Hello There how are you

Hello There how are you

Hello There

Hey guys! It was really fun interacting with you. I hope my insights added some value to your preparation. I'll be logging off from this AMA, but in case you have further queries, please reach out to me on LinkedIn(I'm pretty easy to find :P). 

For Tara Shri: Difficult is not impossible : )

For Mithila Dev: 
DOs -> Finish the syllabus comprehensively and attempt all PYQs available at your disposal. Attempt mocks frequently and analyse them effectively and in-depth to understand your mistakes and gaps. Before CAT, do not worry too much about your percentages and GPAs, or experience, or gaps, etc. because people with all kinds of profiles make it to the top B-Schools, but one thing common among all of them is a good CAT percentile. Read the newspaper(prefrebly IE) to stay aware as well as improve your comprehension skills. Keep some time for yourself to pursue a hobby or any interest(could be as absurd as watching K-dramas). 

DONTs -> Daydreaming. Taking shortcuts(one-shot lectures, etc.) as smart work is only for aiding hard work, not replacing it. Using too many sources for a particular topic(I followed a general one topic - one lecture - one problem set approach). Not analyzing or overanalysing mocks. 

Hope this helps!

Hey guys! I believe there is a technical issue with the platform as I am not able to reply to certain comments. I'll try to consolidate a few replies below. 

For Krishna: You are supposed to score badly in mocks. But if you attempted the mock, calculated your score, and then let it be, that's an issue we need to resolve. Analyze your mistakes and preparation gaps very critically and make sure that you work towards improving them. It's only May, and you have plently of time to improve. Hope you do well in CAT : )

For Merlin Mathew: Sorry to disappoint you but there has been a mistake by the AMA organisers in mentioning my profile. I did not have a full time job while preparing, rather I was preparing for UPSC civil services examination until October 2024 and attempted CAT in November as my Plan-B due to the high degree of uncertaintly associated with that exam. I do not have enough insights to be able to help you at this moment. Sorry again : (

For Hurera Akhlaq: You can focus solely on your end semester examinations as they're very close. You can keep CAT on the backburner for this month atleast. Prioritize, Act, Overcome : )

Hi Ayush, hi Aniruddha! Hope you are doing well. I'm a CAT 2025 aspirant. Just started preparing one week back. Hopefully I see you on the otherside soon. Any tips that you guys would like to share with beginners like me? What should I do and not do in this journey to be successful? 

Which is the right time to start giving mocks??? I am planning to buy TIME but heard they are difficult and demotivating. What should I do?

The right time is ASAP. Give sectional tests as soon as you finish a module. For FLTs, finish one iteration of the syllabus and start giving mocks. I gave AIMCATs in my 2020 attempt where I scored 99.54 percentile. I'd agree that they are difficult and demotivating but understand the purpose of giving that mock. I'd be okay if you were scoring zero marks and then analysing your gaps and mistakes and not repeating them in the next mock. Identify new gaps and mistakes in the next mock and repeat the cycle until your errors reduce and marks increase. Sweat in training so that you do not bleed on the battlefield : )

Hi Aniruddha bhaiya and Ayush Bhaiya mujhe bhi IIM ABC join hona hain. Abhi main 12th mein hoon. Any tips on how I can start my preparation?

Don't stress about CAT right now. Enjoy your college life. Score good grades. Build skills. Try to get a good placement. Develop your personality. Make friends. Participate in fests and events. Make mistakes(just make sure they're legal in nature) and learn from them. Your life doesn't have to revolve around an exam : )

I have done half of the syllabus and gave 2 mocks. Scored terribly in it. don't know what to do. I feel so stuck. Feel like should drop the idea of doing MBA. Please bhaiya help me.

Hi bhaiya!
Aap coaching kaha se le rahe the? Coaching important hain kya or can I study on my own? Kyuki coaching bohat mehenga bhi hain. 

I'd give you the unpopular opinion. Take coaching if you have the means. It certainly helps with giving your preparation a certain structure and pace. However, do not rely solely on the coaching institute. Devise your own strategy where coaching institute is just one stakeholder aiding you in your aim of acing CAT. Have a broad overview about the timeline in which you would finish the syllabus, solve PYQs, and attempt & analyse mocks. There is no topic in the CAT syllabus that a graduate of any stream cannot understand on their own, but the efforts required for each person might differ. 

Hi Aniruddha bhaiya and Ayush Bhaiya mujhe bhi IIM ABC join hona hain. Abhi main 12th mein hoon. Any tips on how I can start my preparation?

Hi Yash,
For DILR consistency is the key. Keep practicing everyday and solving 2-3 sets in CAT will easily get you more than 99%ile.
Just focus on being consistent

Hi Aniruddha! Loving your insights. Would like to see you on a YouTube Live as well. ☺️

Sure. My socially awkward personality would absolutely nail a youtube live : P

Hi my profile is GEM 74% , 67% ,9.5 BTech And on 14th August will get 2 years of WORK EXPERIENCE I PLAN TO TARGET SPJAIN, IIM BLACKI SHILLONG WHICH ONE IS UNDER MY REACH

Body

• Looking for reality check 

• what percentile  and how to achieve PLS

Hey! Reiterating the fact that do not focus on what cannot be changed now. Give your best for CAT and GDPI and maximise your percentile and interview scores. All kinds of profiles make it to top B-Schools. Do not be fixated towards a particular institute, rather try to maximise your converts for Tier-1 colleges and decide according to your best interest. B-Schools are just a launchpad for your professional career that will span over 30 years. Hope you make it to your dream college : )

Hiiii Aniruddha,
I have 9/9/6 Profile. Can you please let me know if I have any chance of converting IIMA, Will be giving CAT 2025.
Cat - NC-OBC | Eng| Male

I honestly do not have enough insights to comment on that, but don't focus on what you cannot change. Maximise your CAT percentile and get into the best possible B-School that you can. IIM A is great, but it's not the end of the world. All Tier-1 institutes are equally good in my opinion and just a launchpad for your career that will span over 30 years. I still hope you convert IIM A : )

What motivated you throughout the journey??

Hey! I have a few gap years in my profile owing to the fact that I had appeared for the civil services examination twice. I had left my well paying job to pursue that exam. Thus, my opportunity cost was quite high. Plus, I had lost three years of career growth that I could have had if I had not left my job. Hence, CAT was a redemption opportunity for me to get into a good B-School and get my professional life back on track. 

Hi Aniruddha! Loving your insights. Would like to see you on a YouTube Live as well. ☺️

Hi I am weak in QA and DILR how can I improve? 

I tried to innovate a few thing for improving in QA but in the end, I've realised that it can be improved through the brute force approach. Finish a module, keep the formulas in front of you atleast in the beginning, and attempt as many questions as you can. That's the first iteration. In the second iteration of a particular topic, skim through the formulas and practice problems a couple of days before, and attempt another set of problems. In the third iteration, repeat the same steps as the second iteration but time your attempt. Solve as many questions for that module in 40 minutes. You will see gradual improvement. 

For DILR, I attempted all PYQ sets available on 2IIM website and tried to identify patterns. You'd be amazed how much these patterns repeat. Once you've identified a pattern of questions, practice as much as you can so that you have muscle memory on the day of examination. Doesn't mean you don't have to be exhaustive with the material you're using, but this can help a lot in improving attempts and accuracy. 

Hi Aniruddh! I'm currently working in a 9-5 job. Planning to give CAT this year. Please share how were you able to manage CAT and job together.

Heyy bhaiya. Can you please tell me how to manage cat study during end semester exams. The semesters will continue for like 20 days . Should I completely ignore cat and just focus on my semesters. Please give some suggestions.

 

Hey! I managed to secure 99.54 in CAT 2020 while I was in my final semester. I was simultaneously juggling between my end semester examinations, placement interview preparations, and CAT preparation. Everything is managable considering you do not start everything last minute. CAT would happen somewhere close to the last week of November. You have plenty of time to cover the syllabus, solve the PYQs, and attempt & analyse mocks from now until CAT. Particularly for this semester, you can try to maximise your attendance for semester lectures and pay attention in the classes. That honestly goes a long way in making your life a little easier during the end semester exams. Create a strategy, and stick to it. You have time : )

That's incredible!

Like currently I'm in sixth semester. And 2 more semesters to go on. Soo this whole month I've semester exams soo can you please tell what should be my strategy for this month. Thankyouuu

!

Heyy bhaiya. Can you please tell me how to manage cat study during end semester exams. The semesters will continue for like 20 days . Should I completely ignore cat and just focus on my semesters. Please give some suggestions.

 

Hey! I managed to secure 99.54 in CAT 2020 while I was in my final semester. I was simultaneously juggling between my end semester examinations, placement interview preparations, and CAT preparation. Everything is managable considering you do not start everything last minute. CAT would happen somewhere close to the last week of November. You have plenty of time to cover the syllabus, solve the PYQs, and attempt & analyse mocks from now until CAT. Particularly for this semester, you can try to maximise your attendance for semester lectures and pay attention in the classes. That honestly goes a long way in making your life a little easier during the end semester exams. Create a strategy, and stick to it. You have time : )

Ayush Bhaiya, How is life after MBA??
Is it even worth it?

Ayush Bhaiya, How is life after MBA??
Is it even worth it?

Life after MBA? Bro, it's 90% Google Calendar and 10% pretending I understand corporate jargon 😅 But yeah, totally worth it—for the chai breaks and LinkedIn flexes at least!

Ayush Bhaiya, How is life after MBA??
Is it even worth it?

Hi bhaiya!
Aap coaching kaha se le rahe the? Coaching important hain kya or can I study on my own? Kyuki coaching bohat mehenga bhi hain. 

Hi Aniruddha! Welcome Onboard. So good to have you today. :)

Hey Ayush! Looking forward to interacting with everyone :D 

"Hey Aniruddha ! Same here 😄 Excited to connect and learn together!"

Heyy bhaiya. Can you please tell me how to manage cat study during end semester exams. The semesters will continue for like 20 days . Should I completely ignore cat and just focus on my semesters. Please give some suggestions.

Hi I am weak in QA and DILR how can I improve? 

Hi Aniruddha! Welcome Onboard. So good to have you today. :)

Hey Ayush! Looking forward to interacting with everyone :D 

Hiiii Aniruddha,
I have 9/9/6 Profile. Can you please let me know if I have any chance of converting IIMA, Will be giving CAT 2025.
Cat - NC-OBC | Eng| Male

With a 9/9/6 profile and NC-OBC category, you definitely have a solid shot at IIM Ahmedabad—if you ace CAT 2025. Focus on maximizing your CAT score and you're well in the game.

Which is the right time to start giving mocks??? I am planning to buy TIME but heard they are difficult and demotivating. What should I do?

Hello Aniruddha,
How to improve in dilr, no matter how many sets i practice whenever i give mocks i'm only able to solve 2-3 sets, please suggest some tips and books.

What motivated you throughout the journey??

Hiiii Aniruddha,
I have 9/9/6 Profile. Can you please let me know if I have any chance of converting IIMA, Will be giving CAT 2025.
Cat - NC-OBC | Eng| Male

Hi Aniruddh! What is your profile?? I'm a GEF with 56% in 12th. Can I still get into IIM A?

Hi Aniruddha! Welcome Onboard. So good to have you today. :)