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.
And months later, in tears, I found myself repeating those very words to my mother. But this time, I wasn’t broken. I was relieved. Because I had just received my acceptance letter from MICA, my dream B-school.
This journey has been nothing short of a whirlwind—a series of chaotic hurdles, deep introspection, personal evolution, and finally, a dream come true.
Profile Snapshot
GEF 9/9/9 fresher CS engineer (tier-2)
CAT Score: 93.88 percentile
MICAT Score: 13
MICA: Converted
IIM Amritsar: Converted
XIMB: Converted
SPJIMR: Rejected after GI-1
TISS: Missed
IIT KGP VGSOM: Waitlisted
IIM Sambhalpur: Converted
IIM SAP: Call received but not attended
Choosing the Unconventional Path
I attented VIT Bhopal University for pursuing B.Tech in Computer Science and Engineering, but always knew that it was not my calling, I was always drawn to marketing. My involvement in college clubs and elective courses had already sparked the fire. With my university allowing final-year students to complete their degree from home, I returned to Ujjain on June 15 with a focused heart and one goal: Get into a tier-1 marketing B-school.
Unlike many others, I decided not to work in my graduation field. A controversial decision, maybe, but a very personal one. I believe work experience is valuable, but so is knowing what you truly want. For me, higher education was the natural next step, and the field of marketing felt like home. Also, a dream to study in a tier-1 institute kept me from even filling applications for any other B-schools; the goal was clear, tier-1 and got even clearer after August, MICA.
Preparing for CAT
I chose to prepare for CAT on my own, which meant a self-made study plan, a lot of free resources, and an evolving strategy.
To have some structure, I took IMS self-study material, although I didn’t greatly benefit from it. I relied more on mocks from CATKing and YouTube videos from Unacademy and Rodha for conceptual clarity.
Reading became my morning ritual. I started my day with a newspaper, preparing myself subconsciously for GDs and essays. Then came reading books, followed by intensive VARC practice with two sectional tests daily. Afternoons were reserved for Quants, since it required consistent effort due to the vast syllabus. Evenings included a bit of self-care—gym, breaks—before I tackled DILR at night, my most focused time. Each day ended with reviewing mistakes and planning the next steps.
As for syllabus planning, I referred to previous year papers set by IIM Calcutta, which was setting the CAT that year. I noticed a pattern: moderate VARC, moderate DILR with games & tournaments, and arithmetic-heavy Quants. This targeted approach helped me be efficient.
Mocks began in August, which in hindsight was a bit late. I wanted to finish 80% of the syllabus before beginning mocks—a mistake. It took me long to analyze patterns. I gave 2 mocks per week, increasing to 4 per week from mid-September till October end. I created a tally sheet for recurring errorsto avoid repeating them.
But life threw a curveball. In November, I was hit by dengue. After November 15, I couldn’t take a single mock. I shifted my focus to revising strong topics and left what felt out of reach.
The CAT result was a bit less than what I wanted, but I was sure it was enough to get me to the MICA gates.
Preparing for MICAT
I didn’t touch MICAT prep before CAT—the syllabus was similar, and I wanted to give my all to CAT first.
Post-CAT, I switched gears to prepare for MICAT, a 3-hour exam designed to test every side of your brain. It consists of:
- Psychometric Test – measuring empathy, personality, consistency
- Aptitude Test – analytical and logical thinking
- Descriptive Test – creativity through story-writing from image prompts.
For psychometric prep, I took mock tests from random sites to get used to the format. The key was staying consistent in my responses and sticking to my core beliefs. For the aptitude part, CAT prep had already trained me. The essay section felt natural to me as a writer, but I still took 5 full-length MICAT mocks to build stamina for the 3-hour duration.
Then came the day of MICAT-1, on 7th December. The exam center had server issues; the exam got delayed by 2.5 hours. The keyboard for the essay section malfunctioned. I walked out feeling I had lost my only shot.
Yet, life had other plans. On 14th Feb I got the MICA shortlist, valentine's day surprise? How romantic of MICA!
Preparing for GE/PI Rounds
The Group Exercise (GE) and Personal Interview (PI) rounds were the toughest challenge for someone like me—shy, soft-spoken, and not naturally confident in public speaking. Just a year ago, the thought of interviews was a nightmare. But today, I love this part of the journey.
I had received a call from SPJIMR, a huge milestone for any fresher, and even more special for me since it was a profile-based call. I didn’t want to leave anything to chance. So, I enrolled in CATKing’s GD/PI program, attending lectures diligently every night from 10 to 11 PM. I took detailed notes and consciously worked on integrating those learnings into my personality. This journey transformed me—not just into a stronger interviewee but also a better storyteller, a more logical thinker, charismatic, and even a little diplomatic.
It wasn’t easy. Being a first-time interviewee filled with self-doubt, I spent hours recording myself to practice tone, pitch, and pauses. I gave mock interviews to mentors, friends, and family repeatedly. 
I practiced so much that I could wake up in the middle of the night and start with
“Good morning, I am Mudita Pathak from the holy city Ujjain...”
perfectly timed, fingers counting key points I wanted to cover.
To prepare thoroughly, I revisited my undergraduate subjects like I was doing my B.Tech all over again in two months. I created a list of potential interview questions and made concise footnotes for each, adding real-life managerial problems and attempting to solve them myself. This exercise was invaluable during actual interviews.
The whole process made me revisit my hobbies and sports, read about them in depth, so that I could answer everything I have mentioned about myself in my application form.
Some might find it unusual, but I even wrote daily affirmations to boost my confidence and mentally prepared myself to handle counter-questions. I left no stone unturned—no chances taken.
I saw MICA in all its glory
I chose Ahmedabad deliberately for my GE-PI because of a previous experience at another B-school. There, I picked the last interview slot and felt the panel had grown more selective. So this time, I decided to be among the first, no matter what.
On Feb 26, I reached Ahmedabad. And surprise, I caught a cold again. The Ola driver dropped me at the wrong address, and I barely reached on time. As the registration began, I realized with horror—I forgot my call letter. Thankfully, the admissions team helped me through.
But once I stepped into MICA’s campus, something shifted. It was full of energy, colours, and conversations—a place that felt like it was waiting for me. I felt a sense of belonging, like I was already a part of it.
Picture screenshotted from a video my sister took following me, as she said, we are at Mudita's college, sorry, prospective college and I smiled cheek to cheek before walking into the iconic auditorium at MICA.
The Iconic Auditorium at MICA, where verification and group formation took place.
After verification we were divided into groups of 8 and sent for the Group Exercise, it went well, and I enjoyed the networking. We were supposed to make a poster on sustaible development goals with off track methods and present it in a span of 30 minutes.
For the Personal Interview, the panel had typical questions that were asked with slammingcounters, so in MICAn style, I prepared for them already, and answered with humility and confidence. Questions like the meaning of your name, why MBA, why marketing, why engineering before MBA, what is your dream job role, how can you be an addition to MICAand the most important question of them all, why only MICA, to answer this, I wrote a poem about MICA, my dreams, speaking on work, my life and patriarchy. The word 'patriarchy' sparked a conversation. As I spoke, I broke down into tears—overwhelmed, emotional, cold-struck. I apologised, but the panel was empathetic. They let me be. And I let myself be. Here is the poem I wrote.
Another great addition was thinking on the spot, when they asked me about why engineering before MBA, I went back to my SPJIMR interview, where put me as an area sales manager for BlinkIt and asked me to use my computer science engineering skills to find out the best location for a warehouse in a new city, the answer revolved around spanning maps and Djistra algortithm, i could answer it back then, but slyly used to the same example in my MICA interview, made me sound business oriented and master of my UG subjects, in short, a successful answer. The interview went well, and the panel smiled at me, exchanged greetings, and I took a breath of sigh, didn't know how all this would reflect, took a cab back to the hotel where I broke out in allergies. Spots, rashes, crying. I didn’t speak about the experience for days.
And then, on April 15, MICA gave me the surprise of my life. A place in the Class of 2027, PGDM-C.
Key Learnings from My MICA Journey
- Your path is your own – Whether it’s taking a drop, self-studying, or not working in your grad field, tailor your choices to who you are.
- Late is better than never – Even if you start mocks late, even if you fall sick, keep going.
- Consistency > Perfection – You don’t need to ace every test. You need to show up every day.
- Interviews are emotional, and that’s okay – Let your authenticity show. It matters more than a perfect script.
- Health is part of prep – The best plans can fail if you don’t take care of your body.
- Take mock interviews seriously – Prepare like it’s game day. Practice until you feel confident.
- Believe in turnarounds – Even when everything feels wrong, the best can still be just around the corner.
To anyone preparing for a B-school this year, I hope this story reminds you: You are allowed to fall apart and still make it. Your journey may not look perfect, but it can still be powerful. And lastly, always remember, Bohot kuch galat hota hai, bohot kuch accha hone se pehle. All the best!
