WAT Tips: Know the tips to crack WAT for IIM admissions - CAT PDF Download

The Written Ability Test (WAT) is a crucial part of the MBA admission process in top business schools in India. It was introduced by the Indian Institutes of Management (IIMs) to assess the candidate's reasoning abilities and written communication skills, replacing the group discussion round. WAT has been adopted by other B-Schools as well and holds a significant weightage in the final selection process (more than 20%).
The test evaluates the candidate's critical thinking skills, and the ability to communicate ideas effectively and formulate a response within a given time. The topics for WAT are usually based on current political, economic, and business affairs. Due to the Covid pandemic, many IIMs temporarily dropped WAT for admissions in 2021 and 2022 but have restored it with a high weightage in the final admission round. Here are some tips to crack the WAT in IIMs and other top B-Schools.

What is WAT?

The Written Ability Test (WAT) is a written examination that assesses a student's writing skills. The test consists of one essay question that the student must answer within a 10-20 minute time frame, usually conducted in the afternoon. The essay question can vary in style and format among different institutes. The main objective of this test is to evaluate the candidate's proficiency in understanding, fluency, problem-solving, and reasoning.
This round resembles an essay competition. Some Indian Institutes of Management (IIMs) have replaced the traditional group discussion round with the WAT round due to the difficulty of candidates expressing their opinions creatively in the group discussion, the chaotic atmosphere in the GD room, and the lack of confidence among candidates to speak up freely.

Classification of WAT topics

Candidates who think that there is only one type of topic for the WAT round are misguided. The essays are categorized in different ways to assess the criteria deemed most important by the panel. The following is an overview of the key topics and the crucial points to focus on during your WAT preparation, subject to changes.

Tips to Ace WAT

1. The opening line should grab attention: The first line of your essay introduction is crucial in determining the direction of your topic. To grab the reader's or examiner's attention and engage them right from the start, your introduction should convey the essence of your entire essay. This can be achieved through the practice of speed writing, where the shorter your essay, the stronger your argument will be.
2. Include argument in the intro's follow-up: Get straight to the point by delivering your argument in the following paragraph. This round assesses your reasoning and writing abilities. Start by clearly stating your main idea and supporting it with relevant sentences. This allows the reader to quickly understand your perspective and keeps the reading pace flowing.
3. Understand the topic's complexity: It's important to acknowledge the intricacy and bewildering aspects of the subject matter. Avoid using technical language, and keep sentences concise. Make sure your writing style is engaging and straightforward. Avoid overusing big words as it can negatively impact the readability of your essay. On the other hand, don't simplify your writing too much. Instead, adopt a technical approach to present your views in a refined and precise manner.
4. Support and reflect on factual information: Ensure the validity of the facts you use to support your arguments. The facts should effectively emphasize your argument and help strengthen your stance. This will make your essay more engaging and avoid repetitive information.
5. Stay focused on the main topic: Straying from the main topic can undermine the strength of your argument. Keeping your article concise and focused will prevent excessive wordiness and help you meet the specified word count. Additionally, it will provide clarity and context for the reader who is looking for specific information.
6. Keep the conclusion short: The conclusion of your essay should be brief, summarizing your main points and providing a satisfying conclusion to the essay. It should be no longer than two to three sentences and should leave the reader feeling that the essay has come to a successful close.

Also Read: Top IIM Personal Interview Questions and How to Answer Them

List of Do’s for WAT

• Craft your essay with a logical flow, beginning with an introduction, two short body paragraphs summarizing your main argument, and a brief concluding paragraph.
• Provide relevant examples, facts, or incidents to justify your arguments.
• Be mindful of punctuation as it can have a significant impact on the readability of your essay. Avoid overusing conjunctions.
• Only include details that are essential to the main idea of your essay.
• Shorten sentences by using semi-colons, hyphens, and other punctuation marks to ensure your essay is readable.

Also Read: Top MBA Colleges Accepting CAT Score in India

List of Dont’s for WAT

• Exceeding the provided word or page limit.
• Making the argument overly complex without allowing for reflection.
• Writing a lengthy introduction or conclusion.
• Copying someone else’s content and claiming it as one’s own.
• Making spelling, punctuation, and grammar mistakes.
• Using overly complex language to describe simple events.
• Creating and using false facts to support an argument.
• Avoid using formatting that may suggest minimal effort, such as bullet points, tables, or other elements.

Time Limit for WAT

IIMs and other top b-schools have included the WAT (Written Ability Test) as part of their admission process. The WAT involves the candidate analyzing and forming an opinion on either an essay topic or a case study, within a specific word limit (generally 200-300 words). The time frame for WAT varies from institute to institute. Here is a summary of the time frame allotted by IIMs and other top b-schools:

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What is AWT in IIM Ahmedabad?

IIM Ahmedabad renamed the Written Ability Test (WAT) to Analytical Writing Test (AWT) to make it clear that the round would not only assess the candidate's writing skills but also their ability to logically analyse and break down a question. AWT questions are usually two to three short paragraphs containing the author's arguments. Candidates are expected to either support or refute the arguments put forth. IIM Ahmedabad has not revealed the individual weightage of AWT but rather combines the score of AWT and the Personal Interview Round to calculate the Final Composite Score of the candidate.

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Frequently Asked Questions(FAQs) related to  WAT for IIMs

What is the importance of WAT?

WAT (Written Ability Test) is an important component of the selection process for admission to the Indian Institutes of Management (IIMs). It is used to assess a candidate’s written communication skills and their ability to express their thoughts and ideas clearly and effectively.

What are the topics for WAT?

The topics for WAT usually revolve around current affairs, business, economics, politics, social issues and other general topics. The topics can be abstract or concrete and can vary from institute to institute.

How to prepare for WAT?

To prepare for WAT, candidates should read widely and regularly. This will help them stay updated on current affairs and also give them a good understanding of the topics that may be asked in the exam. Candidates should also practice writing on various topics to improve their writing skills.

How much time should be allotted to each essay?

The time allotted for each essay is usually 15-20 minutes and this should be kept in mind while attempting the exam. Candidates should try to finish the essay in the given time as extra time is not given for WAT.