Prakhar Sinha has completed B.E. in Mechanical stream from BITS Pilani, Hyderabad. He has topped the CAT exam with 99.91 Percentile. He is a student with brilliance in academics and shared his experience of his preparations of CAT Exam and his strategies with Collegedunia.
Prakhar Sinha CAT 2021 Exam Result
- CAT Percentile: 99.91
- VA Score: 99.55
- DI LR Score: 99.86
- QA Score: 98.78
Read More: CAT Percentile Calculator
Prakhar Sinha CAT 2021 Experience
Did you avail of the benefit of any reservation?
Prakhar: General (No reservation)
When and why did you think of appearing for CAT?
Prakhar: Doing an MBA from a top B School has been a dream for me for a while now. I didn't want to compromise on the quality of the institute as well. I do believe an MBA qualification would fast-track my career to my desired position. I kept learning about how most of the top business leaders in India and abroad hold an MBA degree. I learnt that CAT is the only examination for getting into the most prestigious IIM with one of the highest RoI. It was a big reason why I thought of appearing in the CAT exam. Check: Top Colleges In India Accepting CAT
Did you join any coaching institute? If yes, which one and why? If not - Why did you go for self-preparation?
Prakhar: I didn't join any classes this year, but I subscribed to TIME classes for their All India mock test series. I went for self-preparation this time since I had already prepared for and attempted CAT once earlier. So I didn't need to learn anything from scratch. I only needed to revise the exam topics, practice questions, attempt mocks and weed out the errors I was making. Plus, this time I had an inner belief and desire about cracking CAT, and I used that to fuel my preparation.
Also Check, Top IIMs in India
What was your preparation strategy for Verbal Ability?
Prakhar: I have had a decent command over the English language right from my academics, so, I wasn't too worried about this section. I believe this stemmed from the fact that as a student, I used to read newspapers daily and was a voracious reader. I scored well in this section consistently in the mock tests. The biggest challenge for me was to stay focused if I came across a passage I found boring (mostly philosophical themed), as I would drift off and then have to re-read the paragraphs again. I would just tell myself that I needed to fight through this and move on. Worst case, I would skip those questions.
What was your preparation strategy for DI and LR?
Prakhar: Lots of coaching institutes teach speed math or vedic math for faster calculations. These might be useful for exams which do not have an on-screen calculator, but I found it worthless to use that for CAT. The on-screen calculator is a blessing for DI sets. Just need to ensure that you are picking the correct data and not making errors in clicking the numbers or operations on the calculator.
I used to practice LR sets from videos on YouTube. I would learn more about solving a particular type of LR set if I found that type difficult to solve in mocks. I familiarized myself with most types of DI and LR sets, and gained an idea about what kind of questions to expect. While attempting mocks, I would first go through all the sets and find out which ones to target first, in which order, how much time to spend on those sets, etc.
What was your preparation strategy for Quantitative Techniques?
Prakhar: I wasn't a math expert but I had a decent idea about those topics being asked in CAT. I think studying math in 11th and 12th grades and 4 years of engineering put me at a relative advantage over others in this section. Once I revised all topics and formulae, all I did was practice more and more. I did find a few topics difficult, such as Time and Work or Time and Distance, so I needed to spend more time on those problem areas. I didn't leave any topic unprepared though, even if I didn't master them. My approach to target this section was always clear - if I found a question difficult or time-consuming, I would simply let it go, and that question, and move on to find a simpler one. I could always come back to those questions later.
How were the last few days before the exam?
Prakhar: The last few days before the exam were spent revising topics, formulae, and re-analyzing my mocks. I had decided long ago that I wouldn't be taking any unnecessary stress by picking up any new topics in the days leading to the exam, or trying any fancy shortcuts. I kept telling myself that I had prepared well, and that my efforts will bear fruit in the exam. Of course there were always lingering doubts about the preparation and capability, nothing a few minutes of conversation with your family and friends can't dissipate. They helped me calm down a lot in the last week, and kept me motivated throughout.
Which mocks helped you crack CAT?
Prakhar: I only subscribed to TIME's All India mock test series. I chose this because it was attempted by a lot of people across the country so it was a fine gauge to measure my performance and find out where I stood among the competition across the country, and B.The quality of questions and the mock tests overall was really good, and the analysis was quite detailed so it was easier to figure out which topics were causing me difficulties. I would highly suggest those to any aspiring candidate. CAT Exam Pattern
Can you quote any one mistake which you think you should not have made (During the exam or during the preparation phase).
Prakhar: It's easy to get puzzled when you come across a question which is worded in a tricky manner. However, once you comprehend it properly, it's a piece of cake. I faced this issue in QA, where I was unable to solve a question because of how it was worded. When I read it again after the response sheet was released, I realized I had missed a sitter. So my advice is, well, don't get confused. If you come across something like this, take a deep breath, and read it again. If you still face the same issues, skip it and move on.
Also check, Top IIM Admission Criteria
| IIM Ahmedabad Admission Criteria | IIM Bangalore Admission Criteria | IIM Calcutta Admission Criteria |
| IIM Lucknow Admission Criteria | IIM Kozhikode Admission Criteria | IIM Indore Admission Criteria |
Please recreate the moment for us when you first saw your result.
Prakhar: I was sitting in the office when the results were declared. I had decided long ago that I would check the results for the first time with my family. So I video called them and read the scores and percentile out to them on call. It was a difficult time for us as a family, so the emotional levels were quite high for everyone, myself included. We were all elated, and for a moment, I refused to believe I was indeed viewing my own scorecard. I had a feeling I had done well on the exam, and was expecting a good score, but didn't think it would be this good. Truth be told, I was feeling very uncomfortable and suffocated for the last hour before the results were announced. But I could breathe a huge sigh of relief soon after. Check: CAT Result 2021
What next? Which colleges are you targeting based on your profile and percentile ? And how do you plan to clear the GD PI?
Prakhar: The job is only half done. I hope I will be able to get calls from all the top institutes which I was targeting. Now I need to prepare for the GD/PI rounds and convert those calls into admission letters. For that, I will be brushing up my knowledge about current affairs and trending buzzwords. I will probably be reading the newspaper a lot more attentively, and keep myself updated with all the happenings around the world.
Which other exams did you appear for?
What are your long term goals and how do you think getting into your dream college will help you achieve that?
Prakhar: Currently, I plan on becoming a consultant at a top firm. I believe getting an MBA from a top B School, which will provide me with the required knowledge and networking, will help me achieve that objective.
What should be an ideal 6 months strategy to prepare for CAT?
Prakhar: 1- 2nd Months: Familiarize yourself with the exam pattern and the question topics. Learn about how much weightage each topic holds. Find out which topics you're weak in.
3- 4 & 5th Months: Practice as many questions as you can. Improve in as many topics as you can. Attempt as many mock tests as you can.
6th Month: Revise formulae, re-analyze your mocks, figure out if you're still struggling with any topic. See if you can improve on it, otherwise discard it. I would suggest not picking up any new or unfamiliar topics during the last month. Also, attempt previous year question papers, it's always helpful. CAT Score Vs Percentile 2021
Comments