IIM A, B, C Or Nothing! How I Pursued My Dreams And Got Into IIM Bangalore

For me, the equation was simple - IIM ABC or nothing. I wrote CAT 2017 with the sole purpose to join one of the top 3- IIMs (The ABC of Indian B-schools). Far from getting into the holy trinity, I didn't even get shortlisted by a single one of them. My dreams were shattered and I was frustrated.  I converted my IIM Indore and IIM Kozhikode calls that year. I was in a dilemma - should I join IIM I/K or wait one more year and have one more shot at my dreams?

Everyone from my friends and family advised me to join one of IIM Indore or IIM Kozhikode, as they are among some of the best B-schools in the country. "CAT is unpredictable and you don't know you would fare in your next attempt," they said. It would be foolish to let such an opportunity pass for an unsure future. But my heart didn't want to give up on my dreams. When I started preparing for CAT, like every other CAT aspirant, I dreamt of getting into one of IIM A, B or C. IIM Indore and IIM Kozhikode are amazing B-schools but my love for IIM ABC didn't allow me to join any other B-school in 2018. Since this was my first attempt at CAT and I was a working professional with just 6 months of work experience, I was in a position to take the risk.

Fast forward to September 2018, 2 months prior to CAT. I was going through the same feelings and emotions I went through last year. No matter how many times you write CAT, you can't be sure of your performance on the D-day. I can't say I never pondered over my decision to pass the opportunity to join IIM I/K. I was going through a mixed bag of emotions, "What if I don't even get IIM I or K this year?" "How would I justify the decision I took last year?" But, somewhere in my mind, I knew that even if I fail, I've given my dreams a chance. Soon came 25th November 2018 - the day of the actual CAT. By this point in time, I had done everything I could to make sure that I got those coveted calls that I've always wanted.