With no back ground of IIT or NIT but having great belief in herself and confident of achieving what she aims for Nidhi Dwivedi is a B.Tech in Mechanical Engineering and is an inspiration to the fresh graduates focused on preparing for CAT 2015.
Nidhi got placed in TCS in 2014 in her final year but left the job and preferred to prepare for CAT as a fresher.Nidhi appeared in almost all the management entrance tests but was more focused on CAT and after scoring a high percentile of 97.44 in CAT 2014, she was offered admission by 6 IIMs and other B-schools. She finally decided to join IIM Ranchi as her preferred B-school.
MBAUniverse.com brings a round of her success story with preparation and testing room strategy for the benefit of CAT 2015 aspirants.
Pursuing PGP programme 2015-17 at IIM Ranchi Nidhi Dwivedi has been a student with determination right from the beginning. Although her work experience could not be counted to award her some bonus weightage at the PI round of IIMs, as she left the job to prepare for CAT. As a result despite considered a fresher she didn’t lag behind and converted the call to many IIMs and other B-schools.
Sharing with MBAUniverse.com Nidhi highlights her experience in preparation journey to CAT 2014 and gives the ‘success mantra’ to CAT 2015 aspirants
MBAUniverse.com: What was your preparation strategy?
Nidhi (CAT topper): When it comes to strategy the one thing which you need to be confirmed of is that no matter what happens, you have to follow the plan you have made. The number of hours doesn’t matter so much as the consistency which you maintain throughout.
I made a plan daily of how many exercises I have to solve and I tried my best to complete that within time daily. We do encounter many distractions but if we are able to maintain that consistency it becomes a lot easier to crack CAT.
MBAUniverse.com: What was your strategy in testing room to attempt the questions from different sections: Quantitative Ability & DI, Verbal Ability & LR?
Nidhi (CAT topper): I always knew what section I will be confident of doing its most questions right.
In quantitative ability and DI section DI was my weak part so I tried to solve as many questions of Quant as I ccould. In DI section I devoted only 30 seconds to each caselet so as to have an idea whether I would be able to solve it or not. 30 seconds could maximum be extended to 1 minute but not more than that.
In Verbal Ability and LR section, LR was my strong part. So I solved all of its cases first and then went to Verbal ability. For Verbal ability reading speed should be fast. It helps you a lot with comprehensions.
If your reading speed is fast, you can try to complete the comprehensions first and then go to other questions. The most important thing is to have an idea about the time. Try to devote equal time to both the sections.
MBAUniverse.com: Which all exams did you write? How did you prepare for them? What score did you get?
Nidhi (CAT topper): I appeared approximately for all the B school exams. I applied for SNAP, CMAT, NMAT and CAT. But my main focus was always on CAT. If you are preparing for these kind of exams, try to have a definite picture of which B school you want to go in. Don’t go according to the flow of exams. If you only want to get admission only in an IIM, have a belief in yourself that you will definitely get what you want. The preparation time is so unpredictable that you might get discouraged by something, but don’t let those things come in your way.
I secured 97.44 in CAT, 99.12 in CMAT, 97.779 in NMAT and 97.97 in SNAP.
MBAUniverse.com: How many GDPI did you take part in? What were your GD/WAT topics?
Nidhi (CAT topper): I took part in about 7 GDPIs.
In most of the GDs, the topics were situation based topics. In one case, we were given a situation where there were about 150 people in an aircraft and I have the power to save only 6 of them. The characteristics of those 6 people were given and their background was described. And as a group we have to prioritise whom we should save. One was a pregnant lady, one was a person who had the cure to cancer and so on. The group discussion was good and as a group we were able to reach on a consensus.
The main thing which matters in a GD, we have to listen as much as we speak. Just blabbering will not help us in any way. Listen to other people because sometimes the other persons speak very relevant points, and we should jot down those points also since at the end one has to summarise and that summary should include everybody’s points.
MBAUniverse.com: Few questions that were asked to you during PI round?
Nidhi (CAT topper): The most interesting interview was of new IIMs. In the panel of 3 members, one faculty used to be the professor at my graduation college and that too of my branch. Of course he grilled me on my graduation subjects as I was a fresher. Then he asked about my college rank, what I didn’t like about my college, what change I would want to bring in. As I was utterly dissatisfied with some portions of my college regarding academics, students’ liberty, I said many things. He got a brief idea that I was really unhappy about my college. And when at the end, he told me that he used to be a faculty at my college, it was a real shock to me. Then I got to know the reason that why he was continuously smiling during that whole conversation. When I got out of the room, I was confirmed that here chances are nil. But as you know, the result was totally different and that made me realize that they just want to know that how confident we are in what we believe and this is what they want.
MBAUniverse.com: The institutes that offered you admission?
Nidhi (CAT topper): I converted all the 6 new IIMs and NMIMS Mumbai MBA Core
MBAUniverse.com: Why did you decide in favour of IIM Ranchi only?
Nidhi (CAT topper): Before choosing a B-school, I was totally clear about what I wanted out of the college because we can’t compare all B-schools on the same parameter. I definitely wanted to go into an IIM, because I believe in the long term value. I wanted something which only an IIM could give me. The faculty, the fees, whether you want to go for entrepreneurship or a satisfied level job, all matters while deciding which B-school you want to go for. Hence I finally took admission in IIM Ranchi.
MBAUniverse.com: What advice and tips you would like to share with the candidates preparing for CAT 2015?
Nidhi (CAT topper): Preparation for CAT requires a lot of consistency, smartness while choosing questions and most important of all belief in yourself that you can do it. There may be many times that you think you are not scoring well in the mock tests even if you are working hard. You get discouraged and you may not study for quite a while. But that should not be the case. Just remember that at the end this consistent hard work will matter a lot. In the end, you will get to see a sudden change in your mock test results just because you were consistent.
And since CAT 2015 pattern has changed, now just solving questions doesn’t matter, smartness in choosing which question to solve also matters a lot. So practice as much as you can. And solve as many mocks as you can and do its full analysis. Just solving mocks will not help you if you don’t do its analysis. Do the analysis, know what mistakes you are doing continuously and work on that.
MBAUniverse.com: Your message to future MBA aspirants.
Nidhi (CAT topper): Never wait for the end moment. Read as much as you can and start preparing right now whatever stage you are at.
MBAUniverse.com: Why did you want to do MBA?
Nidhi (CAT topper): Being an engineer I am obliged to have a degree in one of the most sought after professions in today's world and having an MBA degree from one of the prestigious management institutes in India will be like a cherry on top of the cake.
For a professional, having managerial skills is as important as having technical skills. Having an MBA degree will teach me how to deal effectively with people, how to manage the tasks better and will also teach me the art of learning quickly and of making people contribute their best to the organization. To be an engineer with MBA degree will be like staying one step ahead in today's competitive world.
MBAUniverse.com: Any special story experienced by you in your journey from being a CAT "aspirant" to a "successful topper "
Nidhi (CAT topper): The thing which motivated me is the belief that though I am not a pass-out from an IIT or NIT, this will never make me think that I am not capable of cracking CAT. Whoever thinks that they are a mediocre student, just believe that if you want to, you will be able to.
MBAUniverse.com: Thank you Nidhi Swapnil for sharing such a valuable guidance for CAT 2015 aspirants
Nidhi (CAT topper): Thank you MBAUniverse.com for starting such an innovative idea to help CAT 2015 aspirants.
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