The CAT 2011 has started from 22nd October and will go on till 18th November. Common Admission Test (CAT) is the ticket to dream destinations for MBA aspirants to top B-School of India like IIMs, S.P Jain, MICA, etc. Going on in full swing and nearly coming to an end in 2 weeks, students have now shifted their direction of concern to the results, choosing the right college, and most importantly to the next phase of endurance and proving their worth-- GD and PI! On the other hand, on a slightly dismal note, the question remains ‘What if you don't clear CAT??'

In this article, we will discuss about the steps you need to plan after clearing CAT and the remedial measures you can work on for the next CAT exam if you can't make it to your dream college this year. 

Life after CAT 2011-If You Crack It!

If you have just given your CAT, you might have a slight idea of how many marks you would score based on probability. You can calculate your score assuming that each question carries 3 points with a negative marking of 1 point for each wrong answer. Remember, this is just a calculation based on assumption and probability; nonetheless, you should have a solid plan which is well organized and orderly in fashion. It is obvious that most of the students who have given CAT 2011 have their dream college in their mind. Choosing the right college is very important and will have great contribution in shaping you long term career goals (with your hard work and dedication of course). Therefore, here is a rough idea of what you can do after clearing the CAT scores:

• Determining your area of interest
• Choosing the right college depending on your area of interest and of course, your CAT Percentile
• Preparing for Group Discussion (GD) and Personal Interview (PI)

Clearing the CAT with a good score is just one step closer to your dream of getting into a good B-School. The latter half of the deal depends on your performance in the GD and PI. This is the part where your presentation and interactive skills are put to the test. Here are some tips which you should know before giving an interview or participating in a GD:

• Avoid any reference to philosophy during interviews. It is a personal thing and can mean different things to different people. Its realms are large and can lead to a lot of questions. Exposing your own philosophy may result in you facing lots of attacks by the panel.
• You should have conventional outlook towards your answer while replying to questions on ethics. Professors are usually idealists and want to produce efficient and ethical managers.
• If you don't know the answer to a question, admit it. Avoid any kind of guesswork.
• Keep a positive vibe around yourself and the panel during the interview.
• Avoid blurting our things that do not reveal positive information about you to the panel during your introduction.
• Be enthusiastic even if the GD gets boring.

Life after CAT 2011-If You Couldn't Get Through

For those unfortunate lots, who couldn't crack the exam or didn't get through their dream colleges, do not get disheartened and discouraged. Instead of feeling defeated, stay on the positive side of life and take the opportunity to prepare better and perform better the next time. Statistically, if we consider the ratio of MBA aspirants and the number of seats in top B-Schools, the figure seems bleak and unpromising. Therefore hundreds of good students miss out on top B-Schools due to limited seats. CAT is just a standard procedure and does not determine your true worth. If you have the confidence and perseverance, no force can stop you from reaching your goal. All you have to do is to chalk out the plan for the next CAT based on your experience this year. To know more about the tips and facts you should know before giving CAT which will help you in clearing the exam with good marks, you can look up these articles: Take changes in your stride and Time your CAT well.

Source: Ningombam Biswamitra (Shiksha Team)