Fear of the WAT!!
Arjun and Sneha are classmates at the same college. They are in the final year of BBA and have also appeared for several MBA exams. Both are confident of clearing the cut-off for premier colleges. One day after college, they begin talking casually of the upcoming selection rounds. Sneha seems to be confident about facing the written assessment test, Arjun not so much.
Sneha: I don’t know about you but I am excited about the further rounds. Especially the written assessment test…
Arjun: Are you kidding? How can you be excited about the WAT phase? The idea of writing something spontaneously sounds terrifying! The things that one must do for an MBA in IIM!
Sneha: But why are you so nervous? Did you not write huge essays in school?
Arjun: Of course I did! But that was so long ago…
Sneha: Well you can think of the writing assessment test as an essay. You would be preparing for current affairs and other MBA specific aspects anyway. It is a question of applying the knowledge here. If you are so nervous about it, practise writing brief essays 3 times a week. This is what I do.
Arjun: Hmmm, what you are saying makes sense. I think I can overcome this fear if I follow your advice.
Sneha: Obviously, everyone knows I’m the smarter one…
Why does the Written Assessment Test seem scary
Taking Sneha’s argument further, why indeed should one worry excessively about WAT? There are many reasons why the idea of the written assessment test makes aspirants uncomfortable:
- Unless one is studying language in some form as a graduate, one does not have to write essays. Long form answers usually pertain to some technical aspect or case study. Hence, one feels out of place in thinking from scratch on a random topic.
- For most working professionals, the need for writing itself is eliminated to a great extent. Writing emails is hardly comparable to writing essays.
- Students who feel that verbal ability is not their strength see this test as a major obstacle. They become very sceptical about being able to tackle this phase.
How to conquer the Written Assessment Test
Many of you would share the same concerns. But do not worry; we at Praqtise have come up with the best way to overcome WAT.
Go back to school
When in doubt, go back to basics. While we tend to remember school for all the fun times, we can look back at some of the good habits as well. English exam meant writing letters, précis, and essays and so on. Not to mention the long answers in history, geography and other subjects.
One way or other, we would end up writing on a daily basis on a vast variety of topics. Also, each type of writing came with its own set of rules. Because of this subconscious practise, tackling essays on the exam day became much easier.
To improve your written assessment test skills for the MBA entrance, you can go back to these habits. Pick up topics out of interest. Write short as well as long essays. Pick up a newspaper article and summarise it. Develop a habit of doing this 3-4 times a week, or set a daily word limit. Writing on a daily basis will help you greatly, and the change will be easy to notice.
Unshackle your creativity
As you should be ready for facing not so straightforward questions, it is good to get your creative juices flowing. All aspirants realise the importance of reading. What you read will also influence how you write during the written assessment test for MBA entrance. Introduce variety in the content that you are reading. For example, reading articles from a satirical journalist will help you poke fun at everyday events. On the other hand, reading fiction will allow you escape reality and have a colourful imagination. Poems would help you play around with words and figures of speech.
There is a reason why you must not restrict yourself to reading just about politics and business. Greater the variety in your reading, the richer your writing will be.
Develop your own technique
Here, we want to address the specific aspect of planning your essay. Irrespective of the time limit, you will spend the initial few minutes in brainstorming. Develop a method to structure your thoughts for the written assessment test. For example:
- You may simply write down questions that address various aspects of the topic (what, when, how, why etc.). Answering the questions in the same order will naturally give a flow to your content.
- Some of you might feel it easier to create a flow chart for the points you want to write on. Jot down keywords and follow the same structure to help you write smoothly.
- If you are well-versed with the topic, a good method is to list 3-4 primary arguments that you will focus on. Build your essay around these arguments.
Work on articulation
Just as each person has a natural and unique way of speaking, we also possess a unique way of writing. Identify your style of writing. To improve upon it, read and review what you have written. Try and express ideas in simple words and active voice. Do not make long sentences unnecessarily. There may be a tendency to rely on jargons. Try to curb it and use general, direct words instead. Ensure that paragraphs are of even length. Divide your essay into sections such that your thought process becomes apparent.
By articulating your thoughts better, you will be able to extract the full value of what you write. A shorter essay that is more articulate will beat a longer one with ordinary style.
Always take feedback
It is always better to get a neutral and sensible perspective about our own progress. Reach out to teachers, parents, friends or family for feedback on your practise essays. They might point out some weaknesses that are hidden from you. Their collective experience will also help you greatly. A one hour discussion with a teacher can be as insightful as hours of self-learning.
The above tips will help you tackle all exams- be it the XAT essay, MICA or any other WAT. Think of WAT as a chance to stand out while aiming for the top MBA colleges in India.
How do you approach the writing assessment test? Is there a useful suggestion that you can share? Please let us know in the comments.
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