This interview was conducted with Anas Ahmad(IIM-U 2025-27), who discussed his CAT journey and shared valuable insights for the current CAT aspirants.
Profile: 8/8/7, 3 years of work experience, CAT score 93.85%
1. Give us a brief Introduction about yourself.
I completed a BCom from Delhi University in 2022. Post that, I started as an analyst at Aon, where I worked on health and benefits consulting. Over my 3 years of tenure, I mastered various industry-oriented tools and skills while working on various projects and got promoted to Consultant. I decided to pursue an MBA as I wanted to achieve better career growth and explore career opportunities that align more closely with my goals.
2. Give us a brief about your CAT prep strategy.
I have given the CAT 3 times previously, and while I converted a few reputable B schools before, I wanted to give a final attempt as I knew I could score better. As VARC was my strongest section, I mostly practiced it through mocks. For Quant, while I had built a strong base through my previous attempts, I didn’t want to leave any stone unturned. So, I revised core concepts topic-wise and practiced questions daily. Lastly, LRDI was my only weak section, and I used to solve 3-5 sets every day. By the end of my preparation, I had roughly solved over 400 sets. I used to attempt 2 mocks every week and ended up giving around 22-25 mocks overall. For the mock analysis, I compared all my answers with the solutions, not just the incorrect ones. This helped me find an efficient way of solving questions that I was getting right but spending more time on, instead of just focusing on incorrect answers.
3. In comparison to your previous attempts, what did you do differently this time?
In all my previous attempts, LRDI had always been my weakest section. So, I was determined to focus more on it this year. I used to solve 3-5 sets on weekdays after coming back from the office, and solve 6-8 sets on weekends when I had more time to study. I mainly practiced through PYQs and sample questions based on PYQs. I also gave mocks with the mindset of giving the actual paper and analysed them more diligently, something I believe I didn’t spend enough time on before.
3. How did you manage CAT prep with a job?
It was a tough journey, however, I was determined to achieve my goals. My office timings were 12 pm to 9 pm, so I would usually study at night. I dedicated close to 4-5 hrs after office every day. On weekends, I would study for close to 8-9 hrs. While all this, I also made sure to take breaks and talk to friends so I could feel refreshed and get back to studying. It’s important to have a balance between studying and taking breaks.
From Arts Background to IIM Lucknow
4. How did you prepare for WATPI?
As I have 3 years of work experience, I thoroughly self-prepared relevant topics related to health insurance consulting and academic concepts. As far as HR questions go, I mostly took guidance from a study peer group run by current B-school students, online forums, and enrolled in a WATPI bootcamp for mock interviews. Mock interviews helped me fine-tune my HR answers and work on any weaker areas pointed out by my mentor. Lastly, for current affairs, I referred to a few UPSC YouTube channels.
5. How was your interview experience?
My interview experience across colleges was varied, but most were a step ahead of traditional interviews. The panelists were focused on understanding my profile beyond work experience and academics. One interesting question that surprised me was asked in IIM Kozhikode. The panelists asked me about the Shakespeare plays that I had read in 10th grade. They asked me a few questions regarding who my favorite characters were and what I thought of the plays. While I was able to answer confidently, it still felt nice to know that the interviewers were interested in hearing about my interests and assessing my application beyond the grades and scores.
6. What B schools have you converted?
I converted: IIM Udaipur, IIM Trichy, IIM Raipur, IIM Ranchi, IIM Bodhgaya, IIM Amritsar, IIM Sambalpur, IIM kashipur, IIT Madras, IIT Roorkee, IMT Ghaziabad, Tapmi
I have been waitlisted in IIM Lucknow, IIM Kozhikode, IIM Shillong, IIT Delhi, IIM Vizag, IIM Rohtak, IIM Jammu
7. What factors did you look at while deciding which college among the IIMs CAP?
I looked at many factors, largely I compared the rankings of all the colleges under CAP, compared the placement reports of all, companies visiting the institutes, especially scanning the type of roles offered under the domain I wish to pursue. While comparing the data of the last few years, IIM Udaipur stood out as the fastest growing among the 2nd generation IIMs. Ultimately, I decided to go with IIM Udaipur as I felt the institute closely aligned with my career goals.
8. Any advice for current CAT aspirants?
Be positive, work hard, and enjoy the process. If you put too much pressure or set unrealistic standards to improve your performance, you’ll end up scoring worse than before. Appear for mocks diligently and spend time analysing them properly instead of rushing through the analysis. The real progress is made when you understand your weaker areas and can work on them.
This interview was conducted with author Ishita Mishra.
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