Get Set Go after CAT 2020

By: Anish Choudhary

Giving the exam is just an aspect. The real test begins after the exam where one has to follow a coarse of actions systematically to ensure his or her admission in the desired college.

It is almost time when you need to stop reading and initiate practicing what you prepared to date for the CAT 2020. I am sure by now you must be apprehensive about how to solve LRDI in under 2 minutes and quants under 1. Personally speaking, you need to be as relaxed as you can, because the real test will begin post your exam. The duration in which you are not sure of how well you have scored and whether the cut-offs for Tier-1 B-school would be met or not. Let me share my experience with you.

Step 1: Wait for official answers

The first and foremost step to consider should be waiting for the official answer key to be out which will be in the next one month of conducting the exam. Do not forget to keep track of its release and tally your answers and try calculating your score from that. This will help you in getting to know how your percentile is and accordingly applying to the colleges that meet that cut-off.

Step 2: Apply in relevant colleges and save money for the latter part

As soon as you got your marks based on the official answer key, start looking for colleges onn Shiksha.com that have curated the colleges’ basis percentile. Let us say your score comes around 85%ile, then search for colleges that have set cut off between 80-90 percentile. Apply to as many colleges as you want, but there must be specific criteria for choosing them- Location, Courses offered in that percentile, the relevance of the course to your background, number of students in a class, campus co-curricular activities, and above all, Internship and placement records.

Step 3: Connect with college seniors over LinkedIn

Many times we choose a college whose website attracted us the most or the incorrect placement numbers lured our mind. Do not fall in this trap and try to get insights from college seniors who will throw the light on topics mentioned above and even more which would give you an idea of whether the college suits your priorities or not. And if this looks like a task, then you may reach out to Shiksha.com for checking the verified reviews from students at various colleges.

Step 4: Improve your communication skills

If you have scored 90%ile in CAT and don’t know how to speak in an interview or unable to express adequately, there are high chances that you may end up in a mediocre college. Therefore, try improving your communication skills, especially in English. Practice in front of a mirror, watch series and read books (This can be a conversation starter too during interviews)

Step 5: Last but not least, work on resume

Every B-school will ask you to prepare a resume that details what have you done in your past. Do not make grammatical mistakes. Try to be as crisp as possible but do include content that adds value to the college like debate competitions, sports and hobbies, extracurricular activities, etc. These things play a vital role in your selection criteria especially when you are a fresher.

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