There are some MBA aspirants who just aim for the top and
don’t focus anywhere else. For them, success is guaranteed. One such
example is B Sekhar Anand, who aimed only for IIM Ahmedabad and by
systematic preparation and focus, he made it to his choice of B-School
by scoring 99.99 percentile in CAT 2011. In today’s Topper Mantras, we
will know his success strategy.
A B.Tech in Mathematics and
Computing from IIT Guwahati, B Sekhar Anand is a Silver medalist with
two merit scholarships. He has work experience of 22 months in Futures
First as an Analyst in Energy Markets. He has led a B-Plan event and
enjoys quizzing and epic fantasy.
Excerpts from the interview:
Q: Why and when did you decide to do MBA? What is your plan after you complete your MBA?
A: After completing my graduation from IIT Guwahati, I was working as a derivatives trader. It was during this period that I decided to do an MBA for both the learning and the opportunities available after the program. I would like to continue in the financial services sector - work for a few years, and later establish my own firm.
Q: What is your CAT 2011 percentile? Which other MBA entrance exams did you take?
A: My CAT 2011 percentile is 99.99. I had not attempted any other exams since my aim was to get into IIM A.
Q: Please share your WAT/PI experience in detail.
A: My WAT/PI experience was very enjoyable. The topic for WAT was on corruption's affects- a topic that I was comfortable with. The PI on the other hand was skewed towards my academics. A lot of preparation beforehand helped me answer most of the questions. Though I could not answer a few, the interviewer was fairly satisfied with my approach to those questions.
Q: Which institutes offered you final admission? Why did you choose IIM Ahmedabad?
A: I was offered final admissions to IIM Ahmedabad, Calcutta and Lucknow. I chose IIM A not only for its reputation of being the best B-School in the nation but also for the amazing peer group here.
Q: How did you start the preparation and what was your overall strategy?
A: Coming from a Quant background, I decided to concentrate on my verbal skills and allocated maximum time for it. After reviewing the basics of English grammar, I practiced as much as I could. I took several mock tests (both sectional and complete) in order to get accustomed to the thought process. It also helped improve my speed and timing.
Q: Do you think it is possible to crack CAT without taking formal coaching? What would you suggest the CAT 2012 aspirants who would like to prepare by themselves?
A: I myself did not take any formal coaching for 'belling the CAT'. I believe that all a person needs to crack CAT is hours of practice. CAT tests the ability to solve and analyze as quickly as possible. So, my suggestion to the CAT 2012 aspirants who would like to prepare by themselves is to plan their preparation meticulously and do as many practice tests as possible.
Q: CAT saw a major change in the format & pattern in 2011. How did you prepare for it? Did this new pattern cause any hindrance in your preparation or exam taking strategy?
A: Though the pattern and format changed, the essence of CAT still remained the same. Fast analysis and problem-solving is still the criteria for selection. So, my preparation did not change. On the other hand, I had to modify my strategy to increase my accuracy for the new format.
Q: What was your preparation strategy for the Quantitative Ability & Data Interpretation and Verbal Ability & Logical Reasoning?
A: For QA & DI, my focus was on accuracy and getting as many correct answers as possible. So, I practiced with time-based tests. For VA & LR, I had to improve my knowledge level first. So, I constantly analyzed the mistakes that I made, and was always conscious of them while taking the next test. This helped me both understand the concepts better and reduce my mistakes.
Q: What was your strategy for time management?
A: My strategy for time management was to keep a tab on my progress every 15 minutes of the test. If I was behind time, I picked up my speed for the next few questions. If I was ahead of time, I tried to solve the next few questions more accurately using the extra time. This dynamic strategy helped me attempt maximum questions without getting bogged down by any particular one.
Q: What is your message for the MBA aspirants who will take CAT 2012 and other exams of the season?
A: Consistency and practice were the two key words of my preparation. It is very essential to not only practice as much as possible but also maintain an error log and learn from that practice. Finally, I would advise all aspirants to remain calm and confident while giving the test.
Stay tuned to MBAUniverse.com for more Topper Mantras.
A B.Tech in Mathematics and
Computing from IIT Guwahati, B Sekhar Anand is a Silver medalist with
two merit scholarships. He has work experience of 22 months in Futures
First as an Analyst in Energy Markets. He has led a B-Plan event and
enjoys quizzing and epic fantasy. Excerpts from the interview:
Q: Why and when did you decide to do MBA? What is your plan after you complete your MBA?
A: After completing my graduation from IIT Guwahati, I was working as a derivatives trader. It was during this period that I decided to do an MBA for both the learning and the opportunities available after the program. I would like to continue in the financial services sector - work for a few years, and later establish my own firm.
Q: What is your CAT 2011 percentile? Which other MBA entrance exams did you take?
A: My CAT 2011 percentile is 99.99. I had not attempted any other exams since my aim was to get into IIM A.
Q: Please share your WAT/PI experience in detail.
A: My WAT/PI experience was very enjoyable. The topic for WAT was on corruption's affects- a topic that I was comfortable with. The PI on the other hand was skewed towards my academics. A lot of preparation beforehand helped me answer most of the questions. Though I could not answer a few, the interviewer was fairly satisfied with my approach to those questions.
Q: Which institutes offered you final admission? Why did you choose IIM Ahmedabad?
A: I was offered final admissions to IIM Ahmedabad, Calcutta and Lucknow. I chose IIM A not only for its reputation of being the best B-School in the nation but also for the amazing peer group here.
Q: How did you start the preparation and what was your overall strategy?
A: Coming from a Quant background, I decided to concentrate on my verbal skills and allocated maximum time for it. After reviewing the basics of English grammar, I practiced as much as I could. I took several mock tests (both sectional and complete) in order to get accustomed to the thought process. It also helped improve my speed and timing.
Q: Do you think it is possible to crack CAT without taking formal coaching? What would you suggest the CAT 2012 aspirants who would like to prepare by themselves?
A: I myself did not take any formal coaching for 'belling the CAT'. I believe that all a person needs to crack CAT is hours of practice. CAT tests the ability to solve and analyze as quickly as possible. So, my suggestion to the CAT 2012 aspirants who would like to prepare by themselves is to plan their preparation meticulously and do as many practice tests as possible.
Q: CAT saw a major change in the format & pattern in 2011. How did you prepare for it? Did this new pattern cause any hindrance in your preparation or exam taking strategy?
A: Though the pattern and format changed, the essence of CAT still remained the same. Fast analysis and problem-solving is still the criteria for selection. So, my preparation did not change. On the other hand, I had to modify my strategy to increase my accuracy for the new format.
Q: What was your preparation strategy for the Quantitative Ability & Data Interpretation and Verbal Ability & Logical Reasoning?
A: For QA & DI, my focus was on accuracy and getting as many correct answers as possible. So, I practiced with time-based tests. For VA & LR, I had to improve my knowledge level first. So, I constantly analyzed the mistakes that I made, and was always conscious of them while taking the next test. This helped me both understand the concepts better and reduce my mistakes.
Q: What was your strategy for time management?
A: My strategy for time management was to keep a tab on my progress every 15 minutes of the test. If I was behind time, I picked up my speed for the next few questions. If I was ahead of time, I tried to solve the next few questions more accurately using the extra time. This dynamic strategy helped me attempt maximum questions without getting bogged down by any particular one.
Q: What is your message for the MBA aspirants who will take CAT 2012 and other exams of the season?
A: Consistency and practice were the two key words of my preparation. It is very essential to not only practice as much as possible but also maintain an error log and learn from that practice. Finally, I would advise all aspirants to remain calm and confident while giving the test.
Stay tuned to MBAUniverse.com for more Topper Mantras.
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