In today’s Topper Mantras series of MBAUniverse.com, we
will share with you the success story of Aditya Agar, who scored 99.89
percentile in CAT 2011 and converted calls of IIM Bangalore, Lucknow,
Indore, Kozhikode, Shillong, Raipur, Rohtak, Kashipur, Udaipur and
Trichy. He chose IIM Bangalore as his next two year’s address.
As Aditya started his preparation from the year 2009, it gave him a huge insight on the core content of the exam and enough scope to experiment for his exam taking strategy.
An Electrical Engineer graduate
from NIT Bhopal, Aditya passed out in the year 2011 and worked for a
major FMCG company for seven months thereafter.
Excerpts from the interview:
Q: Why and when did you decide to do MBA? What is your plan after you complete your MBA?
A: The reason for zeroing down on PGP was based on perceptions and college seniors’ inputs to begin with. As thoughts took shape and matured, I understood that I wanted to do an MBA because I have a keen interest in Human Resource Management. A formal education, thus, becomes quintessential to help me pursue this interest.
Q: What is your CAT 2011 percentile?
A: I scored 99.89 percentile in CAT 2011.
Q: Please share your WAT/PI experience in detail.
A: At IIM Bangalore’s WAT/PI process, I was asked to first write an essay on ‘Foreign coaches are a waste of money in Indian sports.’
My interview was centred on my experience at work and I was asked a lot of questions on the contributions I made to the organization. All in all, the interview was a big test of finding out what I gave to the organization I worked for and to the college I came from, which, trust me is very difficult to comprehend.
Q: Which institutes offered you final admission? Why did you choose IIM Bangalore?
A: Apart from IIM Bangalore I had final admission offers from IIM Lucknow, IIM Indore, IIM Kozhikode, IIM Shillong, IIM Raipur, IIM Rohtak, IIM Kashipur, IIM Udaipur and IIM Trichy. I was waitlisted at number 26 initially at IIM Calcutta which did not yield a final convert.
Choosing IIM Bangalore was not really a tough decision, however, I think I chose IIM Bangalore as it is a confluence of hard work and fun, studies and non-academic activities and most importantly, the eminent professors and other faculty members and exceptionally challenging peer group!
Q: How did you start the preparation and what was your overall strategy?
A: CAT preparation, for me, started way back in 2009 when I moved to the 5th semester in my undergrad course. I absolutely loved English and reading newspapers and it all began with my urge to make myself better at the knowledge of the language and that of the world. Mathematics and DI were the rather sweet distractions from my main goals.
I think I had only one strategy and that was to review my tests and exams in great detail. It is perfectly fine to not know some things in the exam and I wish to assert that I made many blunders and grave mistakes in my mock CATs, but the strategy was to review everything and strive to not repeat any mistake!
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: Cracking CAT Without coaching is possible, but it is not possible to do that without mock CATs. If you are preparing for CAT 2012 without the help of a coaching institute, please make good use of your limited time and learn to identify your mistakes and weaknesses and don’t deny their presence. Most importantly, relax your mind if you’re in a fix in an exam or in mock CATs, after all it is Mathematics and English!
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: I don’t think we had a great idea as to what the finer pattern within the two broad heads could be and everybody indulged in speculations. Even today, when people call the pattern as ‘changed’, the method of preparation remains the same as was for the last 3 CATs. When you have a countdown timer on your screen, your approach, however, might change. But all in all, the basic preparation structure has not changed since 2009.
My approach was to first eliminate step by step all of my woes in English-Language and Grammar and RC. Once this was done, I tried to balance a week’s study in the three areas. Also, one learning I wish to share is that aspirants should treat mock CATs as mock CATs; please don’t lose heart if things don’t work out in mocks. I have seen people giving up on CAT citing their bad performance in two or three mocks. Please take success and failure in your stride, it equips you with skills you’ll need once you enter your dream college.
Q: What was your strategy for time management?
A: However difficult people make it appear, I think that CAT preparation is about mind management. Just remember to evenly spread all the three topics’ studies over the number of days left for the CAT from now and stick to it.
Q: What is your message for the MBA aspirants who will take CAT 2012 and other exams of the season?
A: Be sincere but not extremely serious! Believe me, CAT preparation can be fun, but there is life outside the CAT prep books as well. Try and keep yourself updated on the things happening around the world and particularly in our country. Also, please figure out why you want to get a degree in management and what your aims are because every institute would want to know this answer in their interview rounds. And yes, be receptive!
Stay tuned to MBAUniverse.com for more Topper Mantras.
As Aditya started his preparation from the year 2009, it gave him a huge insight on the core content of the exam and enough scope to experiment for his exam taking strategy.
An Electrical Engineer graduate
from NIT Bhopal, Aditya passed out in the year 2011 and worked for a
major FMCG company for seven months thereafter. Excerpts from the interview:
Q: Why and when did you decide to do MBA? What is your plan after you complete your MBA?
A: The reason for zeroing down on PGP was based on perceptions and college seniors’ inputs to begin with. As thoughts took shape and matured, I understood that I wanted to do an MBA because I have a keen interest in Human Resource Management. A formal education, thus, becomes quintessential to help me pursue this interest.
Q: What is your CAT 2011 percentile?
A: I scored 99.89 percentile in CAT 2011.
Q: Please share your WAT/PI experience in detail.
A: At IIM Bangalore’s WAT/PI process, I was asked to first write an essay on ‘Foreign coaches are a waste of money in Indian sports.’
My interview was centred on my experience at work and I was asked a lot of questions on the contributions I made to the organization. All in all, the interview was a big test of finding out what I gave to the organization I worked for and to the college I came from, which, trust me is very difficult to comprehend.
Q: Which institutes offered you final admission? Why did you choose IIM Bangalore?
A: Apart from IIM Bangalore I had final admission offers from IIM Lucknow, IIM Indore, IIM Kozhikode, IIM Shillong, IIM Raipur, IIM Rohtak, IIM Kashipur, IIM Udaipur and IIM Trichy. I was waitlisted at number 26 initially at IIM Calcutta which did not yield a final convert.
Choosing IIM Bangalore was not really a tough decision, however, I think I chose IIM Bangalore as it is a confluence of hard work and fun, studies and non-academic activities and most importantly, the eminent professors and other faculty members and exceptionally challenging peer group!
Q: How did you start the preparation and what was your overall strategy?
A: CAT preparation, for me, started way back in 2009 when I moved to the 5th semester in my undergrad course. I absolutely loved English and reading newspapers and it all began with my urge to make myself better at the knowledge of the language and that of the world. Mathematics and DI were the rather sweet distractions from my main goals.
I think I had only one strategy and that was to review my tests and exams in great detail. It is perfectly fine to not know some things in the exam and I wish to assert that I made many blunders and grave mistakes in my mock CATs, but the strategy was to review everything and strive to not repeat any mistake!
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: Cracking CAT Without coaching is possible, but it is not possible to do that without mock CATs. If you are preparing for CAT 2012 without the help of a coaching institute, please make good use of your limited time and learn to identify your mistakes and weaknesses and don’t deny their presence. Most importantly, relax your mind if you’re in a fix in an exam or in mock CATs, after all it is Mathematics and English!
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: I don’t think we had a great idea as to what the finer pattern within the two broad heads could be and everybody indulged in speculations. Even today, when people call the pattern as ‘changed’, the method of preparation remains the same as was for the last 3 CATs. When you have a countdown timer on your screen, your approach, however, might change. But all in all, the basic preparation structure has not changed since 2009.
My approach was to first eliminate step by step all of my woes in English-Language and Grammar and RC. Once this was done, I tried to balance a week’s study in the three areas. Also, one learning I wish to share is that aspirants should treat mock CATs as mock CATs; please don’t lose heart if things don’t work out in mocks. I have seen people giving up on CAT citing their bad performance in two or three mocks. Please take success and failure in your stride, it equips you with skills you’ll need once you enter your dream college.
Q: What was your strategy for time management?
A: However difficult people make it appear, I think that CAT preparation is about mind management. Just remember to evenly spread all the three topics’ studies over the number of days left for the CAT from now and stick to it.
Q: What is your message for the MBA aspirants who will take CAT 2012 and other exams of the season?
A: Be sincere but not extremely serious! Believe me, CAT preparation can be fun, but there is life outside the CAT prep books as well. Try and keep yourself updated on the things happening around the world and particularly in our country. Also, please figure out why you want to get a degree in management and what your aims are because every institute would want to know this answer in their interview rounds. And yes, be receptive!
Stay tuned to MBAUniverse.com for more Topper Mantras.
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