How important is to score high and balanced sectional percentile as against the overall percentile is a fact supposed to be known by all the CAT 2014 aspirants. Once knowing the importance, how to achieve it becomes even more important.
It is surprising but true that CAT 2013 high overall percentile scorers of 97+ and 99+ didn’t receive a call from any of the older IIMs nor could they convert call from MDI, SPJIMR and other top rated B schools. On the other hand candidates with fairly good sectional percentiles and low over all percentiles of 91 and 92 not only received the calls from older IIMs but also converted them.
When the results for CAT 2013 were out, happier were the students who scored 97 and 99 percentile and were more or less assured of their admission in top rated B school. The comparatively low overall percentilers were more worried and continued their search, remained in constant touch with MBAUniverse.com for further course of action and guidance about the admission criteria in various B schools across the country. In a turn of events the higher overall percentilers lagged behind the low scorer ones.
Higher overall percentilers still waiting
The glorious examples are the students of MBAUniverse.com online preparation centre Mr. Yashpal who converted his call to IIM Ahmedabad with a low overall percentile and Mr Kuldeep Jha who converted his call to IIM Indore with overall percentile of 91.
Mr Avinash with an overall CAT percentile of 97+ and Mr Aniket with 99+ were not so lucky despite having approximately 2 years of work experience to their credit as they were not even shortlisted for GDPI at IIM A, B, C, L, I, K not to say of converting the call. They remained waitlisted in New IIMs, MDI and still are. While one with 99+ has been shortlisted by FMS for GDPI (Final admission is still uncertain), Avinash with 97+ is still waiting for the waiting lists to be cleared.
All the candidates have shared their gratitude to MBAUniverse.com for great learning experience and for providing good on line preparation module to them. But the shocking truth exists.
Evenwith 99+ CAT percentile I couldn't convert call to IIMs or any top B school
Ensure high but balanced sectional percentile
Candidates prepare throughout the year with dedication. Some go for a drop year, some give up the job to prepare hard. They secure high overall percentile also, but a slip in sectional percentile defeats the purpose.
The calculation of percentile in CAT is different and is based on equated normalization system. A candidate with high percentile of 99 in Quant section and with low percentile of 93 in Verbal section may still score 99+ percentile. On the contrary a candidate with fairly high balanced percentile of 87 and 90 in each section can have overall percentile between 91-92.
The irony however, is that the candidate with 99 percentile with such deviation may not be shortlisted for GDPI by older IIMs unless he has a very strong academic profile and good work experience. On the other hand the candidate with 92 percentile (having balanced and fairly high percentile) with equal academic and work ex profile may get shortlisted.
And this is precisely what happened in above two cases. CAT Prep expert on Verbal Ability Prof S K Agarwal is of the strong view that ‘candidates should target a high percentile in both the CAT sections else it will be difficult to get through the GDPI even if shortlisted by any IIM’.
5 tips to achieve the target
There are two most important factors that would be instrumental to help you achieve the high sectional percentile in CAT 2014 and get you shortlisted for final admission round.
The first one is- What you can’t do now; the profile angle
The second one is- What you can do; the preparation angle
Profile Angle; nothing in your hands now
Your profile consists of 3 most important items out of which one is beyond your reach and lies in the hands of God; for remaining two they are also static and nothing much can be done now.
Gender diversity-IIMs award some points on a scale of 100 to girl candidates while short listing the candidates for GDPI. If you are a girl candidate, you may have better luck. But for others it can’t be helped since whatever gender you are, you are supposed to be throughout your life although there are number of cases in medical science of gender change. But better will be to focus on other important tips to improve your performance in CAT than to think about gender diversity.
Academic Record- Your academic excellence can pull you through. IIMs award points on a scale of 100 in a range of 8 to 15 for scoring high marks in 10th, 12th and graduation. By good academics we mean percentage of marks above 85. This weightage despite being very important is static now and you may not be able to do much about it, in case you graduation final exams are also over. So for short listing, the other option left is to prepare well for CAT 2014.
Work experience- IIMs do award some points for relevant experience while short listing the candidates for GDPI. You may add a few months’ experience before going for GDPI round after CAT 2014. But you should already have some work experience of 2-3 years since no IIM gives any weightage to the work experience of less than 1 year. There is only one top rated B school that doesn’t have any role of academic profile and work experience in short listing the candidates for GDPI and that is FMS Delhi.
5 tips on Preparation angle; lot can be done in 4 months
CAT 2014 is still 4 months away. If you are wide awake even now, you can strive for 99 percentile in each section. And if you can score even 95+ in each section, rest assured you are expected to be shortlisted not only by IIMs but also by other top rated B schools.
The very first thing is to prepare with determination and with right strategy. Following 5 Preparation tips being shared by Prof S K Agarwal will be fruitful only when you have the strong will to succeed in CAT 2014.
Be inspired and remain Motivated
Your study place-be it a room, balcony, roof top, worship room or whatever it is, it should have some inspirational and motivational quotes placed here and there. It must contain the fact what you would be after getting into your desired B school. This is something you should do in the very beginning.
Meet CAT Toppers, Know how to Score 99+ %ile
Nothing can match self- study
Whether you are a working professional or a ‘fresher’ there is no match to self study. Grab the right study material; divide the various parts into your strong and weak areas. It’s time to work on your weak topics, read them, understand them, practice the exercises, find where you went wrong and practice yet more exercises. Don’t however forget that the weak parts in your strong areas do also need regular study and practice.
Regularly revise whatever you have been studying. Improve and sharpen your memory. More you use your brain more will it accommodate, it’s a powerhouse with no limit.
Divide the study material in various parts for example study material on verbal ability can be divided in 4 modules like Vocabulary, Error correction in sentences and paragraphs, Jumbled paragraphs and Reading comprehension. Each of four modules will need further fragmentation to facilitate better preparation strategy. Once you begin, focus to finish each, one by one and move on to other. It will continue making an image in your mind, of the topic or sub topic you have studied and what you need to study more in that.
CAT preparation, Question of the day
Coaching to save time not to waste time
There are numerous types of questions that usually flummox us, number of vocabulary words which despite knowing them we don’t know how to use. There can be topics which consume lot of your time and you are still afraid of them. To overcome this problem, you may join some good coaching. But the decision has to be taken by weighing all the pros and cons. If the coaching consumes 2 hours in commuting, it may cause inconvenience to you and the wasted time, if put to use may produce good results. Alternatively you may join some weekend coaching where you can get all your doubts cleared.
If you wish to save time and join the coaching also to have clarity on concepts, types of questions, regular exercises, you could go for On-line coaching. It will save time on commuting. With a good laptop and internet connection you can attend the classes regularly with a cup of coffee in your hand, without moving anywhere from the place you are present at the material time. It can be your home, your office, picnic spot, train, car anywhere. It’s like a virtual class room where your mentor will be interacting with you and taking & solving your queries. It will not only save your time but will be cost effective also.
However in both the cases, the coaching should be used as support and you should not become fully dependant on it. It will be better to talk to a few successful candidates who really went through the particular coaching.
Find a mentor in neighbourhood
There could be a friend, colleague or family member of yours who may be an expert in any of the four parts of two CAT sections Quant, DI, Verbal, LR. Such experts who are not too professional but have a good depth of knowledge may be available in your neighbourhood also. Identify them, get yourself acquainted with them. They will be happy to help, if you are serious enough in preparation. Please do not try to befool them. If they give you some assignment be meticulous and complete it then get it analysed by them.
It’s not necessary that they are expert in entire area of your proposed study domain, but even if they can help you out on one subtopic, you are definitely offloaded to that extent. This will save your time, energy and probably you will be well known to a good person.
Closed Group for CAT 2014 crackers, do you have it in you
How to start our CAT 2014 preparations? I need help?
Take mocks and analyseWhatever you are studying and in case you are getting guidance from some coaching institute, regularly take sectional mocks now and full length mocks later. Better to analyse your errors and find out the areas that need further improvement. There may be some very small mistakes which are committed due to oversight or in your speed reading you might have skipped them, focus on them and avoid their recurrence.
If you find the mocks with more difficulty than you can understand, get the analysis done by some expert and follow the guidance to improve.
Please however remember, it’s none else but you who must hit the target. You are either in or not in. Don’t think of excuses. If you search for excuses, better not to prepare for CAT 2014. Prepare with full devotion and target oriented plan.
CAT Sample Question, CAT Quant Mocks
If you want to talk directly to CAT 2013 Toppers to get right advice and suggestions for CAT 2014 preparation, Click Here:
http://www.mbauniverse.com/forums/forum/meet-the-past-cat-toppers-know-how-to-score-99-percentile
CAT Topper 2013 Sneha Mittal shares her success story to Crack CAT 2014 exam
CAT Topper 2013: How Anubhav achieved 99.73 Percentile in CAT exam?
CAT Topper 2013: How Ishika from Kolkata made it to the top B-school with her CAT score
CAT Topper: How an Undergraduate scored 99 percentile in CAT exam, you can do it too
CAT Topper 2013: How CA Aayush converted calls from IIFT, IIM S, SPJIMR, MDI and XIMB
MBAUniverse.com offers a comprehensive preparation package coupled with over 200 online interactive classes with Top CAT experts including from IIMs for CAT 2014 preparation. Visit the link below for more information and new batch schedules: http://www.mbauniverse.com/cat_preparation_online.html
If you have any complains about B- schools, write here: Register your Complain about B-schools
Are you the interested? Click below to know more:
Apply to MBA Colleges with your CAT/XAT/CMAT/MAT Scores for Admission 2014, Click below:
Stay tuned to MBAUniverse.com for more updates on CAT 2014 preparation
