Bhavya Sharma is a student of the PGDM Marketing 2023-2025 batch at SPJIMR Mumbai. She pursued fashion from NIFT Hyderabad, where she graduated with a Bachelor of Design (B.Des.) degree. She has a keen interest in art, and her work has been recognized on numerous occasions with achievements that include national and Asia-wide art and design competitions.
How does one get into SPJIMR, Mumbai? As a current first-year PGDM student at SPJIMR, I find myself reflecting on the unique journey that brought me here (
you can read about my MBA journey here!). The recent release of the CAT results has prompted me to share the inspiring stories of my peers—individuals who, like me, secured a place at SPJIMR
without boasting a remarkable CAT percentile & defied conventional expectations. In this article, I'll briefly take you through our diverse experiences, shedding light on how and why SPJIMR is a tier-1 B-school that is more than just a CAT score.
SPJIMR has two types of interview calls: Profile-based calls, and Profile-cum-score based calls. For reference, I got a call in the latter category with a 94 percentile, and I have no work experience.
Yup, the profile for admissions at SPJIMR is far from being exclusively about work experience. It's also to do with your
extracurriculars,
co-curriculars,
past academics,
internships, etc. To summarise, it's about a candidate's
diverse experiences, leadership potential, and
unique skill sets.
The institute wants well-rounded candidates, which is exactly why CAT percentiles and work experience aren't the sole determinants.
For reference, here is a brief walkthrough of some current first-year PGDM students along with their CAT percentiles, work experience, and what they believe helped their profiles stand out and get them accepted to SPJIMR.
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Ishank Jain, PGDM Finance
• 93.52 CAT Percentile • B.Tech • 23 months Work Experience (Developer at Credit Suisse)
• Had a start-up (got shortlisted for Shark Tank) • National Level Table Tennis • Social service - Worked with NGOs • Lots of other extracurriculars
Rythm Ahuja, PGDM Marketing
• 89.82 CAT Percentile • BA, Business/Managerial Economics • 19 months Work Experience (Senior Growth & Client Success at Advertising Agency)
• Multiple Internships • Experience in core digital advertising • Extracurriculars in College events, Painting, & Dance • Positions of responsibility
"The overall experience was really good. Once you enroll, you get to access each & every important material available which is relevant for your prep. You also get updates regarding current affairs & learn what should be the right approach to interviews. The best thing was special sessions conducted for SPJIMR which really helped. You also get instant support whenever required so that's a hige +ve. Thanks InsideIIM for this!" - Rajat Chechani converted his SPJIMR Mumbai call with InsideIIM. Join us today!
Khushboo Balani, PGDM Finance
• 93.35 CAT Percentile • B.Sc., Finance • Fresher (No Work Experience)
• Internship in PE • Co-authored multiple research papers • National Level Award: National Financial Literacy Test • Certifications from Bloomberg, NISM, AMFI, French Alliance, Mentora, & Trinity
"The experience was simply amazing and exceeded all my expectations. The InsideIIM team provided me with the best guidance and support that helped me crack all MBA college interviews that I appeared for and secure a seat in a top B-school (SPJIMR Mumbai). The coaching was tailored to my individual needs, and the trainers' in-depth knowledge and experience helped me improve my weaknesses and build on my strengths. The study materials provided by the institute were top-notch, and the mock interviews gave me a realistic understanding and were pretty similar to the actual interviews that I appeared for. The faculty was always approachable and went out of their way to ensure that I was on track and had access to any material that I might require to help me with my preparation. The institute's dedication, expertise, professionalism and their network of alumni from all top colleges who act as an excellent resource for guidance make it stand out from the rest. I would highly recommend the InsideIIM WATPI Edge Program to anyone looking to seriously prepare for and crack their MBA PI's." - Shubham converted his SPJIMR Mumbai call with InsideIIM. Join us today!
Brahma Yashaswi M, PGDM Operations & Supply Chain
• 94.68 CAT Percentile • B.Tech • 27 months Work Experience (SaaS Company)
• Multiple Internships • Karate - Black Belt • District-level Kick-boxing
"The bootcamp is among the finest interview prep courses that I came across this year . The mentorship sessions were truly helpful and encouraged me to introspect alot and be ready for the different interview scenarios that one may face. Preparing for interviews is one thing but it's equally important to prepare in the right direction and that is where Moinack sir and Debayan stepped in and provided the much needed clarity and support. Adding to it are the WAT reviews , GK dose and Domain specific sessions . Overall it was a wonderful experience and thanks to the team once again for their support during the entire process." - Sahil Gupta converted his SPJIMR Mumbai call with InsideIIM. Join us today!
Prigyansha Choubey, PGDM Marketing
• 96.2 CAT Percentile • B.Tech • 14 months Work Experience (Financial Technology Advisor)
• 9/9/9 Academics • NSS • Social service - Taught 3000 tribal students • National Level Debater • Lawn Tennis player
"It was a very good experience. The mentors are very supportive throughout the journey!" - Divya Pratap Mall converted his SPJIMR Mumbai call with InsideIIM. Join us today!
Santosh Iyer, PGDM Finance
• 92.91 CAT Percentile • BBA, Finance • Fresher (No Work Experience)
• National Level Debater • MUNs • Multiple internships
"The Bootcamp was really helpful, especially with the preparation material that was given along with the one on one mentoring and realistic mock PIs!" Bhavya Sharma converted her SPJIMR Mumbai call with InsideIIM. Join us today!
Srushti Deshpande, PGDM Business Management
• 94 CAT Percentile • BA, Economics • 36 months Work Experience (Marketing role)
• Positions of responsibility • Multiple internships • Achievements in sports • Social service
Shilpika Agarwal, PGDM Information Management
• 98.23 CAT Percentile • B.Tech • 30 months Work Experience (Senior Machine Learning Engineer)
• Academic rank holder • Positions of responsibility • Social service - Worked with NGOs
Yash Gupta, PGDM Marketing
• 96.02 CAT Percentile • B.Tech • 17 months Work Experience (Cloud Engineer at Amazon)
• Multiple Achievements in Academics • Positions of responsibility
So, I've shared a glimpse of the diverse and inspiring journeys of my peers who secured a spot here regardless of their CAT scores.
The admission journey to SPJIMR is not confined to numbers; it's a tapestry woven with the threads of passion, perseverance, and individuality, creating a masterpiece that
doesn't follow the traditional patterns - and these diverse profiles are testaments to it. Thus, as you glance at your CAT score, remember - SPJIMR is looking beyond percentiles; it's looking for the essence of what makes you uniquely you.
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