With CAT 2019 done and dusted, it's time for some tough decisions. With the change in the difficulty level in CAT, especially the VA-RC section, things have taken an unexpected turn. Given that the official answer key is not out yet, it's very difficult to be certain of the actual number of attempts and correct attempts. On top of that, receiving different percentile ranges from different centres can be a bit confusing as well. And all of these things point towards two questions, 'Which B-School can I make it to?' and/or 'Should I take CAT again?'. You need to more prepared for both the eventualities. There are a ton of decent B-Schools at various percentile ranges which you should consider and apply to. For the second question, there are a lot of factors you need to take into account. Also, there's still time to make it a good B-School. The way we see it, in the end, you'll be going to ONE B-School. So, it all boils down to cracking ONE entrance examination. That opens your doors to a prestigious B-School. With IIFT this Sunday, you should focus more on IIFT for the time being, instead of sweating too much about appearing next year.
The top CAT training centres in the country have published their analysis on CAT 2019. You must go through the analysis to get a realistic picture of where you stand! Here's the link to the analysis in one place for you -
CAT 2019 - Analysis By IMS, Career Launcher, 2iim And Hitbullseye
Now, that you know the percentile range you fall in, you must be aware of the B-Schools accepting applications in those percentile ranges.
If your expected percentile range falls between 85 to 95, you should read this article!
What To Do When Your CAT Score Falls In Between 55-75%ile Bracket
Our advice is you select the B-Schools from the lists we have provided, do your own research on them and then apply!
Taking CAT Again
Now, coming to dreaded 'Should I take CAT again?' part, here are a few things you need to do. Firstly, ask yourself the right questions. And while doing so, be honest to yourself.
For example,
If you're a fresher, then what options do you have?
A] You can take a drop year and prepare for CAT 2020.
or
B] Take up a job or an internship and prepare simultaneously.
If you're planning for a drop year, then how will you justify the same in the interview rounds? Because the panellists will throw this question at you.'What have you done in the entire year apart from preparing for this exam?' To counter this question or questions like this, you should take up some other activities in the next year.
Here are 2 articles you should read!
Gap Year Before IIMs - All You Need To Know
What Can You Do If You Have A Gap Year? - Nitya's Journey To XLRI Jamshedpur
If you have any other queries related to gap year, you can post your queries on the community thread. Current B-School students and alumni will be there to help you. Take a look at this thread and post your doubts here -
Query Regarding Gap Year
If you're planning to take up a job or an internship, then ensure you have enough time to prepare for both. There are enough examples of people who have cracked CAT despite working for 14-15 hours a day. Make sure you have the mental strength to study once you return from work.
Now, if you already have prior work experience, what can you do?
You can continue with your job and prepare simultaneously. You're the best person to know if you have enough time to prepare once you return home or not. If you feel your work schedule is too hectic and you can't manage your preparation and CAT, you the option to quit. Please also consider the months of work experience you have before you take any decision.
In case you're planning to quit for your CAT preparations, you must read this -
How a Gap year is looked at by the B-Schools if it comes after working for 3.5 years.
Once you've asked the questions, prepare a Pros and Cons list. Pros can be 'another chance to get the desired percentile', while the cons can be 'Investing one more year.'
This comprehensive guide will definitely help you to make an informed decision. Check it out!
A Comprehensive Guide To Attempting CAT Again
Also, if you're appearing for the IIFT entrance exam this Sunday, Arks Srinivas, National MBA head at Career Launcher, had hosted a live webinar, which you should watch. Also, you may like to go through 'CAT To IIFT | 3 Days And How To Make The Best Out Of It'
Best wishes!