12 January 2013

Preparing for B-School GD, Essay & Interview



This post on GDPI preparation comes in the wake of several requests from readers of this blog. This is my first ever post on this subject.

If you have secured or expect an interview short-list from a b-school, then you should now focus on your preparation for the highly competitive rigorous stages like GD, Essay, & Interview.  

Over the next several weeks, please focus on the following for effective GDPI prep: 

(a) Academics
  • Pour over your graduation subjects. Many of us have our own favourite subject(s). If you have one, then you must be really comfortable with almost all things related to this subject. Also, throw a glance at your project work and paper presentation.

(b) Career 
  • Think about long term plans, even if not concrete, get a hang of things in the chosen line of activity, how your strengths (current skill set) match your choice.

(c) Personality-related Qs
  • Evaluate your mental strengths and weaknesses; think of instances where they came into picture; how has a particular strength helped you become better; what are you doing to overcome/tackle any weakness.

(d) GK & Current Affairs 
  • Global economics: eurozone debt crisis and U.S. economic problems (like fiscal cliff) and their likely impact on India and the world; rise of China as an economic power, BRICS, PIIGS, etc.
  • Indian economy: FDI in retail (both single brand and multi-brand), reasons behind slowing growth in India, India's failing reform process, infrastructure bottlenecks, etc.
  • Global politics: Arab Revolutions, Syrian crisis, Israel-Palestine imbroglio, rise of Turkey, Korean peninsula, Iranian nuke plans, aggressive Chinese policy in Far East and SE Asia, terrorism in Afghanistan & Pakistan, South American issues like Venezuela's Hugo Chavez's health and succession issues, Bolivia's Evo Morales's nationalisation of Spanish companies, and Argentina's altercation with Great Britain over the Falkland islands, etc.
  • National politics & social issues: Local political issues like Gujarat elections, Naxalism, freedom of speech & social networking curbs, menace of corruption & Lokpal bill movement, gender related issues, including women empowerment and safety issues. 

 (e) Work-related 
  • One's work profile, industry profile, info about companies you worked for, learning from work, etc.

 (f) Also, work on 
  • Why MBA, why management career, alternate career plan, what other calls, which school will you join.

Please share your feedback in the comments section. 

Keep learning!

3 comments:

Dwarkesh D said...

Thank you for the update sir. Sir, it would be very helpful if you could provide the link for all the 'explainer's. They were quite clear and concise and covered a wide range of topics.

Avinash K said...

I would request you to post reads on the following issues: Rise of Turkey, Falkland islands Issue, Spanish companies nationalisation in Bolivia.

Parul said...

Thank you!
Could you please share relevant info for beginners, I mean having very low GK level.