Management education is the magic word in today's student world.

In order to help you reach that coveted goal, we guided you yesterday though the selection process at India's top management institutes.

• Part I: Get admission at a top B-school

Today, let's talk about the first step of the selection process -- the entrance test.

What is CAT?

CAT, or the Common Admission Test, is an aptitude test; it is the most popular test among prospective management students because it is accepted by the best institutes.

Taking CAT is a prerequisite to seeking admission at the Indian Institutes of Management. The CAT score is also accepted by more than 75 non-IIM institutes across India, some of which are as reputed as the IIMs.

This means you should take CAT if you are aspiring to join either an IIM or any of the other institutes mentioned in the CAT bulletin.

• CAT 2004: Strategies, tips...more   

The structure of CAT

CAT is not predictable in its structure and composition.

Broadly, it aims to assess your aptitude -- Quantitative, Verbal and Logical.

Increasingly, many institutes are testing the students' awareness as far as current affairs and general knowledge are concerned.

One cannot, however, be certain about the weightage given to each area.

The tests change -- often unrecognisably -- from year to year.

Usually, CAT tests three of your abilities:

- Problem Solving
- Data Interpretation and Logical Reasoning
- Verbal Ability and Reading Comprehension

CAT demands competency across all sections of the paper. So, the number of sections in the test don't really matter; what matters is whether you are competitive and have answered questions in all the sections.

Once you clear CAT and are shortlisted, you have to gear up for the GDs and PIs.

• Why do you want an MBA?

The importance of preparation

~ You have various classroom programmes offered by numerous institutes; some institutes even offer correspondence courses.

~ For the GD and PI, you must update your knowledge on current affairs and GK by reading the Manorama Year Book and newspapers, preferably, The Hindustan Times, The Hindu, The Times Of India and business affairs by reading magazines like the Business World and Business India regularly.

~ IMS offers its own books on preparation for CAT and GD/ PI.