Monthly Archives: October 2011

MBA entrance exams

CAT is still popular

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The number of CAT registration was falling for the last few years, but this seems to have changed this time.Last year due to recession many CAT aspirants changed their plans.

The CAT 2011 registration window closed on October 4th with approximately 2.05 lakh registered CAT aspirants.The number of applicants for the Common Admission Test (CAT), the entrance exam for the Indian Institutes of Management (IIMs), has finally risen after a steady drop in the past two years.

Last year, 2.04 lakh had registered to the take the computer-based test. In 2009, about 2.42 lakh had registered. Apart from the IIMs, CAT is the entrance criterion for 150 other management institutes in the country. Good placements last year have encouraged more people to apply.

With 3,000 seats on offer and 2.05 lakh candidates, approximately one in 80 candidates will make it to the 13 IIMs this year.

Those who are ready to spend Rs.13 lakh for an MBA course will definitely look for a better return through a better job.After the economic slowdown and poor job scenario in 2008 and 2009, many gave a rethink to management courses and only serious candidates opt for it now

GMAT

New GMAT from JUNE 2012

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Most probably starting from June 2012, the GMAT pattern will change

1. Length of GMAT test would be same. The total time of the test will remain same which is 3 ½ hours, so the total time it takes to sit the GMAT will remain constant. No worries for banging your head on screen for more time.

2. Section for verbal and Quantitative would be same. Those sections will contain the same content and be scored exactly as they are now. The total score will be the same, so older preparation materials for GMAT will still be applicable.

3. New section of integrated reasoning will not be adaptive. The Verbal and Quantitative will remain adaptive, but this new section will not adjust difficulty level based on your ability. You will still need to answer all of the questions, and take each question one at a time. You won’t be able to skip around within this section.

4. New types of questions included. There will be 4 new types of questions as Table Analysis, Graphics Interpretation, Multi-Source Reasoning, and Two-Part Analysis. While there isn’t a lot of information yet available on these new questions, you can see examples here: http://www.mba.com/the-gmat/nex-gen/new-questions.aspx

5. Number of essays will decrease by one. The new Integrated Reasoning section will replace one of the AWA essays, so you will only have to write 1 essay instead of 2. The essay will take 30 minutes instead of 1 hour, and the Integrated Reasoning will take 30 minutes.

All this would happen if world doesn’t end before June 2012 🙂