7 Essential Tips To Reach (Or Breach) The NMAT 90 Percentile Threshold

You can still register to retake or reschedule your NMAT exam for 2023 admission into business school until December 19, 2022, and an additional round of exams may be announced shortly. 

If you’re preparing for an NMAT retake here is all you need to know to prepare. 

The NMAT: What is it?

This popular MBA entrance test is one of the most student-friendly exams, popular for its no-negative-marking feature and online or offline test-taking options. 

Globally, more than 70 MBA institutes including 49 in India accept the NMAT score. Its geographic reach extends from India to South Africa, Philippines, Nigeria, and Morocco.

Here are seven tips to ace the NMAT.

1. Familiarize yourself with the NMAT exam structure

To have the best chance of success, it’s important to familiarize yourself thoroughly with the 2022 exam structure. 

The NMAT has three sections:

2. Use your exam study time wisely

If you have around four weeks to prepare for three exam sections, allow a week of intensive preparations for each section, and allot the final week for recaps and revisions. 

3. Master the NMAT sections 

Know what you need to learn. These are they key NMAT sections you need to prepare for: 

Language skills

Vocabulary will be key, so as well as NMAT-specific resources, explore free online options such as Braingle, Wordup, Magoosh, Quizlet, and the like. 

Apart from vocabulary, focus on the following prep: Para jumbles, grammar and grammar-based fill-in-the-blanks, antonyms/synonyms, analogies, and sentence correction.

Quantitative skills 

Prepare for both quantitative ability and data interpretation. Focus on numeric system, algebra, geometry, P&L theory, permutations and combinations, ratio and proportion, probability theory, equations, Venn diagram concept, percentage, and types of interest rates. 

Intense practice and clarity of concepts are two key factors of success. Prepare with a SWOT analysis approach, and in particular, focus on your strengths and weaknesses. 

Logical reasoning

Verbal and analytical reasoning are the key areas of focus here. Broad-base your practice—solve the maximum possible questions spread over all sections rather than adopting a selective approach. Master the ability to find the conclusion embedded in questions. Master visualization of question—like infographics —learn to create images, charts and drawings, based on questions to help you to break down the elements. This will help you derive accurate answers faster. Lastly, use the elimination round theory to quickly zero in on answers/solutions. 

READ: What’s The Cost Of An MBA In India In 2023?

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4. Log your weaknesses 

Making a note of difficulties you hit will help you to address and find ways to overcoming your weaknesses and transforming them into strengths. 

Create separate logs for the three sections, and devote a full day (or 24 hours in the week preceding the test) to cover the entire log. 

5. Use practice papers and mocks as your go-to learning resource

Familiarizing yourself with practice papers should form the backbone of your preparation.

6. Employ the 40:60 rule to preparing for the NMAT

Aristotle said that we learn by doing. Based on this adage, adopt the 40:60 rule. 

Within your weekly preparation slots, as well as during your recap week, allot 40% of your time to learning, and 60% to practicing. Experiential learning will improve your confidence so that you’re fighting fit to crack the NMAT. 

7. Take advantage of the official NMAT by GMAC practice exams

Finally, don’t miss to register for NMAT’s FREE practice exam 1 and make 2 FREE attempts to prepare for NMAT. You can also purchase practice exams 2 and 3 for advanced preparations. 

NEXT: Find out how the NMAT acts as a gateway to MBA aspirations