The D-day is inching closer and closer with just 8 days left for the CAT 2009 entrance examination to begin. Now you should switch your gear to the fastest mode and collect all the strategic tips that will make you a winner. In this endeavour MBAUniverse.com is here to help you.

In this third interview of the ‘Road to CAT 2009-Advice from CAT Toppers’ series MBAUniverse.com provides you exclusive winning strategies from Amitabh Shankar, who scored 99.97 percentile in the CAT 2008 entrance exam.

Amitabh Shankar completed his graduation in Engineering from VIT University, Tamil Nadu. He attempted CAT exam soon after and scored 99.97 percentile which led him to IIM Kozhikode, which is renowned for its beautiful and scenic campus.

Excerpts from the exclusive interview with Amitabh Shankar:

Q: With just seven days to go, what is your advice to CAT 2009 aspirants?

A: The days of hard work are behind you. Now is the time to take it easy, revise a few vital concepts and take a couple of practice tests to fine tune your strategy for the big one. Don’t make the mistake of trying to cram up too much information during the last week to CAT 2009. Believe me, it will do more harm than good.

Q:  How should the test takers plan to attempt the paper on the basis of different sections in the paper and time management?

A: Coming up with a strategy for attempting the CAT exam paper is a tricky business. There is no golden rule which applies to all. Coming up with the perfect strategy is a long drawn process which takes almost 15 to 20 Mock tests of experimentation and evaluation. All of you should devise the strategy based on your strengths and weaknesses. However, you should always attempt your weakest section in the middle. Also, if you are confident about your mental toughness, your strongest section should be the last one that you attempt. It may seem counter-intuitive but it really helped me milk the maximum out of the CAT exam.

Q: What should CAT 2009 takers do a day before the exam?

A: To all the CAT 2009 takers I would say that the smartest thing you can do a day before the exam is to forget that you have the CAT exam the next day. Enjoy a day off by going out to a movie or a restaurant with your friends. Be sure to take an hour or so before sleeping to revise the important concepts and formulae. Most importantly, you may find it difficult to get a good sleep due to anxiety. So, try to add a couple of hours to your regular sleep time. Trust me, a fresh mind is half the battle won.

Q: What are the parameters that a candidate should use while choosing MBA schools? On what parameters did you choose your MBA School?

A: Perhaps choosing the right MBA School is the most daunting task faced by a candidate. I believe that the most important parameters are brand value, faculty, peer group and placements (in that order). You should not give too much importance to placements. A good student will get a good placement no matter wherever he or she is studying.

I wanted to study in an IIM and was not willing to compromise on that at any cost. Hence, IIM Kozhikode was the natural choice for me on account of its strong finance program, the renowned faculty and above all, its reputation as being the most beautiful MBA School campus in India.

Q: How did you prepare for Group Discussion and Personal Interview rounds?

A: My preparation for GD PI rounds comprised mainly of the mock GD PIs conducted by T.I.M.E., the MBA coaching institute I went. It gave me a feel of the actual process and helped me gain some insight into my strengths and weaknesses. In addition to that, I became an avid reader of newspapers and magazines, particularly business news. I also did some introspection to understand who I am because clarity on the topic is paramount to achieve success in the PI round.

Q: What would be your success mantra to the MBA aspirants on GD PI?

A: Success in GD PI can be achieved by focusing on two key areas: knowledge and confidence. For the former one there is no other option but to read as much as you can. Keep yourself abreast of current happenings in the political and the business world. Also, brush up your academics thoroughly. For the PI there are some generic questions, the answers to which should be prepared beforehand. Confidence can be acquired by sitting for a lot of mock GD PIs to familiarize yourself with the process.

Q: Would you like to share any other tips on CAT 2009 with the MBA aspirants?

A: The true character of a person is reflected in the way he handles success or failure. Some people give too much importance to the CAT exam paper and hence bring a lot of undue pressure upon themselves. Keep in mind that cracking the CAT exam is only a beginning and failure to do so is only a minor setback, not a catastrophe in the grand scheme of life.

Attempt the CAT exam paper with a clear head, believe in yourself and you are sure to succeed. My best wishes to all the CAT 2009 aspirants.

Stay tuned to MBAUniverse.com for more such CAT topper exclusive interviews!