8 Tips to Crack Group Discussions in MBA Entrances

The written test for CAT and other MBA entrance exams are already over – or will soon be over – for the next session. The shortlisted students will soon be appearing for the next hurdle – the GD’s & PI’s. This, however, gives many students a cold sweat.

We at YourDOST get tons and tons of requests from students for tips, tricks, and hacks to help them get through their desired MBA institutes. To help them, we are doing a series of posts where we share some techniques on the dos and don’ts to crack the GDs &PIs of premier MBA institutes. In this post, we are focussing primarily on how to crack the GD’s.

• Gather your thoughts first: While it is always good to initiate a group discussion, one should first gather and structure his or her thoughts, and then speak in a clear tone to the whole group.
• Think holistically about your points: When you are given time to think, pen down all important points along with some unconventional points. There is a great chance that your points may be taken by someone else and that’s where you can fall-back on your unconventional points to create an impact. Remember – if your points are meaningful, people will listen to you. 
  

  Source: performing-musician.com

• Be polite and courteous: When making a point, one should come across as someone who is decent, polite and courteous. For this, one should particularly practice on his voice modulation i.e. the pace and pitch of his voice (one should neither be too loud, nor too feeble, and not be rushing to get his/her points across). Furthermore, one should learn to differentiate between being aggressive and being assertive.
• Keep your entries optimum: A typical GD runs for about 15-20 minutes so speaking for 5-7 times for 30-40 seconds can be considered optimum.
• Avoid 1:1 verbal conflicts: One should not get into 1:1 verbal arguments, especially if it is female. One can however politely disagree with the others. 
• Abstract topics: In case you are given an abstract topic, think in a creative way, and come up with as many interpretations as possible. Many examiners like to hear different perspectives and innovative ways of thinking.
• Learn to think on the Fly: When the GD is already in progress, listen carefully to the points others are making and think of new points on the fly and make your point. This will require a lot of practice, but with extensive reading and mock GD’s with friends, one can master this art.
  

  Source: bestdelegate.com

• Avoid opinions and personal experiences: It’s best to avoid making personal opinions in a GD and so are personal experiences or even the inferences drawn out of them.

Hope you have liked our post. Do check our previous blog on how to answer the “WHY MBA?” question. To get further advice on how to prepare for GD’s and PI’s, do talk to our experts at YourDOST