MBA Aspirant3 minutes

From 55%ile To 98%ile In CAT - How I Made It To IIM Lucknow

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Sharmistha Roy
Sharmistha Roy

So done with all the enthusiasm? An ephemeral excitement, a momentary commitment and then trying to escape it, trying to convince yourself that you cannot make it. How many of you have actually thought of appearing for CAT and leaving your job behind just because you are frustrated with your job? Gathered up all the thoughts, paid a hefty amount to the coaching centres and enrolled yourself to a preparation course, is that it?

No, CAT is not about enrollment, it is not about temporary commitment and excitement of a day. CAT is dedication, devotion, and preparation for CAT is the time when you spend sleepless nights so that you can live your dreams.  

So how do you go about preparing while having a hectic full-time job? The key lies in one word - Commitment. Let me start with my story.

If you go by my CAT score, well see the following graph for the year wise percentile...  

Ahem...

Pretty evident that I am not one of the permanent high scorers. Generally, a score above 95 percentile is considered to be good and every year, 95% of the students who appear for the CAT exam, fail to achieve that 95 percentile.

Why do you think most of them fail? Don't they have the capability? Don't they have the calibre required to ace CAT? The answer is that everyone is capable as long as you make your every 'EPHEMERAL' emotion towards CAT 'PERPETUAL'.

Make the zeal last longer, make the early morning preparation a habit, make the weekly mock a part of your life, reading a newspaper and remembering the difficult words should be your forte. Look at your dream campus's images. Don't you feel the campus was just built so that you can achieve that? Don't you feel the enthralling goosebumps when you imagine looking at your dream B-schools acceptance letter? Every year almost 1800 students get in IIM ABCL, don't you feel the motivation to be a part of those cream of the students? Don't you hear the proud claps of your parents on your convocation day?

You do! You certainly do... you just do not want to disturb the status quo! You just do not want to wake up at 7 AM to study because you did not want to miss the last episode of your favourite series last night. You just do not want to go for the mock CATs because you do not want to miss the first day, the first show of that movie. You just do not want to read a newspaper because watching stand up comedy videos seems more convenient.

You must be thinking how do I know all these things about you.

I know because I have been you until May 2017. And I have tried to make the zeal last longer post that. Devotion, dedication, and contribution of 2-3 hours per day changed the status quo. It changed my life. It can change yours. You will have an ample number of articles on how to prepare and increase your score of each of the QAM, DILR, VARC section. Just gather up the motivation and break that stagnant, mundane, daily life. Work hard and go and ace that CAT.

If I can, you can too!

#HelLiteForLife

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From 55%ile To 98%ile In CAT - How I Made It To IIM Lucknow