IIM Admission 2020: Agastya Sood shares his WAT-PI experience at IIM Lucknow

Read on the winning answers of Agastya Sood, 99.24 percentile scorer of CAT 2019, that helped him convert admission call of IIM Lucknow.

Agastya Sood a B. Com (Hons) graduate from Sri Venkateshwara College, University of Delhi cracked CAT 2019, scoring 99.24 percentile. Through his logical bent of mind and sharp intellect, he successfully managed to convert admission call of IIM Lucknow.

Agastya has work experience of 2 years in business consultancy and digital marketing. He says, “I am passionate about marketing and look forward to exploring the domain further.” Below is the transcript of his WAT-PI experience of IIM Lucknow. Read on to know more.

IIM Lucknow WAT- PI Experience

Venue: IIM Lucknow, Noida Campus

Date: March 5, 2020

WAT Topic: Truth at all costs, or lying for a better cause

Summary of what I wrote about

A: I gave a three-pronged argument in support of truth, one dealing with the concept on an abstract level and the other two being consequential reasons. I supported each of my ideas with examples from different domains, including current affairs (Governments that lied about the scale of the Corona crisis in their Nation struggled with containment), business (Satyam Scam), anecdotes and politics. I also attempted to describe extreme circumstances where other virtues might take precedence over absolute truth, but time ran out before I could flesh out the argument in entirety. All-in-all, I was happy with my WAT, which was later reaffirmed because it became a talking point in the interview.

Personal Interview: Two panelists. Both were friendly.

Q: You seem fairly happy (conversationally)

A: Sir, this is a big day for me. I have been looking forward to this interaction.

Q: Do you think it is better to be confident or nervous about an interview?

A: I think the time for self-doubt is while I am preparing or introspecting for the interview. Today, I had like to have faith in myself.

Q: What makes-up holistic interview preparation for a B-School?

A: There are two-three aspects to consider. Firstly, it is important to understand yourself well, particularly in relation to MBA. Secondly, your work experience requires some self-evaluation. Thirdly, it might be a good time to go deeper into your academics, particularly from angles you did not previously consider. Much of this should ideally be an ongoing process, but needs some brushing up before an interview.

Q: Give us a brief introduction.

A: Briefly described my work experiences and achievements. Drew links between them as a segue into my strengths and weaknesses.

Q: You have mentioned Plato in your WAT. Tell us something about him.

A: Told them about The Republic and a few ideas from the book I could recall. I also tried to branch out the discussion into Philosophy books and concepts that I had read more recently. Briefly mentioned a few and garnered a seemingly positive reaction from the panelists, but I was later told to continue elaborating on Plato.

Q: You have also mentioned deontology in your WAT. How does that philosophy differ from utilitarianism?

A: Answered them correctly and gave two examples

Q: You have scored 82.5% in College. What was your rank in class?

A: Answered

Q: You already have good communication skills. You also seem to be an avid reader. Why do you want to do an MBA at all?

A: Mentioned two examples from my work experience where I applied concepts I learnt in commerce honours during my work experience, and how an MBA would equip me with more such frameworks to use) (This was also linked to IIM Lucknow’s credo of "Good practice flows from strong theory")

Q: So you are inviting me to ask questions around your academics. What subject should I ask you questions on?

A: Sir, the area I am most fond of is marketing. I also liked Financial Management.

Q: Marketing is more our world than yours. What concepts have you studied in marketing?

A: I mentioned a few broad concepts. He appeared a little unconvinced and expressed that I should avoid using jargons unless I am thorough with them. I agreed, sharing that while I have given introductory papers in these areas, there is still plenty to learn. I tied this back to why I wanted to do an MBA

Q: Draw the format of a Balance Sheet.

A: Charted out the entire liabilities side on a sheet of paper, and I was told that suffices

Q: Where are fictitious assets presented on a balance sheet?

A: Answered it correctly.

Q: Are you for or against the CAA?

*points toward the other panelist - let’s say sir disagrees with you, how would you convince him of your viewpoint

A: There was a 5 minute discussion on this. I was careful not to give extreme views. I predominantly shared legal arguments in support of my case. I also agreed with sir on a few of his ideas. I concluded with a cost-benefit analysis

Q: Alright Agastya, we have one last question for you. As a business executive, would you prioritize social good or business profits? For instance, would you advocate for democracy in China, knowing it might hurt sales?

A: After thinking for a few seconds Sir, I feel for global forward-thinking companies, it is important to take social stances. We are witnessing the rise of stakeholder capitalism, as evidenced by the boycott of Equinox gyms because their CEO assisted Trump with fundraising, Uber India’s Safety Never Stops campaign, and Nike’s endorsement of Colin Kaepernick. There’s increasing calls for businesses to be more responsible. In saying that, corporate supply chains are still heavily reliant on China, so today might not be the right day to pick up that battle. It is important for businesses to strongly champion some social causes, and pick the right ones.

Q: Would you want to work for a company that considers all stakeholders or a profit centric one?

A: Sir, I would always want to work for a company that takes everyone along in its success. Stakeholderism is crucial.

Thank you Agastya. That will be all.
Verdict: Convert

Advice for WAT-PI Call Getters

Advanced Interview Tips: Giving Your Skills That Final Polish

1. Authenticity and Honesty Impresses: Everyone has experiences they would want to avoid discussing. However, there is no reason to doubt yourself. If you have managed to get an interview call, that proves your competence, all-in-all. Your responses will be more thorough if you are honest. The interviewers will also appreciate the honesty because it makes you more relatable and trust-worthy.
2. Positivity is the Mantra: Your interviewers should feel happy, even chirpy when you leave the room. Try to make things conversational, while being professional. Take a deep breath in case you are taken aback. Smile a lot (and do not downplay the importance of this). If it is a stress interview, you will get bonus points because it suggests you can handle difficult situations.
3. A-WAT-a-Day: WAT is usually the section that most people sideline. However, a strong WAT can become a major differentiator and earn you those crucial extra points. In fact, the WAT became a topic of discussion in two of my interviews! Practice one every day, and get a friend of yours to evaluate it on readability and logic. If you come across an article you like, try to deconstruct the writing styles that make it effective. Emulate those in your own writing.
4. Sell your “Hooks”: Your ‘hooks” are what differentiate you from the rest of the pack. Try to list down 3-4 experiences or traits that distinguish you. They do not have to be big-on-paper accomplishments. In my case, I thought my experience self-learning the guitar can create an impact in the interview (I converted my XLRI interview where this was a major talking point). Use open-ended questions to hint at these hooks, and hope you’re probed further.

Basic Interview Tips: Where to Start?

For the interview preparation, ensure you have thorough knowledge about the following three areas -

1. Any two Subjects From Your Undergraduation: Questions might be asked from elsewhere. But at the very least, you can look for opportunities to divert the conversation to the two chosen subjects. (“while I’m familiar with the basics of XX, my two favourite subjects were YY and ZZ, and I had gone into detail with them”)
2. Current Affairs and Static GK: This has to be an ongoing process, beginning with your CAT preparation itself. Serious reading also helps with your VARC section, so this is hitting two birds with one stone.
3. You and Your Experiences: Introspect, introspect, introspect. Have conversations about yourself with friends and family. Try to relate some of your skills, experiences and dispositions to your decision of doing an MBA and your future aspirations.

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