MBAUniverse.com has brought a round of CAT Topper 2013 success stories for the benefit of CAT 2014 aspirants. In this CAT Topper 2013 series we present the success story of Aditi Abhay Nakhate, a CAT Topper who scored percentile of 98.74 in CAT 2013- 99.62 in XAT 2014-98.74.
To help out CAT 2014 aspirants in their CAT exam preparation, MBAUniverse.com will introduce a CAT Topper 2013 every week on MBAUniverse.com Forum where CAT 2014 aspirants can directly ask questions with CAT Toppers 2013.
Our first CAT Topper 2013 in this series is Ms. Aditi Abhay Nakhate, apart from CAT, she appeared in XAT 2014 exam too and scored an equally good percentile. Aditi was offered admission by many B schools, she however, decided in favour of IIM Ranchi.
Aditi completed her Mechatronics Engineering from SRM University, Chennai in 2013. She then interned at Bosch and Parker Hannifin before joining IIM Ranchi. She enjoys watching movies and listening to music.
Aditi has many positives and is full of energy. Her answers to MBAUniverse.com questions about CAT/XAT preparation strategy and her message to CAT/XAT aspirants reflect her strong will power and optimistic attitude which would definitely help our CAT 2014 aspirants.
Q.1. What was your prep strategy?
Aditi, “While I was preparing for MBA entrance exams I was pursuing an internship, I joined T.I.M.E. coaching institute’s morning classes. Apart from the classes I dedicated 2 hours every day to revising what was taught in the class. I studied from the study packages provided by the institute and didn’t find the need to refer to any other book.
An important part of my preparation was the mock tests at my coaching institute; they helped me a great deal in recognizing my areas of strength and most importantly my weaknesses.”
Q.2 what was the strategy in testing room to attempt the question from different sections: Quantitative Ability & DI, Verbal Ability & LR?
Aditi, “Since Quantitative Ability and Data Interpretation were part of the first section and I was slow in DI, I did sets of DI alternatively with questions of QA to make sure I kept a steady pace in the exam.
Similarly, in the second section I found sets of reading comprehensions tough so I attempted them alternatively with sets of Logical Reasoning questions which were my strength, and attempted the grammar questions at the end.
The point was to maintain a steady pace all through and not get slowed down by tough questions.
Q.3 Which exams did you appear? How did you prepare for them ? What score did you get?
XAT: 99.62 percentile
CAT: 98.74 percentile
Aditi, “I appeared for CAT & XAT. The main focus of my MBA entrance preparation was on CAT, apart from the coaching, I made sure I worked on my verbal ability which was my weakness. I read a lot of passages and practiced scores of questions before actually attempting CAT.
Preparation for XAT was similar except for areas of Decision Making and General Aptitude which were part of only XAT, in the two months that were between my CAT and XAT exams I only focused on these two areas.”
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Q.4 How many GDPI did you take part in? What were your GD topics?
Aditi, “I got my interview calls from IIM Shillong and the New IIMs both of which coincidently do not conduct GDs. I however gave 5 or 6 mock GDs to prepare and the topics were varied from general elections to importance of doing an MBA and Khap Panchayats.”
Q.5 The institutes that offered you admissions?
Aditi, “ I got admission offers from IIM Ranchi, Rohtak, Raipur, Udaipur, Trichy and Kashipur.”
Q.6. Few questions that were asked to you during PI round?
Aditi, “Since I was a fresher, In my interview for IIM Shillong, I was asked a number of technical questions from my under-graduation, not just basics but application of concepts too was stressed upon. Since I am an engineer in Mechatronics (an amalgamation of mechanics and electronics), I was asked about topics ranging from microcontrollers to fuel power controllers and automation, the interview was heavily based on technical questions.
In my interview for the new IIMs, the questions were from current affairs like women empowerment, and the Nirbhaya act and other government policies.
Then there were questions about the economics like what is bank repo rate, reverse repo rate, GDP, fiscal deficit, difference between GDP and GNP, etc. There were a few questions like basic principles of physics involved in flying an airplane. There were questions about my hobbies and academic details in my CV.
There was also a detailed discussion on why I wanted to pursue MBA”
Q.7. Which is the institute that you decided to take admission and why?
Aditi, “I decided to pursue my education at IIM Ranch. I researched a lot about it before deciding to join; I talked to my teachers and people I knew who were studying MBA. Social platforms too provided a lot of information. I found that it is the best amongst the New IIMs in terms of growth and reputation. I will admit that placements were also lucrative. The fact that it is mentored by IIM Calcutta was the clincher, especially since I am interested in pursuing finance.”
Q.8 What advice and tips you would like to share with the candidates preparing for CAT 2014?
Aditi, “Mock tests are the most important part of the preparation in the sense that they give a direction to your preparation; analyze the tests after getting solution and identify the areas that you need improvement in. Build up your speed especially for calculations. Learn tricks and ways to get quicker at solving problems. If one is not used to reading long passages, practice reading as early as possible, it really helps. A tip for the interviews and GDs - GK is difficult to be learned in the end, you have to keep reading and gaining. Do well in all the sections, you can’t just focus on one and be weak in the other as there are sectional cut offs.”
Q.9 Your message to future MBA aspirants.
Aditi, “ Identify what you want to do in your life and if MBA adds to it, then pursue it. The entrance is just a small reflection of the rigour and hard work that MBA demands”
Q.10. Why did you want to do MBA?
Aditi, “I was interested in making a career for myself in finance, and got a lot of guidance from my family and teachers; I wish to utilize all the new opportunities that MBA would bring for me.”
Related links:
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