Why CAT Toppers with 99%, with Work Ex in AI & Tech, choose SPJIMR Mumbai over IIMs, IITs, MDI, IIFT; Check their Profiles, Exam Prep Strategy, and their views on MBA Selection Process
CAT 2024 exam is round the corner and not much time is left for the CAT exam day which is on Sunday, November 24, 2024. The best CAT preparation tips can come from the CAT toppers themselves. To help our readers aiming at CAT 2024, MBAUniverse.com interviewed CAT 2023 toppers who scored high percentiles and were offered admission by IIMs, IITs, IIFT, MDI and other top B-schools but preferred to join SPJIMR Mumbai. These CAT toppers share their CAT preparation strategy and bare their weaknesses and how they won them over to crack CAT. They also share preparations for PI/WAT rounds and why they preferred joining SPJIMR instead of any other top B-school.
MBAUniverse.com takes you up close and personal with these dynamic Business Leaders in the making. It may also be noteworthy that SPJIMR Mumbai now accepts only CAT and GMAT and has unique profile based shortlisting criteria which consider key achievements alongwith CAT cut off. Over the years, SPJIMR is consistently improving the academic and gender diversity in its class rooms through its selection process.
Before we start discussing about the MBA exams and the college decisions by these CAT toppers and now SPJIMR students, let’s first get to know them well – who they are, where did they study, do they have work-experience and more. So here is a snapshot
CAT Toppers at SPJIMR Mumbai Profiles: A Snapshot
| Name & Hometown | Education | CAT 2023 Percentile | Work Experience |
| Jayant Kochhar, Rajkot | B.Tech in Computer Science & Engineering | 99.62 | Software Engineer with Publicis Sapient |
| Rakshitha Madamakki, Udupi | B.Sc-M.Sc Biology, UM-DAE-CEBS | 98.58 | Fresher |
| Tanay Rajan, Jamshedpur | BBM, XIM University, Bhubaneswar | 99.85 | Fresher |
| Vedant Seigell, Delhi | B. Tech in Computers & Communication Engineering from Manipal Institute of Technology | 99.73 | Software Design Engineer with Schneider Electric |
| Sahiti Potnuru, Hyderabad | IHM Pusa (B.Sc. Hospitality and Hotel Administration) | 98.23 | Worked with Oberoi Group |
| Soraya Gupta, Jaipur | B.Tech Mechanical Engineering, Malviya National Institute of Technology, Jaipur | 98.86 | Imagineer Fractal (Analytics) |
So now that you know the CAT toppers at SPJIMR Mumbai, let us take a look at their CAT journey…read on for their in depth interviews with MBAUniverse.com.
Jayant Kocchar: 99.62 Percentile in CAT 2023
How Jayant Kochhar, a Software Engineer with Publicis Sapient Overcame his Weakness to Crack CAT 2023 with 99.62%ile and Got into SPJIMR Mumbai
Jayant Kocchar from Rajkot cracked CAT 2023 with 99.62 percentile and is pursuing PGDM from SPJIMR Mumbai. Jayant’s father is a Foundary Consultant, Mother is a teacher and his brother is a student. Jayant is a B.Tech in Computer Science and Engineering and has work experience as Software Engineer with Publicis Sapient. Jayant converted IIM Indore, IIFT, IIT Delhi along with SPJIMR Mumbai but he preferred SPJIMR Mumbai to any of other top B-schools. Jayant’s CAT preparation journey has a lot of lessons. For instance how he got motivated to pursue MBA, how did he overcome his weakness in VARC section and how did he maximise on his strengths with a consistent determination.
Jayant loves Endurance Running, Knife Painting, playing Lawn Tennis and is a Vocalist. With this let us read Jayant’s responses to MBAUniverse.com questions
Q: What was your overall preparation strategy for CAT?
A: I started my preparation in May 2023 and tried to keep my preparation strategy as simple as possible. Firstly, I made sure that I should cover all the topics which form part of the syllabus. Secondly, I identified the weaker sections. For me the weaker section was Reading Comprehension from the Verbal Ability and Reading Comprehension Section. I devoted more time on these topics. Attempting sectional Mocks helped me gauge my preparation for that topic. Thirdly, I made sure to upsolve any sectional that I solved. This helped me move ahead in a systematic manner.
Q: Please share your sectional preparation strategy for CAT? How did you prepare for Verbal Ability & Reading Comprehension (VARC)?
A: In this section it is very easy to feel intimidated trying to understand the passage. It is really important that you also focus on answering the questions. So I skimmed through the questions before going through the entire passage. This subconsciously helped me with the areas that I needed to focus on, while reading.
Q: How did you prepare for Data Interpretation & Logical Reasoning (DILR)?
A: I practiced as much variety of problems as was possible. I always ensured go all-in at every set. If I couldn’t figure out anything within first 4-5 minutes, I just dropped that set and moved on.
Q: How did you prepare for Quantitative Ability (QA)?
A: Again, I focused on practice as much as I could. I kept revising the formulas. I also prepared a formula book and kept it handy. As the conceptual clarity for all the topics is extremely critical, so I ensured that it is achieved first.
Q: Was there any particular section/area that you were weak at? How did you overcome this challenge?
A: Verbal Ability and Reading Comprehension (VARC) was my weak section. To overcome this, I made sure I read as extensive and diverse topics as was possible. Reading newspapers and keeping a tap on the current affairs also helped me prepare well for the final interviews.
Q: What role did Mocks play in your success? How many mocks did you attempt before the exam?
A: I had attempted about 30 mocks. Attempting a healthy number of mock tests and previous Years question papers is extremely important. Attempting mocks gave me a very good idea of the kind of questions which appear in the exam. Based on my weak areas, I could then focus on taking section-wise mocks.
Q: Did you self-prepare for CAT Exam or did you attend a Coaching Centre and why?
A: I prepared with coaching. I was a regular student at a coaching institute throughout my preparation. Solving the study material and the mock series regularly helped me identify my weak areas and work on them.
Q: Which books did you refer during your preparation and how effective were they?
A: I mostly followed the modules and test series provided by my coaching institute. It was sufficient for me.
Q: Please share your strategy for the CAT Day. What was your last-minute preparation? How did you plan your CAT test taking?
A: I relaxed a day before the test. I didn’t attempt any mocks on the last day. As I approached the exam day, I reduced the number of mock attempts and focused more on revising what I had covered already. I was confident with my preparation, hence on the exam day I tried to stay as calm as possible.
Q: How did you prepare for GD/PI/WAT Rounds?
A: I went through some 5-7 mock Personal Interviews before sitting for my first Personal Interview. This gave me a reality check and a lot of time to fine-tune my answers and become confident while appearing for the final interview.
Q: Do you have work experience? Please share how the work experience can help in MBA?
A: Yes, I worked as a Software Engineer for 3 months before joining MBA at SPJIMR. A touch of corporate experience gave me a sense of what stakeholders are involved as part of the decision making. This also helped me experience a profession setting first hand.
Q: What motivated you to Join SPJIMR? What were your top three criteria?
A: The most important pillar of SPJIMR was being given the opportunity to lead without power as part of different student committees. The institute stands tall for instilling a sense of social sensitivity in future leaders of the country which is unique to the institute. The third aspect was its location, being located in Mumbai, SPJIMR gives you a lot of exposure to interact and get in touch with business leaders and esteemed alumni.
Q: How has been your experience so far at SPJIMR? Please share some high points
A: It has been a great experience so far. Starting from the excellent cohort that I am part of. Everyone on the table has something unique to add.
Q: Whom you would like to give credit for your success? What role your family & friends played?
A: Family and friends played a pivotal role in my success at CAT. This wouldn’t have been possible without their presence and constant motivation.
Q: What challenges you faced during your life, academics, preparation? How did you come out of them?
A: The urge to always remain at the top academically was something I had always focused on. This was possible during school. As soon as I stepped out, it became increasingly challenging to make peace with the fact that I was not the smartest around and I constantly needed to up my game. All this made me come out of the challenged faced by me.
Q: According to you, how can B-schools make their MBA admission process less cumbersome for MBA applicants.
A: I don’t think it is cumbersome in the first place. Rather I would urge colleges conducting online processes to move offline, because there is a shift in perspective when you access a candidate in-person versus assessing online.
Q: Finally, your message and tips for candidates preparing for CAT 2024
A: My message is - Always believe in yourself. Identify your weaker sections and work on them. Be consistent with the number of hours that you put into your preparation, that is what will keep you going.
Rakshitha Madamakki: 98.58 Percentile in CAT 2023
How Rakshitha Madamakki, A Biology Student, Flute Player from Udupi Got Motivated and Cracked CAT 2023 with 98.58%ile and Got into SPJIMR Mumbai
Rakshitha Madamakki from Udupi, cracked CAT 2023 with 98.58 percentile and is pursuing PGDM from SPJIMR Mumbai. A Flute Player, a Painter, a Biology Student and a fresher, Rakshita has done B.Sc-M.Sc Biology, UM-DAE-CEBS. While pursuing her studies in Biology, she got motivated and cracked CAT 2023. Rakshitha also appeared in XAT 2024 and scored 98.24 percentile and appeared in NMAT 2023 in which she scored 272 out of 360 and converted NMIMS. Apart from SPJIMR Mumbai, Rakshitha converted all the 10 CAP Participating IIMs, IIM Shillong, NMIMS Mumbai but preferred to join SPJIMR as her dream B-school. Rakshitha’s father was in corporate for 35 years, her mother is a homemaker and Sister is a doctor. Rakshitha’s CAT preparation journey has a lot of lessons. For instance how she got motivated to pursue MBA, how did she overcome her weakness in DILR section and how she got motivated to join SPJIMR and declined IIMs and other top B-schools. With this let us read Rakshitha’s responses to MBAUniverse.com questions
Q: What was your overall preparation strategy for CAT?
A: I had around six months to prepare post graduation, within which I dedicated first 4 months mainly on improving my speed and conceptual understanding, and the next two months on mocks and practice questions.
Q: Please share your sectional preparation strategy for CAT? How did you prepare for Verbal Ability & Reading Comprehension?
A: VARC was my strong section. I made it a point to read one article from JSTOR Daily everyday. I would try to summarise each paragraph in a line. At the end, I would try to understand the flow of the passage and try to understand the point the author was trying to convey.
Q: How did you prepare for Data Interpretation & Logical Reasoning (DILR)?
A: First I got my concepts clear through Rodha and ElitesGrid concept videos. Then I would access many resources-books/youtube videos/mock exams/websites to practice as many questions as possible.
Q: How did you prepare for QA?
A: I first revised all concepts in the first 3 months. I worked on mental Math for all 6 months of preparation. Once concepts were clear, I worked more on practicing questions and understanding previous year questions.
Q: Was there any particular section/area that you were weak at? How did you overcome this challenge?
A: I was weak in DILR. The only way to succeed at it is practice and understand what is going wrong. So I practiced more and more on variety of problem sets.
Q: What role did Mocks play in your success? How many mocks did you attempt before the exam?
A: Mocks were very crucial to my preparation. They helped me in experimenting and identifying what strategy to follow while attempting the exam, made me comfortable with time management and also helped identify areas that needed improvements. I had taken around 60 mocks.
Q: Did you self-prepare for CAT Exam or did you attend a Coaching Centre and why?
A: I self prepared. I did not want to attend a coaching because I had faith in my conceptual understanding, and I knew I just needed to revise concepts. What I needed to work on was my speed and exposure to different types of problems, and I could do this without the classroom just through mocks.
Q: Which books did you refer during your preparation and how effective were they?
A: I referred Arun Sharma books for basic concepts (3/5 rating). I took Oswaal practice papers for practice and explanations (5/5 rating)
Q: Please share your strategy for the CAT Day. What was your last-minute preparation? How did you plan your CAT test taking?
A: I had slot 3 as my test hour. I knew that I would be more comfortable and less panick-stricken if I could hear what questions had been asked in slots 1 and 2. So before the exam, I was just listening to reviews and questions with a calm mind without focusing on the difficulty levels mentioned by aspirants. Difficulty levels are subjective whereas topics being asked are objective. For the exam, I had a good night’s sleep as well as proper breakfast and lunch. For the exam, I had decided to attempt all questions except 2 in VARC since that was my strength. I had planned to attempt at least 2 data sets for DILR. And for quants, I wished to attempt around 10-15 questions. These benchmarks were based after considering my speed and accuracy in mocks. However, it varies depending from person to person.
Q: How did you prepare for GD/PI/WAT Rounds?
A: I took and spectated a lot of mocks. I kept up with general affairs. I knew almost L3 level of depth about industries related to my sector. Asked ChatGPT to generate random topics for WAT and GDs.
Q: What motivated you to Join SPJIMR? What were your top three criteria?
A: My major reasons to join SPJIMR were focus on a major subject, additional value based learning such as Abhyudaya and Docc initiatives. The college is located in Mumbai, which would give many opportunities.
Q: How has been your experience so far at SPJIMR? Please share some high points
A: At SPJIMR I have experienced steep learning curve for concepts and personalities. SPJIMR offers opportunity to interact with and learn from people with diverse backgrounds.
Q: Whom you would like to give credit for your success? What role your family & friends played?
A: Beyond my efforts, I give major credit to my parents who have kept on pushing and motivating me, even on failures in mocks. They have helped me keep calm across situations, which is why I can stand here today.
Q: According to you, how can B-schools make their MBA admission process less cumbersome for MBA applicants.
A: There should be one exam and one process. This will prevent students from paying and reserving their seats across multiple colleges while waiting for the results/waitlist movement of a better one. Having a single exam would reduce the load of studying differently for each exam and also make it a level playing field for colleges.
Q: Finally, your message and tips for candidates preparing for CAT 2024
A: Keep your calm and give the exam. Sometimes your exam may throw unexpected events at you, do not lose your calm. Be confident and assertive, even in your body language for the exam. Eat and sleep on time.
Tanay Ranjan: 99.85 Percentile in CAT 2023
How Tanay Rajan, A BBM from XIM Bhubaneswar, A Fresher and Music Lover from Jamshedpur Cracked CAT 2023 with 99.85%ile and Got into SPJIMR Mumbai
Tanay Rajan from Jamshedpur, cracked CAT 2023 with 99.85 percentile and is pursuing PGDM from SPJIMR Mumbai. A Bachelor in Business Management (BBM) from XIM University Bhubaneswar, Tanay loves playing football, basket ball and is a music lover. Tanay is a fresher and apart from scoring high in CAT exam, he scored 97.8 percentile in XAT 2024, 252 out of 360 in NMAT 2023 and 99.2 percentile in SNAP 2023. Tanay’s CAT preparation journey has lot of lessons. For instance how he got motivated to pursue MBA, how did he overcome his weakness in DILR section and how he got motivated to join SPJIMR. With this let us read Tanay’s responses to MBAUniverse.com questions
Q: What was your overall preparation strategy for CAT?
A: My strategy involved taking as many full length and sectional mock tests as possible. Taking feedback from the tests and then improving my weaknesses and leveraging my strengths was of utmost importance.
Q: Please share your sectional preparation strategy for CAT?
A: For Verbal Ability and Reading Comprehension, I focused more on Reading newspapers, articles, and worked on my vocabulary. For Data Interpretation and Logical Reasoning section, I practiced more sectional tests and full length mock tests. My preparation for Quantitative Ability (QA) section focused more on study material and sectional tests.
Q: Was there any particular section/area that you were weak at? How did you overcome this challenge?
A: I was especially weak at DILR. I sought extra help from my mentors and spent a lot of time practicing selection and solving sets. Set selection was extremely critical for success.
Q: What role did Mocks play in your success? How many mocks did you attempt before the exam?
A: I attempted around 30 full length mock tests before the exam. I did not focus on mocks in my first attempt, and hence did not get my target score. However, I corrected my mistake in the second attempt and secured a 99+ percentile score.
Q: Did you self-prepare for CAT Exam or did you attend a Coaching Centre and why?
A: I attended TIME for CAT coaching. I wanted to have a structured and supervised approach to my CAT preparation, hence I joined a coaching centre. My experience was great and the extra help surely played a huge part in my CAT success.
Q: Which books did you refer during your preparation and how effective were they?
A: I referred only to the study material provided by TIME. I found the material to be comprehensive enough for the CAT examinations, especially for the VARC and QA sections. The full-length mock tests were excellent for improving my DILR section.
Q: Please share your strategy for the CAT Day. What was your last-minute preparation? How did you plan your CAT test taking?
A: No last-minute preparation. Just believe in your preparation, visualize success, and take the exam with utmost focus and calmness. I planned to adjust my number of attempts as per the perceived difficulty of the respective sections on CAT Day.
Q: How did you prepare for GD/PI/WAT Rounds?
A: I took Lots of mock PIs and GDs with alumni, read transcripts, brushed up on academics, current affairs, and behavioural questions.
Q: Do you have work experience? Please share how the work experience can help in MBA?
A: I do not have work experience. With three months into the program, I don’t believe that work experience is strictly necessary to have a successful MBA journey. It is all up to what the individual aims to get from the MBA experience and use the experience to achieve their career goals.
Q: What motivated you to Join SPJIMR? What were your top three criteria?
A: My first criteria was the quality of the marketing cohort at SPJIMR, and needless to say, it is one of the best in India. The second criteria were the non-classroom learning programmes, which differentiates SPJIMR from the other B-schools, namely – ADMAP, Abhyudaya, and DOCC. The third criteria is the location, and no city is better in terms of exposure and opportunity than Mumbai.
Q: How has been your experience so far at SPJIMR? Please share some high points
A: The first term has been a rollercoaster ride. With summer placements, exams, quizzes, evaluations, and classes all at their peak, it is truly challenging. The experience comes with its high points too though, with lots of fun activities on campus, incredible impromptu experiences with friends, and a plethora of other experiences that you’d get only in an MBA program.
Q: Whom you would like to give credit for your success? What role your family & friends played?
A: My parents, friends, mentors, and seniors played a huge role. Their support helped me navigate the labyrinth of the CAT preparation process and overcome the challenge.
Q: What challenges you faced during your life, academics, preparation? How did you come out of them?
A: The monotony is definitely the worst part. Keeping yourself motivated and energized to pursue your target over months requires a lot of focus, discipline, and perseverance. It is important to keep taking breaks and engaging in activities such as sport, art, or any other interest areas to prevent burnout. Having meaningful and healthy social interactions at regular intervals is essential. Maintaining good physical and mental health is also of paramount importance.
Q: According to you, how can B-schools make their MBA admission process less cumbersome for MBA applicants.
A: Perhaps they increase the transparency in the selection process. The candidates are left with cold rejection mails without any explanation. This prevents them from learning from their mistakes and fills them with self-doubt and a fear from further rejections.
Q: Finally, your message and tips for candidates preparing for CAT 2024
A: Just keep yourself calm, don’t let the pressure paralyse you. Take one step at a time and it’ll all work out. Everyone makes it, and this examination is not an indication of your potential or self-worth.
Vedant Seigell: 99.73 Percentile in CAT 2023
How Vedant Seigell, A Software Designer with Schneider Electric and Movie Watcher from Delhi, Cracked CAT 2023 with 99.73%ile and Got into SPJIMR Mumbai
Vedant Seigell from Delhi, cracked CAT 2023 with 99.73 percentile and is pursuing PGDM from SPJIMR Mumbai. A B. Tech in Computers & Communication Engineering from Manipal Institute of Technology, Vedant has about three years of work experience as Software Design Engineer with Schneider Electric. Vedant loves reading and watching movies & shows. Apart from scoring high in CAT exam, Vedant score 95.29 percentile in XAT 2024 also. Vedant’s CAT preparation journey has many lessons. For instance how he got motivated to pursue MBA, how he got motivated to join SPJIMR despite getting admission offers from SJMSoM IIT Bombay and MDI Gurgaon. With this let us read Vedant’s responses to MBAUniverse.com questions
Q: What was your overall preparation strategy for CAT?
A: Overall my strategy for the exam was focused heavily on mock papers. I felt that I’d learn about my weaknesses most effectively by simulating the actual exam. So, once I had a decent grasp on the format of the exam and the type of questions asked along with basic concepts for each, I started giving mock exams. My goal was to come across as many different questions as I could, as I felt this would minimise the unpredictability factor of the exam.
Q: Please share your sectional preparation strategy for CAT? How did you prepare for Verbal Ability & Reading Comprehension (VARC)?
A: I’ve always been an avid reader and I enjoyed writing when I was younger. There was a natural comfort for me with the VARC section, so I focused on reading books and newspapers as a way to improve my attention span and reading comprehension.
Q: How did you prepare for Data Interpretation & Logical Reasoning (DILR)?
A: I enjoy playing games like Sudoku and Nonogram and this helped me develop a strong base for logical puzzles. To prepare specifically for DILR I used the books by Arun Sharma to understand the type of questions and then attempted multiple sectional mocks and full-length mocks to improve my speed and accuracy in these questions.
Q: How did you prepare for Quantitative Ability (QA)?
A: For QA I had to first revise all my concepts and formulae before I could focus on solving questions. I referred to multiple youtube channels and Quant books by Arun Sharma for refreshers on the concepts and basic questions for the same. Once I felt comfortable with the type of questions asked, I attempted multiple mocks to incrementally improve my performance. Furthermore, I also analysed each question from the mocks and solved them again afterwards to ensure that I understood where I went wrong.
Q: What role did Mocks play in your success? How many mocks did you attempt before the exam?
A: I attempted approximately 35-40 mocks including previous year papers. My mock attempts were crucial in my preparation as I spent a significant amount of time on analysing each question after the attempt. This gave me insight into the efficiency of the approach that I followed for each question as well as the possible gaps in my logic.
Q: Did you self-prepare for CAT Exam or did you attend a Coaching Centre and why?
A: I prepared for the exam on my own, using various free internet resources and books, as I felt that I had a good grasp on the basics of each section. I purchased a mock series from IMS and used that as a way to learn and improve.
Q: Which books did you refer during your preparation and how effective were they?
A: I’d primarily referred to the CAT Preparation books by Arun Sharma and second-hand GMAT preparation books to revise all the formulae and refamiliarize myself with the process of solving the questions
Q: Please share your strategy for the CAT Day. What was your last-minute preparation? How did you plan your CAT test taking?
A: My goal was to be as relaxed as possible before the exam. I realised that I’ve done all the preparation that I could and any last-minute revision would just confuse me further. My CAT day strategy was to listen to music that lifted my spirits and made me feel energetic. For the actual test my plan was to attempt as many questions as I can for the VARC section as that was my strong suit. For DILR I focused on solving only 2 sets, and I selected them by first reading all the sets and spending 2-3 minutes on each of them to narrow down the ones with an easy approach. For Quant I attempted the questions from the concepts that I was confident on.
Q: How did you prepare for GD/PI/WAT Rounds?
A: I came across a free community of former MBA aspirants and students who were preparing current aspirants through various resources, guidance as well as mock interviews. The learnings I received through viewing the mock interviews and interacting with the mentors was truly helpful in shaping my preparation. Their feedback on my approach to the answers proved to be vital in my success. Additionally I also joined the interview preparation course by IMS. They provided me with a plethora of resources in an organised manner. This combined with the offline group interviews that I gave at their centre was critical in boosting my confidence levels.
Q: Do you have work experience? Please share how the work experience can help in MBA?
A: I have 33 months of work experience as a software engineer. So far the experience has been tremendously helpful in coping with the pressure of the MBA life and learning how to manage my priorities. Additionally, it’s also helped in understanding the relevance of a lot of material taught in the class.
Q: What motivated you to Join SPJIMR? What were your top three criteria?
A: The reputation that SPJIMR has in the industry of being an innovative business school with a strong focus on ethics was a crucial factor in attracting me to SPJIMR. Additionally, the recruitment methodology of admitting students with exceptional profiles in terms of both academics as well as extra-curricular achievements ensures that the peer group is excellent. Thirdly the international partnerships through GFT and international exchange provide a great exposure and learning experience.
Q: How has been your experience so far at SPJIMR? Please share some high points
A: The experience so far has been brilliant, interactions with both my peers and professors has been very informative. PG lab was a particularly great bonding experience with the entire batch. Additionally, the way we all support each other during times of stress, and teach each other concepts from our individual backgrounds has been very heartwarming.
Q: Whom you would like to give credit for your success? What role your family & friends played?
A: The main credit goes to my friends and family who supported me throughout the process. The constant confidence they showed in me and the encouragement they provided allowed me to perform my best.
Q: What challenges you faced during your life, academics, preparation? How did you come out of them?
A: One of the biggest challenges came in the form of time management as I was preparing for the process along with my office workload. Balancing the quality of my work with the effort needed for CAT preparation and GDPI preparation was a challenge, but what helped me the most was maintaining consistent efforts in regular timeslots.
Q: According to you, how can B-schools make their MBA admission process less cumbersome for MBA applicants.
A: The entire process can be made less cumbersome by focusing more on the candidate and their experiences and values, instead of focusing on topics like current affairs or static GK. While these areas hold importance for a future manager, the initial selection of a b-school student should be done based on their potential which can only be judged by understanding their thought process, instead of their rote learning abilities.
Q: Finally, your message and tips for candidates preparing for CAT 2024
A: The most important advice for all candidates is to remain calm and stress-free before the exam. In the end, it’s just a test and it doesn’t define the rest of your career. As long as you maintain a clear head during the exam and trust your preparation you’ll do well.
Sahiti Potnuru: 98.23 Percentile in CAT 2023
How Sahiti Potnuru, A Hospitality and Hotel Administration Professional Working with Oberoi Group Cracked CAT 2023 with 98.23%ile and Got into SPJIMR Mumbai
Sahiti Potnuru from Hyderabad, cracked CAT 2023 with 98.23 percentile and is pursuing PGDM from SPJIMR Mumbai. A B.Sc. in Hospitality and Hotel Administration from IHM Pusa, Sahiti has 15 months of work experience. Sahiti loves Singing, baking, crocheting. Apart from SPJIMR, Sahiti was offered admission by IIM Indore and all the 10 CAP participating IIMs but she preferred to join SPJIMR Mumbai. Sahiti’s CAT preparation journey has many lessons. For instance how she got motivated to pursue MBA, how she overcame her weakness in QA section, how she got motivated to join SPJIMR despite getting admission offers from IIMs. With this let us read Sahiti’s responses to MBAUniverse.com questions
Q: What was your overall preparation strategy for CAT?
A: I started preparing seriously towards the end of July 2023. With nearly four months left, I focused on covering all the QA topics over two months with occasional DILR practice sessions. I wrote one mock exam every day in the five weeks leading up to the exam. This was supplemented by constant sectional tests.
Q: Please share your sectional preparation strategy for CAT? How did you prepare for Verbal Ability & Reading Comprehension (VARC)?
A: Most of my VARC preparation took place through mocks. With every exam, I tried to improve my reading, comprehension and retention speed. After exploring multiple strategies, I landed on completing the RC with ten minutes to spare for the VA. I had to constantly remind myself to ignore unsure questions to avoid negative marking.
Q: How did you prepare for Data Interpretation & Logical Reasoning (DILR)?
A: I showcased immense improvement in DILR from being unable to solve a single set to managing three whole sets in mocks. I focused on selecting the correct sets and getting them right. I began with getting just one, then two and eventually three. I made it a point to move past sets if I spent 10 minutes with no progress. The speed and precision came with a lot of practice and exposure to different types of questions.
Q: How did you prepare for Quantitative Ability (QA)?
A: With four months to spare, I planned on covering the syllabus is two months. I made an elaborate schedule with all the topics alternating between ones I liked and disliked. Each topic was split into understanding the concepts, practising examples and solving without immediate access to solutions. Despite my efforts, I did not showcase the proficiency I was aiming for. As I went on with mocks, I focused on grounding myself and solving only 6-7 questions right without wasting time on impossible questions or risking negative marking.
Q: Was there any particular section/area that you were weak at? How did you overcome this challenge?
A: I would say I was weak at QA. I was unable to overcome it completely, but the eventual solution was to tackle all the easy to moderate questions without wasting time on the hard ones. Negative marking should not be ignored.
Q: What role did Mocks play in your success? How many mocks did you attempt before the exam?
A: Mocks played a huge role in my success. I was unable to even complete the very first mock I gave in January 2023. I was immediately humbled and disheartened. Upon covering around 60% of the syllabus, I began giving mocks again. Soon, my fear of mocks lifted, and I focused on improving my strategy and speed. Additionally, I had to constantly remind myself not to let the results affect me extensively - neither positive nor negative are entirely reflective of the actual exam. Overall, I solved at least 50 mocks and 60 sectional tests.
Q: Did you self-prepare for CAT Exam or did you attend a Coaching Centre and why?
A: I alternated between the coaching centre’s classes and self-study depending on the topic I was covering and whether I required help. If not a coaching centre, it is often useful to study with friends.
Q: Which books did you refer during your preparation and how effective were they?
A: I referred to the material provided by my coaching centre and Arun Sharma’s textbooks. Additionally, I went through the NCERT textbooks as required. Together, they provided all the necessary support.
Q: Please share your strategy for the CAT Day. What was your last-minute preparation? How did you plan your CAT test taking?
A: My last mock was two days before the exam. The day before CAT, I did not do any preparation. I just focused on distracting myself and getting ample rest. On CAT day, I glanced through all the important QA formulae once. My exam was in the afternoon slot and I made it a point to not listen to any information about the morning slot. I did not want to be going in with any biases. I had a specific strategy for each section and tried my best to follow it.
Q: How did you prepare for GD/PI/WAT Rounds?
A: My coaching centre provided preparation assistance for GD/PI/WAT rounds. I took multiple mocks with them and my friends. Practice helped me frame and further enhance to expected interview questions. Especially for SPJIMR, I took part in multiple group interview mocks.
Q: Do you have work experience? Please share how the work experience can help in MBA?
A: I have experience in administration and hospitality. Both have immensely enhanced my communication skills. Additionally, I have experience managing people, situations and deadlines. They also help me bring an element of creativity.
Q: What motivated you to Join SPJIMR? What were your top three criteria?
A: SPJIMR’s focus on values, smaller batch size, diverse cohort and location drove me here. Additionally, I found SPJIMR’s admission process quite welcoming.
Q: How has been your experience so far at SPJIMR? Please share some high points
A: My experience at SPJIMR has been very enriching so far. My interest in marketing has deepened with the interactive class discussions and case competitions. I am enjoying the exposure to a wide range of topics and interactions with industry leaders. I am pleased to be making meaningful connections with my batchmates.
Q: Whom you would like to give credit for your success? What role have your family & friends played?
A: My friends and family played a huge role in my success. Not only did they help with exam and interview preparation, they also ensured I remained motivated throughout.
Q: What challenges have you faced during your life, academics, and preparation? How did you come out of them?
A: The biggest challenge was my intense fear of failing the exam and interviews. The only way I was able to fix this was by giving mocks knowing they’d have to go poorly before they got better. I realised it was okay to embarrass myself in mock tests or interviews if it ensured I was getting better. Q: According to you, how can B-schools make their MBA admission process less cumbersome for MBA applicants.
A: B-schools can perhaps start by ensuring stress is at its lowest on the interview day. Optimised slotting would ensure students won’t have to wait all day for their interview.
Q: Finally, your message and tips for candidates preparing for CAT 2024
A: Prepare your best for the exam and do not leave anything to regret. However, please remember that this exam is not everything. Do not let it consume you. And when it feels too overwhelming, take good breaks – they are truly underrated.
Soraya Gupta: 98.86 Percentile in CAT 2023
How Soraya Gupta from Jaipur, An Imagineer Fractal and Dancer, Cracked CAT 2023 with 98.86ile and Got into SPJIMR Mumbai
Soraya Gupta from Jaipur, cracked CAT 2023 with 98.86 percentile and is pursuing PGDM from SPJIMR Mumbai. A B.Tech in Mechanical Engineering from Malviya National Institute of Technology, Jaipur, Soraya has about 2 years of work experience. Soraya loves dancing, playing TT and Basketball. Apart from SPJIMR, Soraya was offered admission by IIM Indore but she preferred to join SPJIMR Mumbai. Soraya’s CAT preparation journey has many lessons. For instance how she got motivated to pursue MBA, how she overcame her weakness in VARC section, how she got motivated to join SPJIMR despite getting admission offers from IIMs. With this let us read Soraya’s responses to MBAUniverse.com questions
Q: What was your overall preparation strategy for CAT?
A: I prepared for the CAT myself. I had resources like different textbooks and the whole of the internet. To practice and test where I am, I took up the AIMCAT series from TIME. I started around Feb- Mar of 2023. I started by working on my foundational knowledge in QA and DILR. For VARC, I started reading newspaper editorials and Aeon essays. Initially, my strategy was to give 2-3 hours every day till the last 3 months were remaining for the exam. I also tried to divide my time judiciously between the 3 sections.
Q: Please share your sectional preparation strategy for CAT? How did you prepare for Verbal Ability & Reading Comprehension (VARC)?
A: For VARC, I started later than I should have; I read editorials and Aeon essays and did mocks from TIME for comprehensions and jumbled paras. Every night before sleeping, I also read Word Power Made Easy.
Q: How did you prepare for Data Interpretation and Logical Reasoning (DILR)?
A: I made sure to give some time every day to practice DILR sets. As it is difficult to start preparation, not knowing what to do, I started with something I enjoyed. I began working on 3-4 DILR sets every day from Anastasis Shankar videos on youtube. Then I continued with mocks from TIME. Every day, a 30-minute mock, then went through its solutions. Slowly I only practised sets, which are different types of sets that broadened my understanding
Q: How did you prepare for Quantitative Ability (QA)?
A: For QA I completed the textbook (Arun Sharma) first, then started solving practice tests from TIME.
Q: Was there any particular section/area that you were weak at? How did you overcome this challenge?
A: VARC was something I was weak at; according to my AIMCAT scores, my performance in VARC kept going down. I spoke to one of the teachers from TIME Institute, and she suggested a study plan for solving basic comprehension and grammar tests on the first day. On the 2nd and 3rd days, solve intermediate and advanced tests and then continue the same. I also read Aeon essays, which improved my comprehension. I could have started my varc prep a bit earlier, too.
Q: What role did Mocks play in your success? How many mocks did you attempt before the exam?
A: As CAT is an aptitude exam, I think mocks make all the difference. To see where you stand with your peers and to understand your strengths and weaknesses, mocks were very important. I solved 2-3 sectional mocks daily and 1 AIMCAT every 2nd week from August or July onwards. So around 40-50 full mocks and 100s of sectional mocks. I also solved the previous year's papers, but in retrospect, the paper was harder than the 2021 and 2020 papers, so it’s always better to have a strong foundation and practice with more difficult papers.
Q: Did you self-prepare for CAT Exam or did you attend a Coaching Centre and why?
A: I self-prepared with a Test series AIMCAT from TIME. I had the resources to prepare independently, and I required a more flexible preparation schedule with my work. Also, I believed I had enough discipline to study independently. I took the test series to practice, gauge where I stood, and see where I could improve.
Q: Which books did you refer during your preparation and how effective were they?
A: QA- Arun Sharma, Word power made easy for improving my vocabulary ( beautiful book), DILR only sets ( Anastasis Shanker )
Q: Please share your strategy for the CAT Day. What was your last-minute preparation? How did you plan your CAT test taking?
A: At the end of the day, it’s good to believe the amount of preparation you have done is more than enough. I had one cheat sheet for QA, which I looked at for formulae on the last day, and I looked at one previous year's paper. Other than that, I just chilled the entire day. Luckily, my exam was in the morning slot, so I slept well and didn’t have much time to be anxious throughout the day. For VARC, I first checked all 4 comprehensions and solved the ones that were doable. DILR also checked all the sets and chose the 3 based on difficulty level; I was able to solve 2. QA, I went through all the questions and left anything that seemed hard for the end.
Q: How did you prepare for GD/PI/WAT Rounds?
A: I enrolled into TIME for PI/WAT prep. I took 2 mock PI’s, 2 SPJIMR Mock group interviews, weekend classes for WAT prep, and read newspapers and watched ThinkSchool videos. If done diligently its more than enough.
Q: Do you have work experience? Please share how the work experience can help in MBA?
A: I have 23 months of work experience in the analytics domain. It helped me as I had more clarity as to why I wanted to pursue an MBA, which I could express in my MBA interview. During my MBA also my work exp is helping me in some subjects.
Q: What motivated you to Join SPJIMR? What were your top three criteria?
A: I joined SPJIMR as it gave preference to my work experience, has good culture in terms of student and faculty body, is one of the top private B schools in India, competing with the top IIMs.
Q: How has been your experience so far at SPJIMR? Please share some high points
A: My experience has been very good. I have learnt many things through the hectic schedules and classes, especially from my peers. My time management and stress endurance have also improved a lot. The main thing I have learnt is that every outcome is not a reflection of your personal capability. Keep trying your best, and keep your head high!
Q: Whom you would like to give credit for your success? What role your family & friends played?
A: From my journey of prepping for CAT to pursuing an MBA in SPJIMR, my friends and family played a huge role. I have a wonderful support system of family and friends. They comfort me when I feel overwhelmed and cheer me on for every opportunity.
Q: What challenges you faced during your life, academics, preparation? How did you come out of them?
A: My biggest challenges were managing between work and preparation and sometimes building up that motivation to prepare. As I previously mentioned, I had a sound support system, people to look up to who motivated me to work hard, and friends and family who supported me while I prepared.
Q: According to you, how can B-schools make their MBA admission process less cumbersome for MBA applicants.
A: I think it’s a good process, and compared to my experience with undergraduate, this was much smoother.
Q: Finally, your message and tips for candidates preparing for CAT 2024
A: Do your best. Don’t constantly think about the outcome; just how you can improve and do better. Be confident within yourself and calm at the end of the day.