CAT 2014: Focus on Accuracy, attempt 60% question correctly; Topper Gaurav Awal Advice

One of such success stories is the experience of  CAT 2013 topper Gaurav Awal who scored 96+ high percentile and decided to join IIM Kashipur although he had more admission offers from other top rated B schools also.

Gaurav, a fresher himself, has broken the myth of such CAT aspirants who think that freshers  are not welcome at IIMs. In response to the MBAUniverse.com questionnaire pertaining to his experience during CAT 2013 preparation and testing journey that could inspire the CAT 2014 aspirants, Gaurav shares below his preparation strategy and guidance tips to crack CAT 2014

MBAUniverse.com: What was your prep strategy?

Gaurav Awal(CAT 2013 topper):  I was mostly busy with college on weekdays, but I made sure I took out 2 hours for my CAT preparation every day. 1 hour for Quant and LR and 1 hour for VA. I read a lot. Most of my reading was done on the go while commuting to college as it was a 1 hour journey. On weekends, I studied for 3 hours apart from attending my coaching classes.

MBAUniverse.com: What was the strategy in testing room to attempt the question from different sections: Quantitative Ability & DI, Verbal Ability & LR?

Gaurav Awal(CAT 2013 topper): Speed does matter, but accuracy is the key to cracking CAT. I did not give more than 2 minutes to any QA/DI question, unless I felt I could solve it in the next 1 minute. This left me with sufficient time to accurately solve the questions I could and eliminate the ones which were of a very high difficulty level. For LR and VA, there is usually no time crunch. If you have practiced variety of LR questions, it is usually a cakewalk. VA has always been my strong suit, so I never needed any kind of strategy for it.

MBAUniverse.com: Which exams did you appear? How did you prepare for them ? What score did you get?

Gaurav Awal(CAT 2013 topper): I prepared and appeared only for CAT and scored 96.82 percentile.

MBAUniverse.com: How many GDPI did you take part in? What were your GD topics?

Gaurav Awal(CAT 2013 topper):  I took part in 4 GDPI processes. The topics were ‘Impact of social media on Indian youth’, ‘Are women safe in India?’, ‘Is media sensitizing instead of reporting?’

MBAUniverse.com: The institutes that offered you admissions?

Gaurav Awal(CAT 2013 topper): IMT Ghaziabad, IIM Kashipur.

MBAUniverse.com:  Few questions that were asked to you during PI round?

Gaurav Awal(CAT 2013 topper): Most of the questions were related to my extra-curricular activities. Being a blogger and a writer, the panels were mostly interested in knowing what I’ve done in the past. Because of that, there was little focus on my academics. And yes, like everyone else I too was asked why I wanted to do MBA.

MBAUniverse.com: Which is the institute that you have decided to take admission and why? 

Gaurav Awal(CAT 2013 topper):  I decided to join IIM Kashipur not only because IIMs provide the best quality of management education in our country but also because of the fact that it is a relatively new IIM. The learning curve here is on the higher side. The opportunity to learn and grow with the institute drove my decision to join IIM Kashipur.

MBAUniverse.com: What advice and tips you would like to share with the candidates preparing for CAT 2014?

Gaurav Awal(CAT 2013 topper):  Identify your strong and weak sections. Give more time in building your weaker section but also keep a check on the areas where you feel comfortable.  You cannot answer all the questions in any of the sections so pick your questions wisely. Focus on the basics, there are a lot of basic questions in the CAT exam. Focus on accuracy, you just need to answer 50-60% questions correctly with no incorrect answers to crack the exam.

If you have a strong extra-curricular profile, most of your PI will be revolving around it. If not, be prepared to answer questions related to academics and subjects you took during your graduation. And remember, if the exam is tough for you, it is tough for everyone.

MBAUniverse.com:  Your message to future MBA aspirants.

Gaurav Awal(CAT 2013 topper): Life at a B school is very different from the colleges we graduate from. Start working hard as it will help you adjust to the B-school environment quickly. Yes, a premier B-school will make you slog but you’ll learn the art of time management. All the best for your preparation.

MBAUniverse.com: Why did you want to do MBA

Gaurav Awal(CAT 2013 topper): I want to open my own Social media and digital marketing firm. Before I start my own firm, I wanted to learn the basics of management and the art of setting up and running a successful business.