The precious drop year to prepare for CAT 2015 while compromising also with some amount of work experience that you could have got alongwith pursuing your dream of getting into IIMs in 2016 has sure to be utilised in the best manner that should be worthy of your dream. Number of queries raised by CAT 2015 aspirants who are involved sincerely in their preparation have some genuine issues whether their decision to drop one year while preparing for CAT 2015 stands on merits.
• 'I am a working professional and don’t get time to prepare well, how would I justify the drop year without job`
• 'I have just completed my B tech, should I remain job less for one year, wouldn’t that affect my MBA 2016 admission prospects adversely`,
These are some of the many queries that MBAUniverse.com has regularly been receiving from the CAT 2015 aspirants, engaged in serious preparation of CAT 2015 to get into one of the top rated IIMs or some other top B school like FMS, MDI, SPJIMR, JBIMS, IMT, IMI, BIMTECH among others in 2016.
True apprehensions
To a great extent the apprehension of the candidates is true since the weightage in shortlisting and grilling questions in PI round can create obstacles in getting the aspirant included in the final admission list. While you are right in your thought, there could be number of ways and means that would not only save you from the embarrassing situation of joblessness but also make you eligible for getting awarded with some bonus points.
You can very well utilise the drop year and can earn the appreciation of penalists in PI round too, if you follow 5 below advised simple tips shared by Prof S K Agarwal, Verbal Ability expert and mentor on CAT 2015 preparation.
Associate yourself with good NGO
Join an NGO, experience it, share the cause, devote some time to it, associate and involve yourself with it. This will give you an edge over many. And sure No job, no work ex wouldn’t pose any problem, you can do better than many with work experience.
However the advice is not without warning ‘beware of doing anything only for window dressing in final admission round of CAT 2015.’ You may have participated in extra-curricular activities, sports and have earned certificates and trophies during your academics. But when it comes to your non profit working, getting associated to an NGO, you are no longer serious and always think of something easy to come your way like doing some charity, distributing food or gifts to poor and orphans. This wouldn’t help add anything fruitful to your personal data form, please note.
On the other hand it could be rated superficial and eye wash only. You may no longer be your natural self but a person trying to project a fake image different from your real profile. Avoid it.
It’s high time now to utilise it with some serious thought. Instead of going for non profit exposure and going for some social cause at the eleventh hour why shouldn’t you begin now, if you really wish to be appreciated and awarded in final admission round of IIMs. The substantial amount of work with an NGO will enable you to respond to variable questions like ‘why did you join an NGO why didn’t you go for some job?’; ‘Are you not wasting your time by doing such activities?’; ‘Do you think you will achieve the goal by joining the NGO?’ and many more questions could be there. If you have really worked, you will be able to answer and convince the panellists else the implications can prove to be disastrous in your PI round.
NGOs like ‘Teach for India’, ‘SWEED’, Social Action for Manpower creation’ ‘Protsahan’, ‘National Society for Equal Opportunities for the Handicapped’ ‘PFA’, and many others concerned with concurrent issues and where you can polish your skills by devoting a limited time frame and gaining more by working with dedication, will be better to join immediately after your graduation.
Working with NGO is volunteering and it acts as a rich experience to fill gaps in the work experience.
Be a faculty to hone your skills
It would be a good idea to join a coaching institute as a faculty to enhance your skills. You will get double benefit while your preparation will get shot in the arm, you will get some financial assistance also while preparing for CAT 2015. When you find the tips and tricks to solve the innovative queries in the class, it is not going to help only your students but you also. It is therefore a novel idea to find a place as faculty of the subject you can exercise good command on. You and your class both will improve with mutual sharing of knowledge.
No weightage for 6 months work ex in CAT 2015
Bust the myth related to IIMs as they do not award any weightage for work experience of less than 6 months and the points are barely 2-3 for work experience beyond 5 years. Those who have worked for more than 2 years or less than 3 years are in the maximum weightage slot of 5-10 points. Find out first, where do you stand?
So far as FMS Delhi is concerned, it accepts only CAT score in shortlisting the MBA aspirants and awards no weightage to any work experience.
There is no point in working till January for 6 months or less and if you have already worked for 2 years or so, you will get the good weightage for admission in IIMs. If you are a fresher and passed out in 2015 your time will begin from the declaration of result date which is usually in the second quarter or middle of the year. You are well aware that CAT 2015 is proposed to be conducted in the month of October/November 2015 and the gap between the declaration of your graduation result and CAT 2015 is not more than 4-5 months.
You may not earn any weightage based on work experience in your PI round at least for the CAT 2015 exam immediately succeeding your graduation. It is better to throw away this fear of losing your points in shortlisitng based on CAT 2015 scores by IIMs.
Join on-line course: Enrich your skill
There are many online courses called Massive Open Online Course (MOOC) which are rich in learning and are offered free of charge by reputed international colleges and universities like MIT, Harvard, Stanford University, University of Michigan.
Inspired by Khan University these MOOC provide good learning experience and will prove to be full utilization of your time while preparing for CAT 2015 and thereafter. These courses are hundreds in number and provide learning on topics from ‘how to learn writing’ to ‘Project management’. Almost all the key areas in fine arts, humanities, science, economics, business, management, social studies are covered by MOOCs. It depends upon your interest what you would like to study. You will learn, effectively utilize your time, use in CAT 2015 exam as well as can proudly add it to your CV in PI round.
Be a free lancer
You may have good photography skills, writing skills, communicating and co-ordinating skills, innovative ideas why not to use them, polish them during the period you are preparing for CAT 2015. There is no need to join anywhere. You may write for newspapers, journals; you may send your photographs for publication, your innovations could be a treasure for others; your painting may give you new ideas. So while you prepare, try to go along with your hobby. It will relieve the CAT 2015 pressure.
No one can study round the clock on the same pattern, everybody needs a break, utilize it to further augment your skill. Samples and examples of the same can form the part of personal data form for PI round.
What is shared above would help you in final admission round of top B schools. So drive away the negative ideas and allow the positive ones to set it. The weightage of doing something different from others when reflected in your personal data form, will help you build more confidence and will carry you through the final admission round of IIMs. Under no circumstances should you waste the 4-5 months doing nothing till CAT 2015 is over.
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