MBA Entrance | SNAP | 6th October 2022
Symbiosis National Aptitude Test, popularly known as SNAP is an eminent national level MBA entrance exam that is conducted by Symbiosis international university. SNAP is one of the key MBA entrance exams after the Common Aptitude Test (CAT) and Xavier’s Aptitude Test (XAT). With new exam pattern changes introduced and a moderate level of difficulty SNAP offers a lucrative chance to students to secure a seat in one of the B-schools in India.
The first rule to prepare for any MBA entrance exam is to know it in and out i.e. get an idea of questions you are going to face. Thus, this article takes you around the question pattern and gives you an overall idea of the types of questions asked.
Aspirants planning for SNAP 2021 are supposed to solve 60 questions in 60 minutes; making time management a key factor in clearing the cut-off. The recent changes in exam patterns have brought SNAP very much on the similar lines of CAT and XAT, thus your groundwork is reduced if you are sitting for the other two exams as well.
Referring to the updated exam pattern, there are three sections - General English, Analytical and Logical reasoning, Quantitative Aptitude, Data Interpretation, and Data Sufficiency. The section of General English is further subdivided into subsections such as Reading Comprehension, Verbal Reasoning as well as Verbal Ability. Section of General Knowledge has been removed.
Number of questions from respective sections would be-
| Section | Number of Questions |
|---|---|
| Quantitative Aptitude, Data Interpretation, and Data Sufficiency | 20 questions |
| Analytical and Logical Reasoning | 25 questions |
| General English | 15 questions |
The candidates will also have to attempt 5 special questions from the aforementioned sections.
The SNAP entrance examination will be conducted only in online mode (computer-based). Students will be given 1 mark for every correct answer while every incorrect answer will lead to 25 percent negative marks. There is no sectional cutoff as well as there is no sectional timing, candidates are supposed to complete their whole test within 60 minutes.
Starting with the section with maximum weightage - Analytical and Logical Reasoning.
In this section, the level of difficulty of questions is moderate, however, one can expect a few tough ones too. The candidate must expect a variety of questions. Furthermore, some important topics that are ‘must’ and to be covered are – Visual Reasoning, Arrangements, Puzzles, Calendar, Blood Relations, and Directions, Venn Diagrams, Missing Numbers, etc.
It is pertinent to learn and practice all the fundamental concepts as it is a high-scoring section. The only issue candidates might face is time management, which can be easily resolved by thorough practice. For example, have a look at the previous year question from this section-
Q. 'A + B' means 'A is the daughter of B'; 'A × B' means 'A is the son of B'; 'A – B' means 'A is the wife of B'; (SNAP 2014)
If P × Q – S, which of the following is true?
Moving ahead to Quantitative Aptitude, Data Interpretation, and Data Sufficiency.
The candidate will find the prominence of Arithmetic-based questions in this section. The level of difficulty in Quantitative Aptitude varies from easy to moderate but for Data Interpretation expect the level of difficulty to be easy. Frequently asked topics are Percentage, Average, Time, Speed & Distance, Geometry & Mensuration, Profit & Loss, Probability, Logs, Trigonometry, Coordinate Geometry and Clocks and Calendar.
The best way to handle this section is to work on tricks with clarity on basics as well. You need to be focused on accuracy. Let us get a better idea by seeing an example from the following sample questions-
Q.1 If the numerator of a fraction is amplified by 200% and the denominator is increased by 150%, then the outcome fraction is 9/35. What was the original fraction?.
Q.2 X can do a piece of work in 25 days and Y in 20 days. They work together for 5 days and then X goes away. In how many days will Y finish the remaining work?
Lastly, General English has subsections Reading Comprehension and Verbal Ability, and both of these subsections need to be catered to differently. This section is considered the easiest amongst the three but by no means should be taken lightly. With regular practice of Reading Comprehension, it is crucial to cover these topics- Tenses, Clauses, Articles, Sentence Completion, Analogies, Active Voice And Passive Voice, Sentence Correction, Synonyms and Antonyms, One-word Substitution, Jumbled Paragraphs, Vocabulary and Odd One Out.
The ease of this section is directly proportional to your comfort with the English language and vocabulary. To perfect this section, you need to get on with reading books, novels, and newspapers. And practising sample Reading comprehension will help you with the speed.
Every Entrance Exam is a reflection of skills required to be in the qualifying program, so is SNAP. It tests your time management skills, a prudent approach to varied sections, and accuracy. Prepare well and break a leg.
