In the 1st part of the article - we covered some of the questions that must be going through your mind about CAT 2024 retake. And we will cover some of the common queries that we have faced from students. But our first advice is to understand that you are not alone. What you face is tough, but it has happened to many students.If you can have honest feedback from students at top B Schools like IIMs and XLRI, you will see that many of them have made it in their 2nd and 3rd attempts. Many of the students come back more determined after the 1st failure and crack CAT/XAT the next time. So what should you do?Should I take up a job?If you get a decent job, that can give you a good learning experience, please take it up. Don't worry about the salary or designation. Just do it for the learning experience. Also, this will ensure that you don't have a large gap between your graduation and your MBA. A year's gap can be explained but beyond that it gets difficult. CAT preparation, especially for repeaters, will not take more than 2-3 hours per day.Should I quit my job and focus on CAT preparation?Again, since CAT prep requires only 2-3 hours a day, you don't need to do that. The only exception is when the job conditions, location, travel, hours of work, etc., make it impossible to prepare for CAT. Then you have no option but to change the job or quit. Even here, we would suggest that you take up a part-time job, NGO work, teaching at Teach For India, or short-term projects that can shore up your CV. Students interested in Finance can write the NSE, CFA & FRM certifications!
Why is coaching better than only Mocks? Is it worth taking coaching again?Firstly let's see what you get from Mocks. Practice and some feedback on where you stand on a competitive basis in each area. But it is up to you to improve your ability in that area and increase your percentile.So, if your basics are in place and your problem-solving approach is good, then only Mocks will do. This works for people who missed out on a good percentile by a small margin.But if you need to make significant improvements in various areas like QA, VA, etc, then nothing like a good faculty/mentor.Summary
If you haven’t done well in CAT, chill. It happens to many people and in fact, a large number of IIM/XLRI grads have made it on the 2nd or 3rd attempt.
If for this was your 2nd or 3rd attempt, realistically assess how serious your preparation was and how much of an improvement would be possible.
Joining a School outside the top 20 is not the end of the world. Being a topper from say XIM or IMT might be better than being below average even at IIM Lucknow.
If you don't have a job, get a job and prepare alongside. It takes 2-3 hours per day of planned effort.
If you are already ‘almost there’ and you only need practice then go for Mocks Only, else look for a good coaching option. Look for faculty members, not brand names. A good faculty is not just good at QA/VA but someone who has mentored or guided students successfully. Expertise + Experience.
Online coaching can be very convenient and interactive as well as affordable. So give it a try, if needed.