Expert Review: BYJU’s take on the GMAT!
The GMAT exam is one of the most intimidating exams out there and cracking it is no easy feat. However, with the right preparation, guidance and tutoring, tackling the GMAT becomes relatively simpler.
Santosh P.N- Faculty and Head of GMAT Team at BYJU.
CashKaro conducted an exclusive interview with Mr. Santoh P.N. who is a faculty and Head of the GMAT Team at BYJU-one of India’s leading coaching institutes having given wings to many a dream. He has trained over 50000 students over the past 8 years for various exams such as CAT,GMAT,GRE,UPSC.780/800 Scorer in GMAT, 338/340 Scorer in GRE, 100 percentile in CAT Verbal Section making him highly qualified on the subject matter. Read on to know about the GMAT Exam Books, helpful tips, exam pointers and much more:
Q: What exactly is the GMAT and how can a person sign up for it? How is the scoring done?
A: GMAT is one of the most standardized tests that is required by majority of good business schools to measure academic ability. Unlike most exams, it tests reasoning skills rather than memory skills or computational abilities. Most of the top business schools use GMAT score as one of the selection criteria for admission of students to several graduate management programs.
This exam measures verbal, reasoning, mathematical and analytical skills. Quantitative and verbal sections are scored between 200-800, Integrated reasoning on a scale of 1-8 and Analytical writing assessment between 0-6.
Q: What’s a good plan to study for GMAT?
A: It is a very common question we receive from our students, “what is a good plan to study for the GMAT exam to score a 700?” The preparation time or the study plan required to score 700 and above differs from person to person is what I would say. The best way to decide is to take a diagnostic test from GMAT,
a) If you score somewhere between 400-500 then invest 4 to 5 months of 3 hours each day
b) If the score is between 500-600 then invest 3 to 4 months of time of 2 to 3 hours each day and
c) If the score is above 600 then you will need to tweak your prep accordingly and typically would require 2 months of 1 to 2 hours each day provided you focus more on the weaker sections rather than starting from basics.
Q: What is the USP of BYJU’S that makes it different from other coaching institutes?
BYJU’s is the world’s only coaching institute where we make learning fun with the help of technology, classes and personalized learning. Few of the highlights are:
- Customized Learning with the help of TECHNOLOGY delivered through a Samsung tablet –
- Adaptive learning – it is personalized to every student’s learning needs with the help of technology where you can prepare whenever you want and wherever you want.
- Unique diagnostic tool kit which uses feedback analytics to correct weaker areas.
Find out about the tablet course here.
- Special delivery of CLASSES through Webinars with the following key features –
- Weekend sessions which GMAT students can attend at the specified time from wherever they are.
- Best content covers everything right from basics to high-level concepts, exclusively tailor-made for Indian students by Indian teachers.
- Best Tutors – Learn from an ISB Alumnus, 780 scorers in GMAT with more than 8 years experience in teaching who has designed a revolutionary way of learning concepts
- Personalized learning – One-on-One mentoring sessions by talented teachers to give you the personal attention you need!
Q: What are the things a student should know when selecting a coaching institute for GMAT?
A: Let me put this across in simple pointers:
• Quality of content
• Have the trainers taken the GMAT themselves? If yes, what are their scores?
• Can the program be customized according to my needs?
• Is the course offered convenient and flexible according to your schedule?
• Is there personal attention given?
These factors go a long way when it comes to picking the right coaching center.
Q: What are the best GMAT books that you would recommend?
A: In order to thoroughly prepare for the GMAT inside out, I’d recommend these books:
• GMAT Official Quant Review
• GMAT Official Verbal Review
We have video solutions available for FREE to all the above mentioned series in our GMAT learning app.
Q: What not to do while preparing for the GMAT?
A: While it is important to know the right methodology and prep techniques, it is equally important to know how you can go wrong during your GMAT preparation. These are a few grave errors to avoid:
• Choosing the wrong GMAT preparation program / institute
• Not planning the preparation according to the GMAT timeline
• Not taking enough full length practice tests / not analyzing the test results properly
• Not spending enough time for practice/ not practicing too many questions.
Q: What are the 3 key take away tips for students appearing for GMAT?
A: Aspiring students should keep these tips in mind:
• GMAT will test you on the application of basic concepts, unlike other MBA entrance tests which are completely concept oriented.
• Keep in mind, accuracy is more important in initial questions, so don’t rush through the test.
• Emphasize on devoting a few hours every day for preparation instead of trying to cram up everything a few days before the test.
To know more about BYJU’s, contact them here.
CashKaro wishes aspiring GMAT takers all the very best for their future endeavors and thanks Mr. Santosh for letting us pick his brains!
