CAT 2016 99.71%iler Aditya’s exam journey

Aditya Chandrayan

An engineer by profession, Aditya Chandrayan appeared for CAT the second time. After obtaining a 99.71 percentile in one of the toughest management exams, CAT 2016, Aditya is hoping to convert the calls he receives. He shared his exam preparation strategy with Shiksha: 

Q. Was this your first CAT attempt?

Answer: No, this was my 2^nd attempt. Last year I had appeared for both CAT and XAT, and secured 94 and 96 percentile respectively. 

Q. How satisfied are you with your score?

Answer: It is important to make the best of what one has got. Being a general male engineer, no score is enough but keeping these things apart, I am satisfied with my score and hoping to convert some of the calls I receive.

Q. Tell us something about yourself.

Answer: I am an engineer and work for Tesco Bengaluru. I like to teach and travel. Apart from that, I try and return to society in any form I can, be it community service as part of CSR or a random helping hand to an NGO. 

Q. What area of specialization you intend you choose?

Answer: I have a deep underlying interest in finance, the current economic reforms along with various seesaw scenarios in the international market provide a great learning opportunity for those interested in this field. Also, the current influx of jobs in finance and marketing roles are an added incentive. 

Q. Tell us about your preparation strategy.

Answer: My prep strategy started with an analysis of the opportunity cost. I tried to account for what it would cost me to do an MBA. I considered the fee structures, my salary component and the two years I would have to put in and compared it with the gains. Once I was satisfied that it was a profitable decision I decided to go ahead with preparations. Preparations mostly included giving mocks on a regular basis (one must ensure that one does not reach threshold midway). A lot of emphasis on the tough sections of previous years and most importantly a consistent approach that could be repeated without much fatigue. 

Q. What is the minimum time frame needed to prepare for CAT, and when did you start off with your preparations?

Answer: Actual preparations start mid-August but you need to be the right frame of mind from March onwards, so that you can make a slow start and then pick up as and when needed. 

Q. What did you do to improve your weak areas?

Answer: Firstly, identifying a weakness is very important. Once you identify your weakness, you have already won half the battle. After that it is about giving a lot of sectionals and building confidence in that area. One must ensure that while trying to improve one’s weak areas one does not ignore the strong points. In a high-pressure situation, your strong areas come to the rescue not your weak areas. 

Q. Is it important to join a coaching institute?

Answer:  I don’t think so. Though I do believe that a mentor plays an important role in guiding you in the correct direction. You don’t want to be in a situation where you are spending hours trying to study a topic that has not come in the exam in the last 5 years. So, a mentor along with self-discipline are enough to help you sail-through. 

Q. What’s your dream institute?

Answer: There are many good B-School’s in the country. The old IIM’s always remain at the top of the go to list. Apart from IIM’s, B-School’s like XLRI, SP Jain, MDI command a lot of respect in the aspirant’s circle. 

Q. Tell us about your hobbies.

Answer: I like to travel and play cricket but throughout the last year I have been preparing for the entrances, so, it would be wise to make the preparation journey my number one hobby. Hopefully, I can continue contributing in this field. 

Q. Any tips for future CAT aspirants?

Answer:  An apple a day on weekdays is better that eating a dozen on the weekends. Be regular and do not put pressure on yourself by postponing things for the weekend. Take time off if required, 4-6 months is an ideal time to score high. 

CAT scores are used for admission to 19 Indian Institutes of Management (IIMs) and various other top B-Schools. Are you eligible for the IIMs? To know more, click on the image beside.