The SNAP (Symbiosis National Aptitude Test) is a common entrance exam for getting into management programs at Symbiosis International University (SIU) and its associated institutes in India. Many students take this test, hoping to get into their dream business school. But how is your final score actually determined? It’s not just a simple count of correct answers. There are several factors involved in calculating your SNAP score, and understanding them can help you prepare effectively.
The Basic Breakdown: Sections and Marking
The SNAP exam typically consists of three sections: General English, Analytical & Logical Reasoning, and Quantitative, Data Interpretation & Data Sufficiency. Each section tests different skills, from your vocabulary and grammar to your problem-solving abilities and number sense. The questions are usually multiple-choice, meaning you pick the best answer from a set of options.
The number of questions and the marking scheme can vary slightly from year to year, so it’s super important to check the official SNAP website for the latest details. However, generally, each correct answer earns you a positive score, and there’s usually a negative marking for incorrect answers. This means a fraction of a mark is deducted for every wrong answer. This is to discourage wild guessing and encourages you to only answer questions you are confident about.
The marking scheme is usually consistent across the sections, but make sure you know exactly how much each question is worth and what the penalty for a wrong answer is. This helps you strategize how many questions to attempt and how much time to spend on each section.
The examination is conducted online. The total time allotted for the exam is usually 60 minutes. Be mindful of this and make sure you practice managing your time when you are preparing for the exam.
Understanding the Scoring System: Raw Score and Scaled Score
Your raw score is simply the total number of points you earn based on the correct and incorrect answers in the exam. But that’s not the score that schools use for admissions! The SNAP authorities use a process called scaling. This is because the difficulty level of the exam can change slightly each year. Scaling helps to ensure that scores from different years are comparable and that students are evaluated fairly.
The scaling process takes into account several things. These factors include:
- The difficulty of the exam.
- The performance of all the test-takers.
- The scores of previous years.
The SNAP authorities use a statistical method to adjust the raw scores and create the scaled score. This is the score you’ll see on your SNAP scorecard. The scaled score is what the SIU institutes use to evaluate your performance and decide on admissions. It’s designed to be a more accurate reflection of your abilities compared to your raw score. It is also used to standardize scores from different test sessions if the exam is held on multiple days.
The importance of raw scores and scaled scores can be illustrated in the table below:
| Raw Score | Scaled Score (Hypothetical) |
|---|---|
| 50 | 65 |
| 60 | 75 |
| 70 | 85 |
The Role of Percentiles in SNAP
Besides the scaled score, another important concept is percentile. A percentile tells you how your score compares to everyone else who took the exam. For example, if your percentile is 80, it means you scored better than 80% of the other test-takers. This is a helpful way to understand how well you performed relative to the competition.
Percentiles are calculated based on the scaled scores of all candidates. The higher your scaled score, the higher your percentile. The percentile is also a significant factor during the admission process, because it’s not just about your absolute score, but also about how you performed compared to everyone else.
Here is a simplified example of how percentiles work:
- Assume 100 students took the test.
- If you scored higher than 75 students, your percentile would be 76.
- If you scored higher than 90 students, your percentile would be 91.
- The higher your percentile, the better your chances of getting accepted into a school!
Remember that different schools may have different cutoffs, so a good percentile for one school might not be enough for another.
Sectional Cutoffs and Overall Cutoffs
Many institutes set both sectional cutoffs and overall cutoffs. Sectional cutoffs are the minimum scores you need to achieve in each section to be considered for admission. If you don’t meet the sectional cutoffs, you won’t be eligible, even if your overall score is high.
Overall cutoffs are the minimum total score you need to be considered for the next stage of the admission process, such as the Group Exercise (GE) or Personal Interview (PI). These cutoffs vary depending on the school, the program, and the year. They are decided by the individual institutes, considering factors like the number of applicants, the number of seats available, and the difficulty level of the exam. Cutoffs are usually announced after the SNAP exam is over and results are declared. Keep checking the official website of your desired institute for updates. These cutoffs are crucial in the selection process.
To give you an idea, here’s how cutoffs might work:
- Sectional Cutoff (Example): General English – 12 marks
- Sectional Cutoff (Example): Analytical & Logical Reasoning – 15 marks
- Sectional Cutoff (Example): Quantitative, Data Interpretation & Data Sufficiency – 10 marks
- Overall Cutoff (Example): 55 marks
If you score below any of the sectional cutoffs, your application may not be considered. If you don’t achieve the overall cutoff, you won’t be selected for the GE/PI rounds.
The Importance of Accuracy and Time Management
Since there is negative marking, accuracy is really important. Guessing randomly can lower your score. It’s much better to attempt fewer questions with a higher degree of accuracy than to answer many questions incorrectly. Focus on answering the questions you know well first. This will help you avoid losing marks because of silly mistakes.
Time management is also critical in the SNAP exam. You have a limited amount of time to answer a lot of questions, so it is very important to manage your time carefully. You must know how much time to spend on each question. Create a plan before you start the exam. Stick to your plan! Don’t get stuck on any one question for too long.
Here are a few tips for better time management:
- Divide the total time by the number of questions to find out how much time you can spend on each question.
- Practice taking mock tests under timed conditions.
- Learn to identify the questions that you can solve quickly and efficiently.
- Skip questions that are difficult or time-consuming and come back to them later, if you have time.
Practice makes perfect. The more you practice, the faster and more accurate you’ll become, and the better you’ll manage your time on the day of the exam.
Factors Beyond the SNAP Score: GE and PI
Your SNAP score is just the first step in the admission process. After the SNAP exam, if you meet the cutoffs, you’ll likely move on to the Group Exercise (GE) and Personal Interview (PI) rounds. These rounds are your chance to showcase your personality, your communication skills, and your overall suitability for the program. The weightage given to the SNAP score and GE/PI varies for each institute, so check the admission criteria of the specific school.
The GE involves a group discussion, where you are given a topic and asked to share your views. The PI involves a one-on-one interview with a panel of interviewers. The GE assesses your ability to work in a team, and the PI evaluates your skills, your goals, and your reasons for wanting to pursue management studies. Be prepared to discuss your academic and professional experiences, your strengths and weaknesses, and your plans for the future.
Here is a list of common factors assessed during the GE and PI:
- Communication skills
- Leadership skills
- Teamwork and Collaboration
- Problem-solving ability
- Knowledge of current affairs
Therefore, it’s crucial to focus on both your SNAP preparation and your preparation for these subsequent rounds. These factors help the institutes get a complete picture of your candidacy.
Conclusion
Understanding how the SNAP score is calculated, including the raw score, scaled score, percentiles, and cutoffs, is very important for your test preparation and for setting realistic goals. While achieving a good score on the exam is essential, don’t forget that it’s only one part of the admission process. Make sure you are working on all aspects of your application and getting ready for the next steps, such as GE and PI. By preparing well and having a good strategy, you’ll be in a good place to get into your dream business school!