GDPI fullform is Group Discussion and Personal Interview. This is an important part of the selection process conducted by various BSchools. On the other hand WAT full form is Written Ability Test which is also a part of the selection process for MBA admission. GDPI and WAT are the next stages of the selection process after candidates have cleared standardised management exams such as CAT, SNAP, NMAT, GMAT, etc. Read further to know more about GDPI meaning and other preparation tips.
GDPI Meaning
GD is a dynamic conversation or interaction between people in a group on a particular topic. Each member of the group expresses their thoughts and contributes to the discussion. Participation in GD assesses the candidates communication skills, way of voicing their opinion, awareness of general topics, listening skills, ability to think critically, team work and leadership skills.
What is a Personal Interview or PI?
Personal interview or PI evaluates the verbal and communication skills of the candidates along with their intellectual ability. It also gives a chase to the interviewer to finally decide why he/she is a perfect fit for the MBA program. The one on one interaction gives an indepth details about the candidate’s personality, career goals, commitment towards work and the abilities.
What is WAT?
WAT or written ability test is a pen paper test that tests the writing ability of the candidate and preparedness for the MBA journey. WAT in MBA is conducted before the GDPI round and typically evaluates the candidate’s English, grammar and thoughts on a given topic.
Preparation Tips for GDPI
- Stay updated with the latest happenings and general knowledge – You must be aware of the current affairs and go through newspapers and magazines to get an idea about the latest business trends, global issues and current affairs. Generally the GD topics revolve around these areas.
- Be Clear in Voicing Your Opinion – Your clarity of thoughts is of utmost importance in GDPI. You should clearly put up your thoughts with proper logic in the GD or PI. Do not get into a heated argument in group discussions.
- Body Language – Your body language should be positive as it reflects your confidence and sincerity. With the correct body language you should get engaged into discussions.
- Manage your Time – Time management is also important while you are into GDPI. Remember that you have limited time so put up direct points and you should not go off the tangent.
Preparation Tips for WAT
- Have engaging content – Your content should be interesting and avoid using technical and too much grammar jargon. Your write up should clearly depict your leadership skills, writing abilities and why you are a good fit to the MBA journey.
- Make the content unique – Your invigilator will have hundreds of essays to check therefore you need to make sure that you are making your content unique. Your introduction should be fact based and catch and not generic. Make sure that the one reading your essay does not lose interest while reading.
- Provide Direct Facts – Do not beat around the bush and be straightforward. Do not unnecessarily lengthen your content as the reader might lose interest.
GDPI and WAT FAQs
GDPI means group discussion and personal interview which is a crucial part of the MBA admissions process for various BSchools. These two components of a shortlisting criteria have different weightage depending on the institute.
WAT fullform is a Written Ability Test that is conducted by various BSchools for selection for their MBA programme.
GDPI fullform is Group Discussion and Personal Interview. GD assesses the ability of a candidate to work in a team, listening skills, expression of point of view, etc. PI is a personal interaction that gives indepth details about a candidate’s career goals, personality, soft skills and evaluates whether a particular candidate is suitable for the MBA program or not.
