions could be in different forms.
MAT exam Syllabus consists of multiple choice objective type questions (MCQs) only. Although there is no specifically defined MAT Exam Syllabus, but going by the previous trend of MAT questions, the MAT 2023 Syllabus & exam pattern comprises the questions on Language Comprehension; Intelligence and Critical Reasoning; Data Analysis and Sufficiency; Mathematical Skills; Indian and Global Environment.
MAT Syllabus for MAT Exam Preparation
Once you know about the MAT test Pattern, your next step for MAT exam preparation is to scan the MAT Syllabus. MAT exam syllabus for MAT exam preparation is based on past trends of MAT questions and the topics which have earlier appeared in MAT exam. The type of questions, their composition, format and number may change in each subsequent MAT exam.
To prepare for MAT exam as per MAT Syllabus, it should be kept in mind that there is no repetition of MAT exam questions in any MAT exam although difficulty level of the questions in MAT exam would remain within the MAT exam syllabus.
MAT exam Syllabus is not pre-defined by AIMA. However, MAT 2023 exam syllabus is based on the mentioned guidelines and current structure of MAT exam.
No MAT Exam preparation without MAT Syllabus
You will find it difficult to proceed with MAT exam preparation even if you have all the MAT preparation material, unless you know the MAT exam syllabus. MAT exam syllabus is wide enough but still contains moderate questions.
MAT syllabus does not leave any study topic untouched. If you go through the MAT exam syllabus, it will help you to decide when to begin MAT preparation, How to prepare for MAT; What are important MAT preparation topics covered in MAT syllabus, all this needs your focused attention in MAT preparation...Read More about MAT Syllabus for MAT Exam Preparation
How to start MAT preparation at Home?
MAT 2023 May exam preparation can be done at home. Most of the MAT toppers did not attend any MAT coaching and prepared for MAT exam at home. They suggest self preparation for the exam and advise to solve more Mock Tests. MAT preparation tips from toppers to start MAT preparation at home are:
- Pick out your strong and weak areas in all the sections
- Gather the best books for MAT preparation and other MAT exam study material for MAT preparation
- Improve on your weak areas and monitor the improvement regularly
- Take as many MAT Mocks during your MAT exam preparation and do the analysis of each Mock. Without analysis of Mock, attempting a mock test may not be useful.
- If you are weak in VA & RC, reading different articles and novels, conversing in English with friends and even watching English TV series and movies will be helpful.
- Data Analysis and Data Sufficiency section in MAT is different, so prepare it well.. Read More on MAT toppers’ Preparation Tips
MAT Preparation Books for May 2023 MAT Exam
MAT preparation books and MAT preparation material online or offline play a major role in helping you score high in the MAT exam.
MAT exam preparation books will not only guide you how to begin your MAT exam preparation but will also strengthen your fundamentals and clarify your concepts. The exercises and different difficulty level questions will also help you to practice on variety of questions.
You need to get the best MAT preparation books which can help you focus on MAT specific study. There are hundreds of books available in the market on MAT exam preparation but you need to choose the best books for MAT preparation. A distinction has to be made in MAT exam books and the best books for MAT exam.
Best books for MAT Preparation
Since there are few common core sections in MAT and other exams, the books to prepare for MAT and other exams are also very much similar. A few of the best books for MAT preparation recommended by toppers are:
MAT Preparation Books by Arun Sharma
- How to Prepare for Quantitative Aptitude for the CAT - by Arun Sharma (Published by McGraw Hill)
- ‘How to Prepare for Data Interpretation for CAT’ - by Arun Sharma (Published by McGraw Hill)
- ‘How to Prepare for Logical Reasoning for the CAT’ - by Arun Sharma (Published by McGraw Hill)
- How to Prepare for Verbal Ability and Reading Comprehension for CAT’- by Arun Sharma & Meenakshi Upadhyay
MAT Preparation Books by Nishit K Sinha
- ‘Logical Reasoning and Data Interpretation for the CAT’ - by Nishit K Sinha (Published by Pearson)
- ‘Logical Reasoning and data Interpretation for the CAT’- by Nishit K Sinha (Published by Pearson)
- ‘Verbal Ability and Reading Comprehension for the CAT’-by Nishit K Sinha
Other MAT Exam Study Material for MAT Preparation
- Latest RC Passages and practice questions provided by Study centres like TIME, CL among others
- Editorial and short articles published in English news papers
- ‘Word Power Made Easy’ – by Norman Lewis
- ‘High School English Grammar & Composition’ – by Wren & Martin
- Regularly solve the Verbal Ability questions from your XAT study material especially on Para summary, Jumbled Paragraphs
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List of Best Books for MAT preparation
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Author’s name
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Publisher
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How to Prepare for Verbal Ability and Reading Comprehension for CAT
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Arun Sharma & Meenakshi Upadhyay
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McGraw Hill
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Verbal Ability and Reading Comprehension for the CAT
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Nishit K Sinha
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Pearson
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Mission MBA MAT Guide
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BS Sijwali and Tarun Goyal
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Arihant Books
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Word Power Made Easy
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Norman Lewis
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Pocket Books
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Study package for MAT
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Arun Sharma
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McGraw Hill
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A Modern Approach to Logical Reasoning
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R.S. Aggarwal
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S. Chand & Co.
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Complete Guide for MAT and Other MBA Entrance Exams
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Deepak Agarwal, Mahima Agarwal
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Disha
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MAT Score Accelerator
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Disha Experts
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Disha Publication
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How to Prepare for Data Interpretation for CAT
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Arun Sharma
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McGraw Hill
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How to prepare for Quantitative for the CAT
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Arun Sharma
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McGraw Hill
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Quantitative Aptitude for the CAT
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Nishit K.Sinha
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Pearson
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Manorama Year Book
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K. M. Mathew, Mammen Mathew
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Malayala Manorama Group
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Regular reading of The Hindu, ToI, India Today, Sports week etc.
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MAT Previous Test Papers
Previous year MAT papers comprising MAT questions and detailed solutions are a good source of MAT preparation material. They give you the idea and type of MAT questions that you may face in the real MAT exam paper 2022. After strengthening your fundamentals, your MAT exam preparation should focus on practicing with more and more previous MAT test papers. This MAT preparation strategy will not only give you an opportunity to solve real MAT exam questions, but will also bring more confidence in you after you are able to solve variety of questions.
MAT Mock tests for MAT Preparation
Practice test papers for MAT prepared by top experts and MAT toppers are good tool for MAT 2023 preparation and crack MAT exam. MAT exam preparation with sample papers can become easy as the MAT Mocks include the best selected questions for MAT preparation. These Mock tests are available both online and offline. Since MAT is conducted both as paper based test and as computer based test with the MAT preparation through Mocks, you will be able to boost your MAT exam 2023 preparation as if you are attempting an actual MAT exam.
There are number of MAT mock tests comprising model MAT exam questions to help in your MAT preparation. So, don’t miss them...Solve MAT Mock Tests & Previous Test Papers
MAT Exam Study material for MAT preparation
MAT study material consists of the books for MAT; online MAT study material provided to you by your coaching institute or the offline MAT practice test papers bought from Market; MAT test series attended by you; the study and practice material for MAT provided to you by your coaching centre in hard copy among others.
The more you go deep in the MAT study material and the more you practice on MAT Mock tests and MAT sample papers, the more you will be able to score in MAT exam.
How to Crack MAT Exam with 95 Percentile
It may be noted that even 60-70 percent of the total questions in MAT exam, if attempted right can fetch you a percentile of 95-98. So prepare accordingly. MAT Preparation does not require you to study round the clock, instead you need to study smartly and with intelligent approach to crack the maximum questions correctly in minimum time to achieve high score.
The four sections of MAT exam need a systematic study schedule. Looking at the level of difficulty, a consistent preparation of 2-3 months is required to crack MAT exam.
According to the experts and toppers, the best way to prepare for MAT exam is to know your strengths and weaknesses and start working on them now. Since there is time to get over with your weakness and further strengthen your strong areas, you must devote around 2-3 hours a day from now on to crack MAT with a high score.
MAT 2023 exam will have 4 major sections contributing to your percentile score. Attempt any section within overall time limit. You need to ensure high score in each of the 4 sections as there is also a sectional score cut off in good B-schools.
How to prepare for MAT Exam in 6 months?
MAT preparation tips for beginners or for the repeaters are not much different. MAT preparation time of 6 months is sufficient to crack the exam. Following should be adhered to before proceeding on MAT preparation journey:
- As you are left with sufficient MAT exam preparation time, first of all go through and understand the MAT exam pattern
- Get a good feel of MAT exam syllabus
- Find out your strong and weak areas
- Start building up the fundamentals and get conceptual clarity on the topics which fall in your weak areas
- Don’t waste too much time on theory. If you have understood the basics, attempt MAT sectional quiz.
- Practice after theory is a must. Accordingly take periodical MAT Quiz, attempt MAT previous years Mock test, MAT previous years question papers
- Get the best MAT preparation material with best books for MAT preparation.
- Beginning your MAT preparation early will give you time to periodically assess yourself and overcome your weaknesses.
- Remain confident right from the day one during your MAT preparation journey.
- Self Preparation is the best preparation strategy for MAT 2023. However, time is also an important factor. If a candidate gets stuck on some question due to his/her lack of conceptual clarity, the wastage of time is more and depression begins to set in. It could be a small quant formula, LR logic, or Verbal usage clarity which might need a simple push to come out of the shallow waters. This help can be provided by your mentor online or offline depending upon your preference or a mix of both.
How to prepare for MAT in 3 months?
MAT preparation time of three months is not short. What you have done in last three months or whatever you have prepared can be revised now in three months with various MAT preparation tools. The time is ripe to intensify a little your MAT preparation strategy for three months:
- See that you have achieved good clarity on fundamentals and have strengthened your basics
- Alongwith going through the books for MAT preparation, visit number of online MAT preparation material
- It is time that you started taking MAT Mock test, analyse your errors and rectify them
- Instead of reading the theory again and again, now you should attempt the question and when you are stuck, visit the basics and clarify your point to clear the confusion
- Solve MAT previous year question papers
- Join a good Test series for MAT preparation
How to prepare for MAT in 2 months?
Many MAT toppers are of the view that MAT preparation time of two months is good enough to crack MAT exam. Even 2 months are good to score 95 percentile provided you are sincere enough. So, focus more on MAT Exam Quiz, MAT Mock tests, different types of questions as appeared in MAT
- Don’t leave any MAT Mock Test without analyzing it
- Go through the Books for MAT preparation and the MAT preparation material and ensure that you have gone through the sectional and overall quiz and practice tests in these MAT preparation books.
- There are some strong areas within your weak areas and some weak areas within your strong areas. Try to focus on all the weak areas and see if you are able to improve them. However, you should not waste more time on them. Instead focus more on your strong areas and improve them further.
How to prepare for MAT without coaching and with self study?
There is no substitute of MAT preparation with self study which does not require any coaching until and unless you are stuck. Experts therefore, recommend that you should start your MAT exam preparation by self study and later make it a mix of self study as well as help from coaching to avoid wastage of time.
- Self-Preparation is the best preparation strategy for MAT exam although time is also an important factor. If a candidate gets stuck on some question due to his/her lack of conceptual clarity, the wastage of time is more and depression begins to set in. It might need a simple push to come out of the shallow waters. This help can be provided by your MAT mentor online or offline depending upon your preference or a mix of both.
- Most of the candidates coming from Engineering or other technical background find it easy to get along well with Quant, DI and LR but when it comes to Verbal Ability and Reading Comprehension, they find the section difficult. Only there an expert guidance may be required.
- MAT preparation needs improvement in your speed and accuracy as the time to solve per question is less. You need to solve 200 questions in 150 minutes. So, you have less than one minute per question to solve and the marking scheme in MAT exam is uniform, so it requires you to focus more on questions counted for merit score, while GK section can be taken care of in the remaining time. It will therefore, not be sufficient to score overall high in MAT, your section wise score should also be high to become eligible for shortlisting at a good B-school.
- MAT preparation should equip you with continuous sitting for 2½ hours without break. To achieve this you are required to take more Mocks, MAT previous test papers.
MAT Preparation with Coaching
MAT coaching helps you overcome many weak areas. The MAT exam preparation through coaching can be a class room regular or weekend coaching or it can be MAT preparation online through the coaching centres. Good Coaching institutes like TIME, CL, IMS among others provide best MAT preparation material with practice questions.
But again, while preparing for MAT with coaching is good if you get all your doubts cleared and all the topics relevant for MAT preparation are covered.
Accordingly, you need to choose for the best coaching for MAT preparation. MAT preparation online is a good answer to the working professionals who find it difficult to attend regular class room coaching for MAT. During the past few years preference for MAT online coaching has gone up many times. In fact, MAT preparation through online coaching for MAT is more cost effective, less time consuming and offers you more time to practice MAT question papers and MAT exercises.
This is the right time that you should begin your MAT 2023 preparation. MAT does not require you to attempt all the questions but the need is to maximize your correct attempts and minimise the wrong attempts. MAT is an easy exam and as such the MAT Preparation does not require you to study round the clock, instead you need to study smartly and with intelligent approach to crack the questions correctly in minimum time to achieve high score.
Read More: MAT 2023: Exam Date, Registration, Syllabus and Pattern
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