My Detailed CAT Preparation Journey That Led Me To MDI Gurgaon | Amol Jain, MDI' 27
Profile: 9/9/8, 2 years of work-ex, CAT score 98%
Profile: 9/9/8, 2 years of work-ex, CAT score 98%
"Koi baat nahi, beta. Try harder next time." It hit me during the car ride home. I’d been hearing this same line from my dad for years. After my 10th boards (76%), after 12th (82%), and now, again after a disastrous CAT 2023 attempt. Sitting there with a 90.45%ile, far from what I needed for the colleges I dreamt of (because of my bad profile), I wasn’t just disappointed, I was terrified! Terrified that maybe I wasn’t good enough. That despite a yearlong preparation tenure, maybe this was the best I could do. The fear wasn't just of failure; it was of repeating a pattern of living up to a version of me that never quite delivered.
It was 2:17 AM. I was sitting on the terrace of my hostel, eyes blurry, CAT result glowing on my cracked phone screen.
I once overheard someone say, “Bohot kuch galat hota hai, bohot kuch accha hone se pehle.” It stayed with me. The idea that the worst often precedes the best became a lens through which I began to see my journey.
The sea had been my home, my identity, and my classroom. Over the years, I’ve sailed across the vast Atlantic to the shores of Africa, maneuvered oil carriers through the bustling ports of Dubai, and docked near the palm-laced harbors of the United States. From stormy midnights to sunrises over still waters — life at sea was nothing short of cinematic. But even amidst that vastness, there was always a quiet whisper in the back of my mind:
Back in 2023 I began my CAT journey. I had given it everything. Six months of grueling 4 AM alarms, endless mock tests and sacrificed weekends. I followed every strategy, solved every PYQ and even gave up on the Diwali celebrations. I deserved a 99 percentile after all of this. But it seems like life had other plans.
In 2024, after three rigorous years and over 240 mocks, I finally made it — I’m joining IIM Calcutta this year with a 99.81 percentile in CAT. This was my third attempt. The journey wasn’t linear, but every setback shaped the comeback.
A few years ago, if someone had told me I’d get into IIM Lucknow, I wouldn’t have believed them. I didn’t think I was someone who could crack CAT, let alone get into a top IIM. But here I am, not because things were easy, but because I kept going.