Understanding Group Discussion (GD), Interview and WAT Process for MBA Admissions 2022

The objective of a group discussion (GD) for MBA admission is to assess a candidate’s ability to convince and lead a group of people who may have different point of views. WAT and PI on the other hand are an assessment of candidate's personality and thought process. By Vinayak Kudva.

The second stage of MBA admission process after CAT, XAT, MAT, CMAT is personality assessment. Various personality assessment methods such as Group Discussions (GD), Personal Interview (PI), Essay Writing, Case Discussions, etc. are conducted by the MBA colleges to assess candidates’ interests, aptitude and personalities.

• A group discussion is an exercise of assessing a future manager's communication ability, leadership qualities, convincing power and knowledge of any topic
• Personal interview is an assessment of their personality, thought process and future goals.
• WAT can be understood as a written GD where candidates have to write on a given topic within a limited period of time. They have to communicate their opinion and observation on the topic in a limited words.
• The objective of a group exercise is to appraise a candidate’s ability to critically analyse a given piece of information and collectively work in a group to arrive at a solution or develop a perspective.

Some B-schools organise a case study or a group exercise instead of a simple group discussion. A case study simulates a real-life situation and instills in you the thought process and action plans to get the best possible solution. There may not be a perfect solutions to a case study, but there is definitely a best possible solution, which the group is expected to collectively arrive at.

Both group exercise and case study evaluate some basic personality traits such as clarity of thought, problem identifying skills, problem solving skills, communication (including listening) skills, ability to critically evaluate and ability to interact in a group.

B-schools conduct this round to find out whether candidates possess the qualities that are critical to becoming an effective manager. The rationale behind this exercise is that when a group of people is given a task within an unstructured situation, they will try to accomplish it by establishing some order or structure. In this process, they will reveal some of their personality characteristics.

The most recent addition to the second stage of selection at MBA colleges has been essay writing popularly known as WAT. A well-written essay gives the selectors an opportunity to assess the candidates' ability to organize, develop, and express ideas about the issue presented; provide relevant supporting reasons and examples, and control the elements of standard written English.

A personal interview is the last step of knowing the candidate well. Personality traits that cannot be assessed through the first three tools are evaluated in a personal interview round. The selectors try to understand the kind of person the candidate is, his/her interests, motivation, aspirations, etc.

Key Elements for GD/WAT/PI Preparation 2023

• Knowing the processes for GD/WAT/PI of the B-school to which you have applied
• Knowing how to conduct yourself during these activities i.e. knowing what to do and what not to do.
• Working on the skills that will be tested through these activities.
• Practicing till you gain confidence and can perform well.
• Simultaneously enhancing knowledge of various fields so that you can build effective arguments for any topic.

Also Read:

• 80 most trending Group Discussion topics for MBA admission 2023
• GD/PI experience of FMS student
• GD-PI tips from NMIMS student
• XLRI GD topics: expected and previous years'
• IIFT essay and GD topics: expected and previous years'
• How to prepare for SNAP GE-PI-WAT

When and How to Start Preparing for GD/WAT and PI?

Preparation for GD/WAT/PI involves two basic steps: gaining procedural knowledge and improving general awareness. Candidates should start preparing for these round as soon at the entrance exam is over. They should start with understanding the process of GDs/WATs/PIs in various B-Schools. 

Procedural knowledge implies knowledge of the processes of GD/WAT/PI, their objectives, dos, and don’ts, etc. Most test prep companies conduct training sessions for the same after the CAT and other MBA entrance exams have been conducted. As these activities involve interaction, it is advisable that candidates join a preparatory course for GD/WAT/PI as soon as they are through with most of their written tests.

Ideally, candidates should start working on their general awareness (including self-awareness and subject knowledge) as soon as they start their preparation for MBA entrance exams. As General Awareness is a very vast area, it makes sense to follow the top stories as and when they happen. Post the written tests, candidates should start enhancing their general awareness full-time by reading newspapers and magazines such as Outlook and Outlook Business. While reading news events, candidates should consider various aspects and arguments and use their own judgment to decide what their stand should be.

Personal Interviews may include many questions from the subjects that candidates have studied during their graduation or post-graduation. Candidates should revise important concepts learned in at least two major subjects and think about their real-life applications. As the PI tests candidates’ self-awareness too, they should spend a few days introspecting. Some common PI questions are discussed below:

Also Read:

• 13 must-do things to crack GD/PI/WAT
• 8 tips to perform well in WAT

What Type of Topics Should a Student Prepare for GD?

The WAT/GD topics normally require you to take a stand, so they require you to be analytical and argumentative rather than descriptive. The topics are mostly of sociological significance and may be based on long-standing or recent issues. Students should go through the topics allotted by various B-schools last year, to get an idea of what type of topics can be expected. Also, students should read up on controversial stories of the year, build arguments for/against the issues and decide their standpoint.

Also Read: Preparing for GD? Use this checklist for topics

What are the Common Interview Questions?

Through a personal interview, selectors try to assess candidates’ interests, aptitude, and personality. They try to understand the candidates better by uncovering their aspirations, motivation, strengths, weaknesses, etc.

With this aim in mind, the most common PI questions posed by selectors are:

• What is the meaning of your name? (an ice breaker question)
• Tell me something about yourself.
• Why do you want to do an MBA?
• What are your plans after an MBA?
• What are your career goals?
• Where do you see yourself 5/10 years from now?
• What are your strengths/weaknesses?
• Elaborate on your work experience.
• What are your hobbies/interests? (technical questions on the same)

Candidates are also questioned about:

• A shift in academic streams, if any
• A gap year, if any
• Poor academic performance
• Some general awareness questions
• Academic questions from the subjects the candidate has studied
• Information pertaining to the candidate’s home town is also sought in many cases

Also Read: Top 32 questions asked in MBA personal interviews.

Tips to succeed in GD-PI

• Considering that some of the B-school interviews will be scheduled in February, March and April, you should be aware of the important provisions of the Union Budget and the rationale behind the provisions. Be prepared to justify yourself if you support or oppose a particular provision in the budget.
• Write down important points while reading any book, report, etc. is important to develop an opinion. Be clear on your own views on the book or the author’s viewpoint and be prepared to justify your stand.
• Make yourself aware of basic terms in economics, their implications and various issues concerning the Indian economy. Since the state of the economy affects all businesses in one way or the other, it is important to be aware of the same.
• Also, know a bit about what to expect in the B-school and the different specializations offered by the B-school.
• B-schools desire mature students who are able to think independently and are tolerant of differing views on an issue. You should be able to recognise the pros and cons of any issue.

What to Keep in Mind While Preparing for WAT?

The skills required to perform well in a GD or WAT are quite similar. Though the communication medium is different (verbal in a GD and written in a WAT), the mental work that candidates need to do when the topic is presented remains the same. Students need to learn how to analyse the topic/issue, identify or build relevant arguments and finalise their position on the issue. In a WAT, they then need to decide on the sequence in which they will present all this on paper (i.e. decide what will be the introduction, body, and conclusion), and finally, write the essay neatly and coherently.

Read More:

• 14 Parameters on which you are judged during a GD/WAT/PI
• Top 20 MBA Entrance Exams You Can Take in 2023

About the Author:

Vinayak Kudva is the product head at a top MBA coaching institute.

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