In this interview with MBAUniverse.com, Mr Balasubramanian who scored 100 percentile in CAT 2012, shares his own experience on taking CAT, and the strategy that he adopted to score the perfect percentile.
The CAT Expert & Author will be guiding the CAT 2013 Aspirants on MBAUniverse.com through his regular CAT preparation articles and Live Chats. Begining his association with this MBAUniverse.com interview, Mr Balasubramanian says that taking up new challenges in CAT preparation excites him to contribute even more to this space.
Mr Balasubramanian thinks that CAT questions have become tougher over the years and now the questions are more application-based. In this interview, he shares insight on CAT 2012 questions, CAT preparation strategy, importance of self-learning, CAT time management and other important aspects related to CAT preparation.
Interview:
Q: You are an alumnus of IIT Madras and IIM Bangalore. You had a good job abroad. What drew you to coaching MBA Aspirants in India?
A:
It’s my love and passion for CAT training that I am here today. During the period 2005 to 2009, I was an equity research analyst at Credit Suisse, London. I never really liked the financial industry and was looking for an excuse to get out. Late 2008, the excuse presented itself - my son was born - and I packed my bags to try and do something more meaningful and satisfying in India.Entering the education sector was an easy decision as I had always been interested in teaching. I had been a part-time faculty at 2IIM, so I knew the place really well. I think the CAT is one of the finest exams to prepare for. I took up the challenge of contributing to this space by joining 2IIM and I currently head it.
Q: You have taken CAT many times now. How has been the changing experience since the first CAT you appeared for?
A: The CAT has changed dramatically. When I took my first CAT in 2000, we had (if I remember correctly) somewhere around 140-150 questions to be attempted in 2 hours. To have a shot at the top colleges, one needed to hit somewhere in the range of at least ~100 questions. So, we had to rattle along at nearly a question a minute. These days, there are 70 minutes for 30 questions in each section and a student can aspire to hit 99 percentile by attempting 21-22 questions correctly. So, we are talking about 3.5 minutes per question.
The questions, however, have become tougher and require more application. Importantly, there are no freebies. So, there is no place to hide. No simple questions to release pressure. In many ways, this is more challenging.
To draw a parallel with a cricketing context - back in 2000, the target would have been like chasing 320 on a batting paradise against Bangladesh. The 2012 exam would be similar to chasing 230 on a difficult track against a bowling attack of Glenn McGrath, Wasim Akram and Malcolm Marshall. One has to attempt way fewer questions with more time to spare but with very few freebies, has to get them all correct. For this, one should have strong basics and the confidence to try different approaches.
Q: How important are self-learning and Coaching classes in scoring a high percentile in MBA entrance exams like CAT, XAT?
A: Both are important. Self-learning and coaching are complementary and both are critical. Self-learning is important for consolidating key ideas one might have come across or seen somewhere, while coaching is helpful in getting clarity on basics, thought-processes and in building discipline by providing a routine.
Let me give a simple example to describe this by asking a question. How many integer values can x take if we know x(x - 4) (x + 5) < 0. In a classroom setting, a good teacher would start with trial and error, build the idea towards roots, describe why roots are the turning points and then help build a rule for questions of this type. If students then practice 10 questions after this, they will reach a level where they can just scan the equation and give the answer. Good teachers who can run through the thought-process and the practice the students do after the class – are both important for learning key ideas well.
There are two parts to cracking this exam - 1) Learning from the principles and 2) Doing the grind (lots of practice). A coaching class helps with the first and self-learning helps with the second.
It goes without saying that one needs to join an ideal coaching center where the faculty members have the ability to teach from basics.
Q: What are the basics that you expect MBA Aspirants to know before they join coaching?
A: MBA aspirants need not know much before starting their coaching. Attitude-wise, a student should have zero reluctance for solving a gazillion questions and should have the ability and willingness to spend at least 1 hour per day reading. These two traits alone are sufficient to have a crack at the CAT.
Students should come with some pre-preparation of the topic that is going to be taught to get maximum value from the class. After the class, they should spend a couple of hours revising what was taught.
Q: How would you characterize the CAT 2012? How did you perform in CAT 2012 (please mention your percentile in each section)?
A: CAT 2012 was broadly similar to 2011. I think the Quant section was tougher than the one seen in 2011, while the level of difficulty in verbal remained the same. In my view, 18-19 correct answers in Quant and 20-22 correct answers in verbal would have fetched a percentile in the 99.3 to 99.6 range.
I got 222 out of 225 in Quants (100 percentile) and 174 out of 225 in verbal (99.89 percentile) for an overall score of 396 (100th percentile).
Q: What was your overall strategy for taking CAT 2012?
A: Although I take the CAT just to get a feel of the test, I always approach the test with total intensity. At an overall level, before the CAT 2012, I was worried about my stamina as I had not taken any mock exams. Although I had set the mock CATs at 2IIM, I had not attempted one personally and that made me a little apprehensive.
As far as individual sections are concerned, my strong suit is Quant, so I went in thinking that I should have a crack at almost everything in the first section. I found this section to be tough and barely scrambled through to finish the section. I wanted to play it safe in verbal and was planning to skip anything where I was not sure of the answer. I got badly stuck on LR questions and was lucky to complete it without paying a heavy price.
I attempted all questions in Quants and almost everything in verbal.
Q: How should MBA Aspirants tackle ‘Time Management’ within the two sections in CAT?
A: One should not over-complicate this aspect. In my mind, questions fall under just two categories - 'Now' or 'Later'. Do not spend too much time categorizing questions aggressively. Decide very early and do not agonize over the questions that you choose to skip.
Students fall in either of the two extremes – one, where you go in a rigid fashion attempting one question after the other and the second, where you agonize over question-selection so much that there is little time left to attempt the questions. One should start at full throttle, and do more of the planning in the final 35 minutes.
To give a parallel with cricket (again), start like Sehwag, finish like Dhoni. When you start, you just go after the questions at full pace, with maximum intensity -- without much care for strategy, planning etc. Somewhere along the line, you should have a sense of how many you have done, how many DI or LR are remaining, how you should attempt the remaining bits, etc. Some players like Dhoni or Miandad would know exactly how many overs are remaining for each bowler when you approach the final stretch. You should know exactly how many DI/RC/LR are left when you approach the second half of the paper. But do not let this make you pre-occupied in the first half of each section. Sehwag does not care whether it is Steyn bowling or Albie Morkel, try to have your strategy similar to that.
Q: What is the ideal time for MBA Aspirants to start preparation & join coaching/mentor?
A: Five-to-Six months before the exam would be the best time to start for CAT Prep. First 50% of the time should be spent in building the basics and learning all the concepts, the next 25% in building intensity, doing the grind and covering the gaps, and the final 25% of the time in taking lots of mock exams. The whole time line can be crunched into 3 months as well. Till 2000, no one used to prepare for this exam for more than 2 months. Only recently have we seen this 12-month, 18-month courses for CAT. These longer-term courses are often sub-optimal. If you have enrolled yourself into some long-term course, tell yourself that you are restarting preparation again in June.
Q: What is your recommendation to MBA Aspirants on preparing Quantitative Aptitude and Data Interpretation?
A: Focus more on basics. Do not agonize over short-cuts, vedic math, speed multiplication and other such distractions. Re-visit basics frequently and aggressively. Some of the best books to focus on the basics are the under-rated NCERT textbooks for standard VI, VII, VIII and IX. These are wonderful for learning the basics well. Pick up books where the thought-processes are outlined well.
Q: Your message to MBA Aspirants…
A: Learn from basics, build stamina and intensity and take lot of mock CATs. Do not go into the exam thinking that this is the most crucial day of your life. The best businesses in our country were started by non IIM grads. Keep that in mind while going for the test.
Stay tuned to MBAUniverse.com for more news and feature articles on CAT Prep 2013.
