MAT 2019 Topper Interview: Vidhan Agrawal shares how he scored 99.92 percentile in first attempt

Finding solution to a question is just the first step, one should not settle for anything less than the quickest possible way to solve that problem, says Mumbai's Vidhan Agrawal who scored 99.92 percentile in September MAT exam.

Vidhan Agrawal, an electrical engineer from Mumbai, scored 99.92 in September MAT 2019.  He completed his engineering from VJTI college, Matunga and has his eyes set on joining top B schools of India. The 22-year-old says, key to cracking top exams lies in self-belief and a penchant to settle for nothing less than a perfect score. He is currently devoting his entire time in MBA entrance exam preparation. Speaking with Shiksha.com, Vidhan shared his MAT exam strategy in detail:

Q: Are you satisfied with your MAT result? How much score were you expecting?

A: I am not particularly satisfied with my MAT score. I was expecting to score 99.99 percentile that would have helped me secure a place at JBIMS Mumbai, but I have got only 99.92.

Q: Was this your first MAT attempt?

A: Yes, this was the first time I took MAT exam.

Q: When did you start preparing for MAT exam? What was your overall prep strategy?

A: I was not preparing for MAT, my main target is CAT 2019. I gave a few sample tests before the exam I knew the level of questions is pretty simple in MAT.

Also Read: MAT Preparation Tips 2019

Q: Please, share with us your section-wise strategy?

A: I started off with English which, I consider, is pretty simple. You just need to go through the comprehension section and plugin the answers. Then I go for LR section which is also less difficult but a little time-consuming. If you have practiced well, then this section will also be easier for you. If you are preparing for CAT then even Quant Section will be easier for you. You just need speed which comes with constant practice.

Q: Which books did you refer to for MAT preparation?

A: I would advise aspirants to join a good coaching institute which will provide them the right study material.

Also Read: MAT Exam Pattern 2019

Q: Did you join any coaching institute? How does coaching institute help in exam preparation?

A: Yes, for my MAT preparation, I joined a renowned coaching class. It is very essential for aspirants, this would ensure that they are updated with the latest trends and changes vis-à-vis MBA entrance exams

Q: How important is practicing MAT mock test series?

A: If someone is preparing for CAT, I would suggest him to take at least 15 to 20 mock tests before the exam but for appearing in MAT, you just need to practice one or two mock test before the exam given the person is already preparing for other MBA exams like CAT, XAT, etc.

Q: What was your exam day strategy?

A: While getting into the exam room I just thought what could be the worst that could happen to me. I knew there would be many MAT exams in the future as well. So I was pretty relaxed which helped me perform well in the exam.

Also Read: MAT Registration 2019

Q: Which other MBA entrance exams did you take or are planning to take?

A: I will be taking most of the other MBA exams including CAT, XAT, IIFT, MAH-CET.

Q: How did you deal with your strengths and weaknesses while preparing for the exam?

A: If you take regular mock tests, it will help you evaluate your real preparation. In verbal, you might feel that para-jumble questions are little difficult and in Quant, You may feel that a certain topic, say like numbers or geometry is pretty difficult. So, after giving the mock, you can just go back to that chapter and learn the basics and recall whatever you have learnt.

Q: Any tips for future MAT aspirants?

A: Before going for mock tests, you should be thorough with all the topics of Quant, DI, LR and Verbal sections. Once, an aspirant has touched everything and has come to understand how questions are framed in these exams, they can take mock tests and evaluate their performance. It’s not only important to look for solutions to questions that you did not get, you can also look for alternate methods to solve the right answers.

Q: Which Institutes did you join/aim to join?

A: For MAT, my only target was JBIMS but it would not be possible if I get anything less than 99.99 percentile. My graduation score is not that phenomenal so even if I get a high score in CAT, it would be difficult for me to get into top B- schools but I am definitely targeting lower-ranked IIMs, JBIMS, IIFT, FMS.

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