Who better to answer these questions than the CAT toppers themselves, who are now studying at top B-school!
Q- What is the importance of 'preparation' for a candidate wanting to crack management entrance exams like CAT, XAT and others? How important was preparation in your personal journey to your campus?
A- Preparation is of utmost importance when it comes to such high pressure, competitive examinations. These are the exams which could play a decisive role in the actual career path that an individual takes. Although a lot of stuff which is tested in these exams is elementary, preparation plays a vital role in how one handles pressure on the examination day (augmented with so much of hype and media coverage associated with it) and also how quickly a person can think through such aspects. Preparation did play a vital role in my cracking of the CAT.
Q- How did you prepare for management entrance exams like CAT, XAT and other exams? Please elaborate. (Kindly share a detailed answer for this question)
A- I started my preparation 3 months ahead of the D-day and had a systematic routine in place where I would spend at least 2-3 hours a day on the exam preparation. I believe that such planned and continuous preparation could go a long way in maximizing ones chances (although there are no guarantees in life!!)
My preparation routine used to be focused on practice in simulated conditions. I used to take regular tests and attend mock tests conducted by institutes to get myself into the mould of taking up such exams.
Q- Did you enroll into a coaching or test-prep institute? How did it help?
A- Yes, I did enroll into a coaching center for a crash course in the 3 months that I did my preparation in. I went through morning classes over weekends. I also regularly took mock tests. The classes gave me a platform to discuss with people and also meet likeminded people heading in the same direction. The material given by the institute and tests were of great help in giving my preparation proper direction and also helped me identify the areas which required improvement and working. Especially since I was working this provided the fast path to good preparation.
Being a CA, I had lost touch with mathematics after my CA Foundation course. Hence the classes were an important avenue for me to get back the speed.
Q- How should an aspirant choose the right test-prep institute? What should be the parameters for making this choice?
A- The three important criteria which anyone should apply for choosing an institute are quality of faculty, quality of the material they provide, quality of the feedback system. I feel these are the important factors which should be considered. Quality of faculty and material determine the extent of technical support one would receive. The importance of the feedback system is paramount because if the errors and points of improvement are not identified it would be difficult.
Q- How is life in a top B-school from a student's point of view? What are the highs and lows!
A- For me this is a first college experience (since CA does not warrant a college) and it has been fabulous. I have enjoyed every moment of it – both the ups and the downs. I have cherished being a member of the Students' Council and working for the betterment of student life on campus. Some of the highs are:
· Meeting so many people and developing a healthy network of contacts.
· The launch of www.iimklive.com the student's portal at IIMK (the first of its kind).
· The parties and the events such as Horizons, Backwaters, AIMS, seminars, leadership talks, etc. on campus which happen at such frequent intervals.
The only low point has been when my focus on all the extra-curricular activities let down my academics a bit.
Overall however it has been an amazing journey.
Road to CAT ’08 special series will continue on India’s leading management portal – MBAUniverse.com. Stay tuned to read more Chats with MBAs, expert admission advice from B-school Directors and from top test-prep experts.
