This is the question a lot of students think about or should think about, before deciding to take CAT.
There are many reasons to take the CAT examination. Some of them go like this -
a) I don’t want to take a job right now…
b) I have an inclination towards an MBA. ( To these people I want to ask, Do you even know what an MBA actually is ?)
c) Sharma Ji’s son is going for it….
d) I want to change my “line” of job...
e) Sector preference Job… - Finance, Marketing.. (Do you even know what type of work you are supposed to do?)…and many more.
Well, I think that before jumping into the CAT bandwagon, one should pause and think. What is an MBA, is it really like what I am thinking? What value it will provide to me? What are the costs associated with it?
Not all of the CAT aspirants have the opportunity of discussing these questions with someone who has first-hand experience, the people who are ideally right to answer these queries. So I have decided to write this article to help our readers in resolving their queries.
Hi everyone, I am Rishi, I have graduated from IIT Madras. Currently, I am doing my MBA from IIM Calcutta. I clearly remember when I was in your place. Like you, I also had many questions in my mind. Now when I am in IIM Calcutta, I thought that I should help in reducing your burden in whatever way I can.
I have interviewed some people who are currently doing MBA in IIM Calcutta. I have chosen a diverse group of people to get more ideas and different perspectives. I am presenting an excerpt of the interview for your consumption. I sincerely hope that this article will help you in making a wise decision. A piece of advice - Try to talk to more people and don’t make up your mind by the facts based solely on this article. Good Luck !!
Meet our Interviewees :
Shubham Chavan, B.Tech, Worked at Cognizant for 25 months.
Udit Daima, Maths Honors, Worked at CarDekho for 18 months.
Prashant Priyadarshi, B.Tech, Worked at Accenture for 30 months.
Vineet Bhatia, B.Com Honors, Fresher.
Here we go :
Hi guys, Thank you for agreeing to give your time to our readers. I want to give our readers some insights about MBA and what they should expect from it. I have prepared three questions for you. Please speak your mind.
Q. Could you please tell our readers what were your reason(s) to take CAT?
Hi everyone, I am Shubham.
I was working as a Programmer Analyst in Cognizant. I was in the job for more than 2 years. Frankly speaking, I was not satisfied with my job. Because my job was monotonous and the salary was meagre. I needed a change. So, I thought of two ways to do it. I could have gone to some government job or I could go for an MBA. At that juncture, arguably time scarcity was a major factor for me. I was working at that time so time was a scarce resource for me. After careful consideration, I chose to go for an MBA, because CAT was more structured and I felt that it would require less preparation time, as compared to different government exams which demand knowledge on different areas and thus would require a lot of time.
Hi guys, I am Udit.
Many of my friends in college were prepping for CAT. I started my prep with them. Speaking of what led me to an MBA? Well, for most people, a high salary is the biggest incentive to go for an MBA. But to speak the truth, I was never enticed that much by money. What I really liked was power. I wanted to be in an influential position, to be in charge. Hence, I decided to go for an MBA, as it was the quickest way to become a manager in a respectable company.
Hi guys, Prashant here. I have worked as a Software Developer in Accenture for more than 2 and a half years and then I joined IIM Calcutta. Now, to point out the reasons for taking CAT, I would say that a low salary was the main reason that nudged me towards an MBA.
See, it was not only about money, but it was also about my career. I am quite an ambitious guy. I used to ask myself, where do I see myself in 5-8 years? And I would see myself stuck in a boring and menial tech job with very less growth opportunity and just an okayish salary. I decided it was time for a change. I had two options in my mind - a) I would go for some certification exam or b) I would go for an MBA. After much thought, I chose the latter. What an MBA would offer me was....basically everything that I wanted - a high paying job in a big company, high growth opportunity and of course a managerial position. So I took my shot, prepared hard and here I am at IIM Calcutta- one of the best MBA colleges in India.
Hello everyone, Vineet here.
I firmly believe that to succeed in your career an MBA is a must. Many B.com guys go for an MBA at some point. So, this was my main reason to do an MBA. After my graduation, I had two options - I could have joined a company or I could have accepted my offer of admission at IIM Calcutta. I chose IIM Calcutta.
Q. How has IIM C helped you to achieve/move closer to your dream?
Shubham: IIM Calcutta has given me whatever I had expected from it. The average salary here is much higher than I had expected and is increasing every year. As you also know, the name “IIM Calcutta” itself carries a lot of weight. It has given me a platform to choose a career of my choice. One of the perks of studying at IIM Calcutta is that it is a place where one can find talented students from all over the country. When you work with such people you will develop in many ways and that’s something which is invaluable.
Prashant: Well, IIM Calcutta is definitely helping me in getting whatever I wanted or expected from an MBA. The salary that I will most likely receive after passing from here is at least 3 times more than what I was getting. Surely, you would say that I have to take into account the opportunity cost and the exorbitant fees of IIM Calcutta but that can be compensated in about 8-10 years.
Udit: IIM Calcutta is surely helping me to get what I came here for. At the end of my first year at IIM Calcutta, I did my internship in Egypt, which in itself was quite an experience. Currently, I am awaiting the lateral placement process, which is due in about 1-2 months. And, I am quite sure that I will get placed in a respectable firm with a nice profile.
I would also like to share what I got in IIM Calcutta apart from a nice tag and a nice prospect - I have learnt to manage people, work with them, resolve conflicts and much more. Our curriculum requires us to work in teams and that has taught me a lot. These activities have taught me things that aren't usually taught inside a classroom. I also learnt to manage my time effectively. I have picked up many new hobbies, became president of a club. Two years at IIM Calcutta has helped me grow in various dimensions. So, yeah IIM Calcutta has definitely helped me a lot.
Vineet: IIM Calcutta has helped me in my personality development which I personally believe is very necessary. I have also expanded my network, which is the most valuable thing that I have gotten from IIM Calcutta. Speaking specifically of academic knowledge, I don’t think I have learnt a lot of new things here which weren’t taught to me during my B.com. Surely there were a few new concepts that I had to grasp but as I said it was not much.
Q. Any Fundaes/Gyaan for a CAT aspirant?
Shubham: What I would like to say to everyone out there is that you should have a vision for yourself. Know yourself, find out what best suits you. Keep yourself updated, never sit idle !!
Udit: I believe having some work experience beforehand is quite helpful. It not only gives you some perspective but it also helps you during placements. You will have a higher chance of getting a shortlist from the companies that operate in the sector that you have previously worked in. Many companies don’t even consider freshers for some of the roles. So, you should consider working in a company before going for an MBA. I would like to remind you that apart from academics there is a lot that IIM Calcutta has to offer you.
Prashant: I would say that weigh your options carefully before plunging into the rat race. Find out what an MBA would give to you and what other options do you have. If you want to join an IIM for the “tag” it provides, then you should keep in mind that IIMs provide different opportunities too. For example, IIM Calcutta offers some different options other than an MBA. Like - there is a business analytics course called PGDBA, that it offers jointly with Indian Statistical Institute(ISI) and IIT Kharagpur. So, find out what you want and what would give you the greatest value and go for it.
Vineet: I want to tell the readers about CAT. I am saying this from personal experience that you must keep your mind very calm while appearing in the CAT exam. Have proper sleep, be mentally prepared for any surprises that might come and remember...BE CALM !! Everything will go smoothly. Good Luck to all of you !!