In 2022, I appeared for the IPMAT exam, hoping to get into IIM Indore through the direct entry route. But I missed the selection because I fell short in the Verbal Ability section. That one miss was tough to take. I still remember seeing the result and realizing how close I had come. I had dreamt of getting into IIM Indore for a long time, and this felt like the door had shut on that dream. But instead of letting it break me, I made a quiet promise to myself that I would come back stronger.
Note From Editor -> Free CAT Mocks 2025: Daily Sectionals!
During my undergrad in Economics at Sri Venkateswara College, I kept the goal of doing an MBA alive. I have always been interested in business strategy, leadership, and decision making. I knew an MBA from a top institute would give me the right platform. I had planned to start preparing for CAT at the end of my second year, but things did not go as planned. Due to personal reasons and semester exams, I could not begin until February 2024.
At first, I joined a smaller coaching institute, hoping for personal attention and guidance. But I soon realized it was not the right fit for my learning style. I eventually joined IMS, and for me, a structured curriculum and quality prep material made all the difference. It gave my preparation a clear direction and helped me stay consistent. For Quant, I also referred to Arun Sharma’s Quantitative Aptitude book, which really helped me strengthen my basics and build confidence.
I tried to be regular with my prep. Most days, I studied for around two to three hours. I enjoyed solving Logical Reasoning and Data Interpretation sets. Puzzles and patterns always interested me. But I was also very aware that Verbal Ability had let me down before, and I could not afford to take it lightly. I made it a point to practice RCs daily, build vocabulary, and improve my reading speed and comprehension. Slowly but surely, I started to get better.
The biggest challenge came in September, when college placements began. Even though I was focused on MBA, I decided to sit for placements as a backup. That meant managing resumes, GDs, interview prep, and CAT studies all at once. My days were packed, and I often felt mentally drained. There were times I could not focus, and I started doubting whether I could handle everything together.
But I did not stop. And it paid off. In October, I got the highest placement offer in my college. That gave me a huge sense of relief and confidence. Now, I could prepare for CAT without worrying about the what-ifs.
I started giving mocks around that time. Not as early as I should have, but I still managed to give at least ten full length mocks along with multiple sectional mocks. What helped even more than giving mocks was analysing them properly. I would go through each section, understand where I was going wrong, check how much time I was spending, and figure out which questions to skip. This helped me develop exam strategy, time management, and a better understanding of my strengths.
In the final weeks, I focused more on revision and clarity rather than doing too many new things. I kept distractions to a minimum and trusted the work I had put in. On CAT day, I stayed calm and focused on giving my best.
When the results came out, I had scored a 98.7 percentile, with a big jump in Verbal Ability, the section that had once pulled me down. I was thrilled, but more than that, I was proud of the journey and the effort it took to get there.
Getting the final offer from IIM Indore was a surreal feeling. It felt like life had come full circle. What started as rejection ended with acceptance, not just from the college, but from myself. I proved to myself that one setback does not decide your future. What matters is how you respond.
Here are a few things I learned along the way that might help others preparing for CAT:
- Verbal Ability needs daily effort. It is not just about solving a few RCs. Reading regularly, understanding tone and flow, and building a reading habit really helps.
- Mocks are not just about giving tests. Analyzing each one in detail is what helps you actually improve.
- Effective question selection and sequencing can make all the difference, and the only way to build that skill is through consistent mock analysis.
- Your journey might not be perfect. You might start late, feel stuck, or burn out. But progress is still possible if you stay consistent.
- Managing placements and CAT together is hard, but it is possible with some planning and prioritization.
This journey was about staying consistent and learning from every setback. Getting into IIM Indore felt like everything falling into place after a long effort. I am truly grateful that I kept believing in the goal and did not give up!
