Just a year ago, I had barely heard of CAT, let alone understood what it took to crack it and get into the top B-schools of the country. As a final-year student pursuing a 5-year BA-LLB from NUJS, Kolkata, my career path seemed predictable: joining a corporate law firm or starting practice as an advocate in litigation.
Having interned in both domains, I realized neither of them truly resonated with me and my strengths. I felt stuck, unsure of my next move. I was convinced that I had a keen interest in finance, but corporate law as a field did not allow me to interact with the core aspects of finance at all. Instead it was looking at finance through a rear view mirror at a distance, and integrating law with the same.
That's when a friend suggested me: "Why don't you try CAT? It would not only play to your strengths but also provide a launchpad into the corporate landscape."
Even though I was hesitant in changing my field altogether, the idea struck a chord with me since it gave me a chance to hone my skills in the field I was interested in.
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The Leap of Faith
Having graduated in June, I made up my mind about attempting CAT the same year, and thus started my preparation from July, 2024. I had set an ambitious target of scoring 99%ile with just five months to prepare. As I wished to achieve this in my first attempt itself, I decided to refrain from securing a full-time job and instead dedicated myself entirely to CAT preparation.
I enrolled in an online coaching program to maintain flexibility in my study schedule. My plan was straightforward: mastering all concepts by mid-August and then diving into mock tests. My first mock was a reality check, where I scored just 50 marks of which 30 marks were from VARC alone.
Playing to My Strengths
That first mock revealed something crucial: VARC was my strongest suit, while Quant and DILR needed serious work. Instead of following the recommended approach of reading Aeon essays and editorial columns religiously, I simply skimmed newspapers daily to stay updated while maintaining basic reading habit.
More importantly, I tailored my test-taking strategy around my strengths. Before each mock, I set specific section-wise targets: attempt all VARC questions, solve at least two DILR sets, and tackle 10 Quant questions. I also used the performance analytics from my coaching platform, to continuously refine my strategy. For instance, I noticed that I was either skipping easy VA questions or getting them wrong due to time pressure towards the end. So, I did what most aspirants would avoid doing, I started to attempt all the VA questions first and then moved to the 4 RCs. While this approach worked for me, I'd advise others to experiment based on their own strengths.
The Quant Struggle
Once I consistently scored in the 90+ %ile range, I hit a frustrating plateau. I observed that I was not able to attempt even 5 questions correctly in Quants. This happened just a month before the exam in late October. Having scored 99/100 in Maths during my 12th boards, seeing single-digit scores in Quants was particularly demoralizing.
To address this, I started taking sectional tests and adopted a solution that I found on YouTube: tackling very easy questions in Round 1, medium-level questions in Round 2, and attempting difficult ones only if time permitted in Round 3. This systematic approach prevented me from missing easy questions while getting lost in complex problems. I also maintained a formula book for last-minute revision of key concepts across different chapters in Quants.
D-Day Nerves and Triumph
As the D-Day, 24th November 2025, approached, self-doubt crept in. "What if I don't achieve 99%ile?" "What if my gap year becomes a waste?" In order to calm my nerves down, I talked to my friends and family and that helped me a lot.
On exam day, I had the early morning Slot 1. Despite walking in relaxed, the paper had surprises in store: two additional DILR questions, a jumbled order of RC and VA questions, and a relatively easier QA section. Staying calm through these curveballs, I heaved a sigh of relief because when the results rolled out I had managed to score 99.53%ile in CAT.
With a strong academic record and a law background, I had hoped for an IIM Ahmedabad call in the AC5 category, but that didn't materialize and I was slightly disappointed. However, as I had scored well in SNAP (99.98%ile) and XAT (99.48%ile) as well I received calls from almost all top business schools, including ISB, IIM Indore, IIM Kozhikode, SPJIMR, XLRI, and FMS inter alia.
The Interview Marathon
My first interview at SPJIMR's Mumbai campus was memorable. All five candidates in my group were shortlisted for Finance specialization, leading to unique questions like "When did you decide you wanted to pursue an MBA in Finance?" Surprisingly, all five of us advanced to the next round, where I was asked a question that caught me off guard: "What business would you start in a drought-affected town?" Unfortunately, I didn’t secure an admit from SPJIMR, although I still cherish the mug which they gave us as a memento.
Every subsequent interview featured the inevitable question: "Why MBA after law?". In my mock interviews I had prepared for this question, wherein I lucidly explained to the panellists my motivations of pursuing an MBA and how my corporate law background would align with broader corporate roles post-MBA.
The ISB Breakthrough
While filling the extensive application form for their first-ever PGP YL batch, requiring essays and LORs, I had wondered, "Wouldn't it be amazing if I actually made it to ISB, that too as a fresher?". Fast forward to the ISB interview day in Delhi when I thought the opportunity almost slipped out of my hand. Sitting in ‘The Lalit Hotel’ lobby, I realized I had forgotten my tie. Panic set in momentarily as I worried about making a poor impression without proper formal attire.
However, quick thinking saved the day. I asked a Delhi-based friend to Porter a tie to the venue, which arrived just in time. Walking into the interview with renewed confidence, everything went smoothly until I found myself gasping for breath while answering a question. I politely asked for water, which they graciously provided, and then I continued confidently. At the end I shook hands with all the panellists, and had a positive feeling about how the interview went.
A few days later, the email arrived: "Congratulations, we are pleased to offer you admission to ISB." My first admit from such a prestigious institution felt like validation of eight months of dedicated effort.
Lessons Learned
Reflecting on this journey, I feel if I had to do it all over again, I would focus more on my weak areas to improve my overall test score and prepare SOP answers during CAT preparation itself. This is because once the shortlists of all B-schools are announced, there's limited time to submit applications, and well-structured SOPs are crucial since interview panels often refer to them.
So, my advice to future CAT aspirants is fourfold:
- Tailor your strategy to your strengths. Develop and refine a test-taking approach that maximizes your strong areas while managing weaker sections. This significantly boosts mock scores.
- Prepare SOP answers early. Start working on SOP questions during CAT preparation. This not only gives a clear sense of purpose but also provides ample time for proper structuring.
- Project confidence and honesty in interviews. Panellists easily detect low confidence and self-esteem from a mile away, so genuine confidence always helps your cause.
- Stay adaptable. Being prepared for unexpected situations proves invaluable when facing surprise questions and topics in mocks, interviews, or group discussions.
Most importantly, stay committed to your preparation. With dedication and the right strategy, you can definitely make it to India's finest B-schools, even if you are a non-engineer. If anything, my journey from a law school to a B-school proves that sometimes the most unexpected paths lead to the most rewarding destinations.
