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Should I join IIM-Kozhikode or give CAT again or try for PGPX next year with 3 years of work-ex?
Before taking any decision, you must go through all three options that you have in great detail.
There are a few reasons why you should not go for IIM-Kozhikode. First, the fees are extremely high, estimated to be around Rs 19.00 lakh. Second, the average package offered at IIMK is around 16-17L, and you will earn more than that after two years. But, once again, if you are desperate for an MBA, you can enroll in IIMK, which comes with the 'IIM' label, which will be very useful in the long run.
Give CAT once more. You only need to get a high CAT score and then leave the rest up to their selection process. Second, CAT is extremely unpredictable. With proper preparation, you can achieve excellent results. So, if you're willing to work another year and are confident enough to take the CAT, this is the perfect way to take it.
You should look into PGPX from ISB or elsewhere. This option is appealing, but it requires hard work and careful consideration. If you enjoy working in IT and want to advance quickly, this is the path to take.
What is the admissions procedure for IIM after CAT results?
Every IIMS and other management colleges make a shortlist based on the percentile after CAT result is declared. With percentile, IIMs also consider other factors like academics, category, gender factor, diversity, etc. The list is made for the second round i.e. GD/PI or WAT/PI.
GD/WAT will have a generic topic. There can be a topic from current affairs. PI is taken by some of the faculty and alumni of the institute. In institutes like FMS, there is an extempore after PI.
After these rounds, a final shortlist is made with weightage given to GD/PI or WAT/PI performance and CAT percentile. Individual IIMs also have some additional factors. The offer letters are then sent out to top candidates in each category up to the maximum number of seats. The rest candidates are waitlisted. As students choose admissions, the waitlist continues to change.
Should I take IIM-Kashipur/IIM-Raipur or take the CAT &/or GMAT again?
I know this decision is a bit difficult to make. What you need to keep in mind is that these two colleges should not be compared to other great IIMs or even ISBs. Those B Schools are at another level and cannot be on par with Kashipur or Raipur. To facilitate a better decision, I will mention the circumstances of these B Schools then you can choose after considering all options.
- IIM Indore and IIM Kashipur: Both these colleges are not worth a year drop as they will help you earn only an extra 1.5-2 LPA. Moreover, in the coming years, Kashipur and Raipur will have almost the same brand value as that Indore and Kozhikode.
- IIM Ahmedabad, Calcutta, Lucknow and Bangalore: All these top IIMs are definitely worth a year's drop provided that you are confident enough to cope with the cutoff. All these IIMs consider your academics while selecting so if that is your reason for the year drop I don’t think it will help. There is no surety of admission even after a percentile of 100.
- ISB: This one is at a whole different level and is in the category of elite B Schools like UCB, NYU, HBS, etc. The top-notch faculty offers amazing pedagogy at relatively low fees.
CAT is sufficient for IIMs. But if you want to go for ISB, a work experience of 4+ years and a GMAT are a must.
What is the IIM selection process in detail? What is the advantage of having job experience or being a fresher in the IIM selection process?
IIMs shortlists students for admission based on their CAT score. The second step of selection is GD-PI. For final selection, students are usually shortlisted based on their past academic performance, entrance examination score, and performance in GD-PI. IIMs also consider other factors such as work experience, gender diversity, academic diversity, etc. while shortlisting students. Weights given to these factors are different for different IIMs.
Having relevant work experience can certainly help you get a shortlist.
What kind of profile is required to clear the CAT interview for IIM Ahmedabad?
Everyone knows that IIM A values diversity over grades. There have been students who were not even waitlisted at IIM K but were at IIM A due to their extremely unique profiles. If you want to build a profile for IIM A, strive for originality. Do something that no one else is doing, such as starting a blog, having a strong digital presence on Instagram, writing on Quora, and so on.
Consider what students with a 99 percentile typically do, such as being brilliant in academics and receiving a call from IIM Ahmedabad. Choose a domain in which these students are unlikely to excel and excel in that domain.
Furthermore, activities such as writing a blog or hosting a YouTube channel will undoubtedly help you, in the long run, to secure summer and final placements during your MBA. As a result, you will gain valuable insights and hands-on experience with various social media tools such as SEO, SEM, Analytics, and so on.
How much do I have to score in the CAT exam?
If you are aiming for old IIMs such as IIM Ahmedabad, IIM Bangalore, IIM Calcutta, IIM Lucknow, you will need to score above 99 percentile in CAT. For IIMs and other top-tier B-Schools in India, the CAT cutoff stays above 90 percentile.
If you have a good profile, and 99+ CAT score, you can expect to get calls from old IIMs, XLRI, JBIMS, IIFT, FMS, etc.
What are the things you learned only after appearing for the CAT exam?
Here are some of the things that you will realize after appearing for the CAT examination.
- Spend the first few minutes going over the papers before diving in. Browse through the problems and start with the ones that you know you can solve in one go. CAT prioritizes solving not sequence.
- If you aren’t sure about an answer, leave it. Concentrate on other problems. You shouldn’t spend more than 2-3 minutes on a single problem.
- Don’t use the elimination method, if you can solve the problem in less than 1 minute. Do rough work thoroughly. Don’t answer any questions, just by guessing.
- There will be a few lengthy questions. Try to ignore these. Even CAT toppers don’t score the full marks.
CAT doesn’t test your knowledge. The only thing matters are how much you score. So, try to attempt as many questions as you can correctly.
How do I prepare for quantitative aptitude for the CAT exam?
You need to practice a lot in order to be able to solve Quantitative Aptitude in the CAT examination. Quants involve using mathematical ability as well as imagination. You need to memorize some concepts as well as formulas. CAT syllabus for Quants includes a lot of topics that we have studied in 9th and 10th and only the application is different for topics such as PNC & Algebra, Numbers, etc. Most important topics in terms of weightage are as follows.
- Arithmetic
- Algebra
- Geometry
- Numbers
- P&C, Series, Log
Several chapters are easy and can be completed in a short period of time. You should start your preparation with numbers, it is the base for the quants topics. Once you are a clear knowledge of the topics, start giving time-based mocks. Analyze the mocks and work on the common mistakes that you made.
Can an average student crack CAT?
Yes, average students can crack CAT. Students who get through CAT at one go, have the right aptitude for CAT, which was built over time. They have been practicing Maths right from their school days and have been avid readers.
If you are average at your studies, you need to spend a lot of time practicing, in order to score good percentile in CAT. Most students usually have gaps in Maths or DILR or English. You need to put in the extra hours to bridge the gap. Find out the subjects in which you are weak, clear the basics, and practice as much as you can.
What can be the sectional cut off scores as well as scores for 90-95 percentile for this year's CAT?
Take a look at the below table to know what CAT score will fetch what CAT percentile, for 2022.
| Percentile | Score VA-RC | Score DI-LR | Score QA | Overall Score |
| 90% | 29 | 1 | 26 | 72 |
| 95% | 32 | 20 | 29 | 81 |
In 2021, for 90 percentile the required score was 59 and for 95 percentile the required score was 72.
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