Let's face it. CAT is a very difficult exam to crack, and not everyone can or wants to join an IIM or any other tier-1 management institute. With a score between 55%ile and 75%ile, all hope is not lost! Let's answer a few key questions to guide you better on your plan of action going ahead.
Should You Take CAT Again?
First things first - Is it worth appearing for CAT 2019 and trying once again? Or is waiting another 11 months too much to ask and would you rather devote your time and energy in another direction?
To answer these questions, we explore three cases:
Case 1 - Your profile is not suitable for certain B-schools
Certain business schools such as IIMs, FMS, MDI etc. rely not just on your CAT score but also on your academic profile and work experience. A candidate at any of these business schools is likely to have the following profile:
10th Percentage: 85% - 90+%
12th Percentage: 85% - 90+%
Graduation Percentage: 75% - 85+%
In addition to this, approximately 60-70% of the batch will have work experience of 12 to 48 months, which also works in their favour.
If the business school you aspire to join has strict parameters such as this, it may not be worth attempting CAT 2019, since it is unlikely that you will receive a shortlist call from these institutes even with a stellar CAT percentile (99+). Therefore, it would be wise to shift your attention to other career prospects, or appear for interviews from B-schools that may shortlist you, as mentioned below.
However, if your academic profile is suitable for most business schools, then explore the next two cases to identify if you should appear for CAT '19.
Case 2 - If you fall in the 55-64%ile bracket
To be forthright, this percentile implies that something has gone awry in your exam preparation strategy or test-taking strategy. Perhaps you started preparing late, or just did not have the inclination to appear for and crack the exam. However, let's take a look at the words of the Father of our nation:
"We may stumble and fall but shall rise again; it should be enough if we did not run away from the battle." - Mahatma Gandhi
On the bright side, your academic profile is suitable for top management institutes. All that is needed now is consistency and effort on your part to crack the exam.
Should you decide to go for another attempt, you will be required to put in the effort for acing all three sections and must aim for a 95+%ile score and nothing less. It is not an impossible task.
Case 3 - If you fall in the 65-75%ile bracket
If you're in this bracket, some things need major improvement either in your preparation strategy or your outlook towards the exam. Over 2 lakh people appear for CAT each year, and although you have scored more than 65-75% of the crowd, there is still scope for a lot of improvement if you wish to join a top management institute in 2020.
Should you choose to appear for CAT 2019, you will require guidance in the form of coaching or online courses and will have to put in a serious number of hours in order to score a minimum of 120-130 marks in the exam. The next 11 months are in your hands - you can choose to get a marginal improvement or you can go all out and go beyond the 95%ile mark.
What should you do next? Get Your Queries Answered By IIM Grads. Post your CAT Score and Percentile here.
Which B-Schools May Shortlist You At This Percentile
If you wish to appear for B-School interviews, here are the institutes that are likely to shortlist you with your CAT percentile.
| 55%ile - 64%ile | 65%ile - 75%ile |
| XIME Bangalore | BIMTECH |
| XISS Ranchi | Christ University |
| IBA (Indus Business Academy), Bangalore | Welingkar Institute of Management Studies |
| Army Institute of Management, Kolkata | Amity School of Business |
| IILM Noida | ITM Navi Mumbai |
| NL Dalmia School of Management |
Which B-Schools You Can Apply To
The following business schools have not yet closed their registration processes and will accept applications with your CAT percentile:
| B-School | Last Date For Registrations |
| XIME, Bangalore | February 23rd, 2019 |
| XISS, Ranchi | February 23rd, 2019 |
| IBA (Indus Business Academy), Bangalore | Registrations Open Now! |
| Army Institute of Management, Kolkata | January 15th, 2019 - Closes soon! |
| IILM Noida | Registrations Open Now! |
| BIMTECH | January 31st, 2019 |
| Christ University | January 18th, 2019 |
| Welingkar Institute of Management Studies | January 26th, 2019 |
| ITM Business School Navi Mumbai | March 31st, 2019 |
| NL Dalmia School of Management | Registrations Open Now! |
How To Prepare For B-School Interviews
Now that it has been established that your percentile can get you shortlisted for some top institutes, it is now time to start preparing for the interviews that are likely to begin from early February.
Listed below are some tips on how you can ace your MBA interviews:
5 Ways To Ace Your GD/PI Preparations - Must read!
Interview Prep Strategy By An IIM Ahmedabad Alumnus - Must read!
The Secret To Cracking GD-PIs At Top Indian B-Schools
How To Prepare For Writing Ability Test - Tips From An IIM Lucknow Student
How To Prepare For An MBA Interview - Tips From An Expert
Here are the B-schools that will shortlist you if:
Stay tuned for more content related to CAT 2018 results!
