In my very first attempt, I was able to score 97.38%ile in CAT’20, 90.38%ile in XAT’2021 and 90.43%ile in IIFT’2021. With these scores, I received interview calls from IIM-L,K,I,S, XLRI (HRM), SPJIMR, MDI and IIFT. I have received an admission offer from IIM-K, I and L, but haven't joined any of the B-Schools this year.
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Why didn't you join any B-School this year?
I am much obliged by the fact that I was offered admission to the country's best B-Schools, namely IIM Lucknow, IIM Kozhikode, IIM Indore, MDI Gurgaon and the CAP IIMs. After much deliberation, I decided that I want to gain some corporate experience before I enrol myself for an MBA programme and hence joined D.E Shaw India Pvt Ltd as a Financial Research Associate. Another reason that compelled me to let go of these great colleges was the Covid Pandemic. For me, an MBA programme means networking with people, working on your overall personality and learning new things. But when I was offered admission there was no clarity as to when the students would be called to campus. Being a virtual graduate, I did not want to miss out on the campus experience and hence declined the admission offers.
Read: Why I Didn't Join IIM Ahmedabad In 2020 Despite Converting - Nikita Warkar
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How did you prepare – Self-study or Coaching? Which one do you think is better?
I enrolled myself in T.I.M.E (Triumphant Institute of Management Education).
Which among the two is better depends on the CAT aspirant and the kind of time commitments he/she has.
In my personal opinion, joining a coaching center helps you with the study material, mentorship and making your preparation structured.
According to you, what is the most important aspect of preparation?
I feel, consistency and regularity is the most important aspect of preparation. It doesn’t matter how much you score in your initial mocks, but continuing to take mock tests regularly and analysing them in the right way to understand personal strengths and weaknesses is very important.
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Which mock series did you enroll for?
I had enrolled with T.I.M.E, so took their mock series.
How many full-length mock tests did you take?
I had taken 50 full-length mock tests.
How many sectional mock tests did you take?
I had taken around 15 sectionals for VARC, 10 for DILR and 10 for QA.
What was your approach while taking mocks?
It is very important to ensure that mocks are taken seriously and in a peaceful environment.
For the VARC section, I used to tackle VA questions first and then went to RCs. In the DILR section, I would first skim through all the sets and after identifying easy sets, I used to attempt them. In the QA section, I went ahead in the same order as the question paper, solved all the questions I was able to and skip the ones I found difficult.
After seeing my score, I used to analyse my mocks. I used to go through all the unattempted questions and the questions for which I had marked wrong answers and solve them again.
How do you think the mock tests helped you in your preparation?
Mock tests help you build your strategy for the final exam. They make you well-prepared to face the pressure that a candidate faces during the final exam.
Which section were you strong in? Since you were strong in that section, how did you focus on the other sections?
In my opinion, in aptitude tests like CAT, one doesn’t really have a strong section because the scores keep fluctuating. It is very important that consistent effort is put in each section.
Which section was your Achilles heel? How did you overcome that?
My Achilles heel was the VARC section. I think regularly taking sectionals and mocks helped me to get through.
How much time did you devote to preparation on a regular basis?
I devoted about 5-6 hours daily for CAT preparation.
Tell us about the lowest point in your preparation journey and how did you overcome that?
I had completed my syllabus for QA in July and in my initial mocks I was able to score well in the section. But with time, my score in QA consistently dropped because I wasn’t in touch with the subject. This was a disappointment for me. After discussing this with my teachers, I started revising those topics again for which I couldn’t answer questions in my mocks. This helped me overcome the situation.
What resources would you suggest to 2021 aspirants?
2021 aspirants can choose a mock test series offered by TIME and IMS. Other than this, I feel developing a reading habit is also very important. Aspirants should start reading a newspaper like The Hindu or The Indian Express which can also help them in their interviews.
What according to you are the DO's and DON'Ts of CAT preparation?
DO’s-
- Take mocks regularly
- Practice variety of questions for all the sections
DON’Ts-
- Don’t skip analyzing mocks
- Don’t get disheartened if your mock scores are fluctuating
- Don’t invest too much time on one question
Which mock series would you like to suggest to CAT 2021 aspirants? Is one mock series sufficient or do you suggest a combination of 2 different mock series?
I took all mocks offered by T.I.M.E. They offer 50 mocks- 25 SAMCATs and 25 AIMCATs, which I feel are more than enough.
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What would be your final advice to CAT 2021 Aspirants?
I feel that your hard work can take you to great heights. If I was able to achieve this score in my first attempt, anyone can, the only requirement being patience. Study and practice as much you can before the exam and enter the examination hall with a relaxed mind on the D-day.
Good luck!
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