Mine is the absolute classic GEM to IIM C journey. It started all the way back in October 2019 ! I was in the 3rd year of my B.Tech (CSE) at VIT Vellore. I always had an inclination towards management, I was the PR head of an on-campus NGO (Uddeshya), and also the Chairperson of a student tech club (VITLUG). After interning as a techie in Reliance Energy, Adani Electricity, and being a Samsung PRISM student, I knew I would like to be in the tech field, but not as a programmer. Programming was always fun, but when it comes to working, I did not like the fact that the decision making ability was very limited, I would only do what I was told to. So I joined a CAT prep institute which had a presence in the VIT campus. A few months into the journey, the pandemic struck.
I was now at a point where I could either,
- Continue my CAT journey, not knowing if the exam would even be conducted.
- Leave the CAT prep aside, prepare for campus placements, and give CAT with a one or two-year work ex.
So there I was, faced with a management decision even before I gave CAT xD. After weighing all the pros and cons, with a very heavy heart, I decided to go for the latter. My alma mater had a great track record with respect to placements, and uncertainty was undesirable when it comes to giving an exam. And voila, I passed my first test. I was placed in a startup which was founded by IIM A, B, and C alumni! Working with alumni who were graduates from my dream B schools was a life-changing experience. While I was going on a great career path as a programmer, I had not lost sight of my greater goals.
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Skipping the CAT in 2020 was a good decision, the new format was something that threw a lot of serious aspirants off their path. After spending a good year being away from CAT, I resumed my journey in July 2021, aiming to give a non-serious attempt for CAT 21. This strategy of testing the waters has been used by many and I too would recommend it to anyone who has time on their side. Nothing beats the experience of giving a real CAT. I did join a mock test series and did go through the entire syllabus, but I knew in the back of my mind that this would be a trial attempt. I ended up getting a 94 percentile, and the only interview call I got was CAP, after a bad interview for which I had done no preparation, I did not convert any of the CAP IIMs.
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Now it was time for round two, or what I would refer to as my first ‘Real’ attempt. I had already gone through all that had to be studied once, and knew exactly how important each topic was. And I knew that making a strategy was as important as preparing for the topics. I took up a mock test series from a well-reputed institute and took the exams very seriously. After each mock, I would spend 2-4 hrs analyzing my strengths and weaknesses. I ended up making a very positive feedback loop which made my mock scores improve (with a few exceptions) as the real CAT neared. My percentile in the mocks was going up as the exam date approached, which really boosted my confidence.
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The actual CAT exam day was a story for which I can write an article of its own. I had a plan A, plan B, and plan C for reaching the centre on time and ensuring that I give my CAT with a peaceful state of mind. When I was giving the CAT, it was just me and the questions. I have always been a God-fearing person, and the line from Bhagwad Geeta ‘Do your best, and leave the results in the hand of God’ is something I always abided by. At the end of the exam, I knew this was the best I could do. And the result was a 99.80 percentile.
But CAT is only part 1 of the journey to a top IIM. The situation is like some popular south Indian movies like Bahubali, Ponniyan Selvan, or Pushpa, a lot depends on how good is part 2. After taking a good two-week break, and a much-needed pondi trip, I started preparing for my interviews.
I had received calls from all Top B-Schools in the country, except IIM A (low 12th score of 81% ?). I set my sight straight on IIM B and C, and made sure nothing came in the way. I did not give XAT, and I did not go to give my FMS interview as the date was too close to my IIM C interview date and I had to make a choice. A very important decision was joining InsideIIM for mock interviews. I also got help in writing my SOP for IIM B. After giving around 10 mocks and 20 practice WATs, the real IIM interviews were quite smooth. I ended up answering some factual questions incorrectly in my IIM B interview, which I believe was the reason I could not convert B. I learnt a very important lesson, learn to say ‘I do not know’ in the interviews. I used the learning and sailed smoothly through the IIM C interview. I even showcased my photography in my IIM C interview.
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I have a few suggestions for aspirants,
- Have focus, and know why you are giving CAT. Parental/peer pressure is a bad reason to give CAT
- Be humble, there have been many 100 percentilers who have failed to convert IIM calls
- MOCKS are the most important tool to bell the CAT.
- Join reputed prep courses which have a proven track record.
- Have faith, in the process, in your journey, in your God, and most importantly, in yourself.
All the best!