XAT or Xavier Aptitude Test is one of the most popular national level MBA entrance exam conducted by XLRI Jamshedpur. It is the gateway to securing admission in post graduate management programmes at the leading Xavier’s institutions and above 140 other business schools across India. It is a computer-based test consisting of both objective and subjective type questions held in the first Sunday of January every year. How should you prepare for this highly competitive exam in which more than 1 lac students apply every year? As your anxiety and tension levels mount, we bring to you the latest toppers tips to crack XAT 2019.
In this exam, expect a thorough test of skills. The exam stretches for 210 minutes and your Verbal Ability, Quantitative Ability, Decision Making, Logical Reasoning, General Awareness and Essay Writing excelling in it requires an inordinate amount of patience and fortitude. True it is that you need an enviable store of knowledge and regular practice, but strategy is the key to this exam, as important as the other two requirements.
Understand the Exam Pattern
The first step is to understand the pattern of the question paper. Be aware regarding changes in the paper pattern for 2019. Get familiar with the paper pattern by going through previous papers and sample papers. In most of the cases, the reason for failure is not inadequate knowledge but unsuccessful strategy. Follow our guidelines to make the journey of your preparation smoother.
The XAT paper can be divided into three sections: Quantitative Ability & Data Interpretation and select areas of Verbal and Logical Ability are concept driven sections; whereas Decision Making and Analytical Reasoning can be called a practice intensive section. The third section is environment sensitive and based on General Knowledge.
What makes XAT different from other MBA entrance exams is its focus on Decision Making, a section that other such exams do not feature. This section features unique, innovative questions that test your management aptitude. Various situations and cases will be presented to you, and you will be expected to find the correct solution to these problem situations. The Quantitative and Verbal sections are quite similar to other exams. But the Decision Making section is a game changer.
Segregate questions in different Categories
Successful XAT candidates suggest that you should divide the questions into different categories ranging from easy to moderate to difficult. Similarly, divide the chapters into two categories – easy and difficult. After this first step, it will be clear to you which are chapters that need more focus.
While devising strategies, keep in mind the tendency of XAT to present something new in every year’s paper. This is to test the students’ ability to adapt and face unpredicted changes. Toppers suggest that you should definitely plan your strategy, but your strategy should be such that accommodates last minute changes.
XAT primarily tests three areas, which reveal if you have the qualities needed in the corporate business world – your decision making skills, your ability to work under pressure and face deadlines, and your ability to capitalize on your strengths. Those who have done XAT right say that if you have your basics clear, if you have prepared for exams like CAT, XAT will be a cakewalk for you. A thorough preparation lasting one month is told to be enough to clear XAT.
Solve Previous Year’s Questions
Solving previous years’ papers, as many as you can, is the key to success. That will clear your concepts and also give you a fair idea of your strengths and weaknesses. Extensive practice will let you know how much time you need to solve a specific section. Most importantly, toppers suggest that that it is crucial to choose the right questions to attempt. Correct selection of questions will allow you to balance your score across all the sections.
Strategize Well
It is said that XAT is more tricky than difficult. So you need to plan your strategy smartly and be careful while solving the paper to clear the exam. XAT champs say that one should read every question thoroughly, since XAT gives ample time for each question.
The General Knowledge needs extensive reading on your part. Keep yourself updated about current affairs; develop a habit of reading newspapers or watching news. Devote some time everyday to familiarize yourself with important events of the day. Try to write summaries or essays on the news you gather. This comes in handy even for the PI and interview round. Focus more on economic and business news. Have a thorough knowledge of current events of last six months. Awards, books, geography etc. should be your emphasis for the static General Knowledge section.
Strategies vary from topper to topper. Practice from ample sample papers and mock tests. Prepare yourself to handle reasoning questions that test your analytical skills. Assemble your resources for the decision making and essay writing section. Strengthen your concepts and learn to apply them. Strike the right balance between speed and precision, and get admission in your dream b-school through XAT 2019.
