SNAP Preparation 2021: Exam pattern, Preparation Strategy, Best books, and more

SNAP preparation is similar to other national-level management aptitude tests. With a good score in SNAP, you can take admission into 16 elite management institutes under Symbiosis International University (SIU). The colleges under SIU are among the best in India, which is why the difficulty level of the SNAP is between moderate and high.  

But with good SNAP preparation, it is possible to score well and get a seat for admission in one of the elite B-schools under SIU. To prepare well, you need to have a strategy based on the exam pattern and question types. The ultimate goal of the exam strategy should be to cover the syllabus comprehensively and be exam-ready.   

The 2021 SNAP exam will be on three dates in December 2021 and January 2022. The registration process for SNAP 2021 has started on August 31, 2021, and will continue till November 27, 2021.

Important Deadlines related to SNAP preparation

Registration for SNAP 2021 starts	31 August 2021
Last date for SNAP 2021 registration	27 November 2021
SNAP 2021 admit card released	4 December 2021
SNAP 2021 exam dates	19 December 2021 8 January 2022 16 January 2022

In the sections that follow, we have covered all aspects of SNAP preparation in great depth.

SNAP Exam Pattern

The question pattern for SNAP changed a lot in the 2020 edition of the exam, but there have been no further changes for the 2021 version. There will be no essay-type or Special questions like before. All questions will be in the MCQ format with 4 options.  As a result, while doing SNAP preparation, you can skip the Special and essay-type questions and focus only on MCQs.

The question paper will have three sections, and all of them are compulsory. The number of questions in each section is different, which means that the weightage of marks will also be not the same in them. But there will be 60 questions in total from the three sections carrying one mark each. For every wrong answer, you will lose 0.25 marks.

SNAP 2021 exam pattern- Breakdown

A quick breakdown of the SNAP 2021 exam, with all the information about the question pattern in perspective.

Total Number of Questions	60
Total Marks	60
Total Time	60 Minutes
Number of sections	5

Section 1: General English: Reading Comprehension, Verbal Reasoning, Verbal Ability	15 Questions	15 Marks
Section 2: Analytical & Logical Reasoning	25 Questions	25 Marks
Section 3: Quantitative, Data Interpretation & Data Sufficiency	20 Questions	20 Marks

SNAP Preparation Strategy

The difficulty level of the SNAP exam is quite high, and the average time per question is one minute. It means that the exam is quite intense, and you need to be well-prepared to ace it with a good score. A good SNAP preparation doesn’t only mean being able to solve the questions accurately. Managing time is also equally important if you want to score well in SNAP 2021. 

In short, good SNAP preparation means that you have worked well on the following key areas.

1. Clarity on important concepts 2. Adequate revision and mock tests 3. Time-management

Six Months Preparation Strategy for SNAP

A six months SNAP preparation strategy is enough, even if you are starting from the beginning. Make a clear plan, and you should be clear about the goals you want to accomplish with it. The first step is to divide the 6 months into 2 parts so that no topic is left out. 

In the sections below, you can find suggestions on how you can effectively break down a 6-months preparation strategy for SNAP 2021.

Six-Months SNAP preparation strategy: First 4 months

In the first four months, you need to fully understand the topics for SNAP 2021 and the question types. At the end of four months, you should be able to solve questions from all the sections. 

You may take up more time than the average time of one minute per question, as that is quite normal. But in the last two months, you will be focusing on the complete exam scenario, and time management will be the most important part of it. 

In the first 4 months of SNAP preparation, you have to put in some extra effort to get things rolling quickly. Try to maintain a strict schedule (daily/weekly) and accomplish the following key tasks:

• The target is to achieve conceptual clarity through regular practice, especially the Quant and DI section

• For the GE section, you can read newspapers or popular fiction and revise Grammar topics

• Work on the concepts by watching videos and lectures online and following the standard books for SNAP preparation

• Practice questions from Quant and DI so that the concepts become clear and thorough 

• Make sure to revisit the old topics at regular intervals so that you don’t lose touch with them

• For the General English (GE) section, read passages in English and work on your Grammar regularly

Six-months SNAP preparation strategy: Last 2 months

While covering all the important topics, you will likely lose touch with what you have covered before. As the first task, you need to do a quick revision of the entire syllabus so that you recall the topics without much effort. The next step is to make yourself completely exam-ready. Solving previous year’s question papers and taking mock tests is quite effective in this regard.  

The points below are the key tasks you need to accomplish in the last two months before the exam.

• Quick revision must be done by ensuring that you can recall all the important topics without having to consult books/notes

• Practice questions from previous year’s questions paper, but bear in mind the changes that have taken place since 2020 

• In this stage, practice questions following the time limits in the exam

• Take regular mock tests as that facilitates practice in an exam like scenario

Three-Months Preparation Strategy for SNAP

A three-month preparation strategy would be best if you already have some experience preparing for management aptitude tests. Or if this is your second attempt, then a three months strategy would be enough for you. The main objective is to understand the exam pattern and the important topics very clearly. 

If you have already sat for the exam once, then you probably know it already. Next, you can find out the difficulty level of the exam by going through the previous year’s question papers. You can also take up a crash course on the entire syllabus on online platforms or at a coaching institute near you.

Crash courses cover the syllabus quickly by including only the important cues, and the students should recall the topics from there. It is very effective for revision. Remember that you also need to have a strict schedule with a fixed number of hours devoted to self-study. 

Long-term division of timeline is not necessary for a three-month plan. Just keep the following points in mind and focus on execution.

Important Guidelines for SNAP preparation 2021

• Revise and start practising Quant, DI, and Logical Reasoning sections from the very first day

• Focus on the areas in which you are strong and then do the ones you find difficult

• The quicker you finish revision, the sooner you can start taking mock tests, the better will be your preparation

• Take as many mock tests as you can as a lot hinges on how well you prepare for the exam-day situation

• Lastly, even though the time is relatively less, you should have faith in your preparation and not overburden yourself

SNAP Preparation at Home

You can do the SNAP exam preparation at home without any external guide. Some resources are freely available online, and many books in the market cover the SNAP exam topics in detail. However, there are certain limitations to self-study as well. It suits some learners well, while for others, two-way methods like lectures are more effective. 

Before deciding on preparing for SNAP at home, you should know if it suits you or not. You can find the pros and cons of SNAP preparation at home in the subsections that follow.

Pros of SNAP preparation at home

• It is highly flexible and you can study at your own pace and time

• It is less expensive as resources online or at a coaching centre can be costly

• Many resources are now available for free on YouTube and other platforms 

• Employed aspirants or who have other work will find it quite convenient 

Cons of SNAP preparation at home

• The method is highly reliant on one-way learning; self-study or video lectures

• A huge amount of self-discipline is required to finish the syllabus on time

• No scope of group-study sessions or mock tests with a sense of competition

Last-Minute Preparation Tips for SNAP

The last week is the most important phase in preparing for the SNAP exam. Often, candidates end up taking more stress in this period which ultimately backfires for them. It is highly recommended that you do not overburden yourself at the last minute. While the preparation must go on, you should also be in the best state for the exam. 

The ultimate thing is your performance on exam day and everything depends on how well that goes. As a result, a last-minute SNAP preparation plan needs to be highly personalized. 

However, you can keep the following basic guidelines in mind in the final week before the SNAP 2021 exam.

• Don’t stress yourself too much as that might cause a burnout 

• Take mock tests at regular intervals but don’t overdo it

• Practice the important topics in Quant, DI, and Reasoning

• Have faith in the hard work you have put in and believe in yourself

• Focus on your strengths and don’t obsess over topics you’re are weak in

• This is not a good time to compare preparation with friends also appearing for SNAP

SNAP Exam Day Tips

The SNAP 2021 exam day will be the final showdown event of all your preparation. On this day, you should manage the pressure and do everything properly. For instance, you need to reach the exam hall on time and carry all the important documents. 

A little mistake over such minor details might lead to grave consequences. So, it is also important to keep calm and stay in the best state possible for the exam. Remember that this suggestion is most relevant for the exam day. 

Otherwise, you can follow the general guidelines below, to prepare yourself for the exam day.

You can go through the guidelines given below to be ready for the exam day.

1. Try to relax and switch off the preparation mode; now it’s time for execution 

2. Prepare all the documents and stationary the night before 

3. Reach the centre before time so that you can rest a bit before the exam

4. If you have confusion regarding photo ID, its best to carry two

5. Play to your strength and do the questions you find easy first

6. You must revise within 60 minutes so try to finish with at least 10 minutes in hand

Best Books for SNAP Preparation

There are many books available in the market for SNAP preparation, each with something different. Some of the techniques for solving questions, which were previously only taught in coaching centres, like short-cuts in Quant and tricks in reasoning, are now included in the books. However, the list of books for SNAP preparation is not exhaustive. 

If you are taking a course somewhere, then you can follow the books simply for reference. We have given below a section-wise list of the important books related to SNAP preparation 2021.

General English: Reading Comprehension, Verbal Reasoning, Verbal Ability

Descriptive General English	S. P. Bakshi and Richa Sharma	Arihant
General English for Competitive Exams	S. C. Gupta	Arihant
Objective General English	R. S. Aggarwal	S. Chand

Analytical & Logical Reasoning

How To Crack a Test of Reasoning	Jaikishan and Prenkrishnan	Arihant
Analytical Reasoning	M. K. Pandey	ECS Publications
A Modern Approach to Verbal and Non-Verbal Reasoning	R. S. Aggarwal	S. Chand

Quantitative, Data Interpretation & Data Sufficiency

Quantitative Aptitude for Competitive Examinations	R. S. Aggarwal	S. Chand
Data Interpretation for CAT	Arun Sharma	Tata McGraw Hill’s
Quantitative Aptitude for CAT	Arun Sharma	Tata McGraw Hill’s

General Books for SNAP exam

Symbiosis National Aptitude Test Guide (English)	N/A	RPH Editorial Board
Map the SNAP Test (Mock tests and solved papers)	N/A	Arihant

FAQs related to the SNAP exam