MAT 2019 Topper Interview: V Varun shares how he scored 99.99 percentile in his first attempt

Underlining the need to practise mock tests, Varun said, this will help aspirants manage their time better. Read on to know his strategy to ace MAT and other MBA exam

Chennai’s V.Varun scored a phenomenal 99.99 percentile in September MAT exam. A final year computer science student from Vellore Institute of Technology, the 22-year-old has his eyes set on, what he calls, the holy trinity i.e. IIM A, B or C (Ahmedabad, Bangalore and Calcutta). Varun believes sincerity is the major trait for cracking any competitive exam. Speaking with Shiksha.com, the MAT topper shared in detail how he prepared for the coveted exam.

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

A:  Yes, I am pretty satisfied with my MAT result. It certainly exceeded my expectations. Honestly, I didn’t expect that I will score this high.

Q: Was this your first MAT attempt?

A: Yes, this was my first attempt.

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

A: I have been preparing for MBA entrance exams for past one year and I had decided to take MAT exam as well because it is an all Indian level exam and a lot of good management colleges accept its score. I have given a lot of mock tests and I was scoring pretty well in it. This gave me a certain confidence that I can do well in the exam.

Also Read: MAT Preparation Tips 2019

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

A: I am pretty comfortable with English as compared to other subjects. I consider it my strength. For Quant, I must say, when I was preparing for engineering selection exams, I had worked a lot on my mathematics fundamentals and I just needed to brush it up. My LR & DI part is not as great as the rest of the two sections. Even during mock tests, I had this pre-conceived notion that it would not do it well but during the MAT exam, I gave the paper very calmly without thinking about the consequences.

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

A: For English, I did not refer to any study material since I read a lot of books mostly fiction that helped me a lot in my English preparation. So, I did not go specifically out of my way to prepare for English. For Quant, LR & DI, I gave iQuanta sectional tests and practice sectional tests to assess my performance. I gave around 10 mock tests before MAT exam.

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

A: In my college in Vellore, we have a TIME Centre here and I have been enrolled here for past one year. The faculty here is very helpful since I am preparing for CAT, they have always been available for us. So for me, coaching proved to be very helpful.

Q: How important is practicing MAT mock test series?

A: Mock test would not only help you assess your performance, it would also boost your confidence. If you have scored well in mock test, it will help you gain a certain level of calm and confidence when you are attempting the real paper. I have experienced it personally when I was preparing for engineering entrance exams I did not practice any mocks. While attempting the real paper, I realized that I could have managed my time much better, had I practiced some mocks in advance. I would advise aspirants to give at least 10 to 15 mock tests before the actual exam.

Also Read: Best Books for MAT Exam Preparation

Q: What was your exam day strategy?

A: Before September MAT exam, all my college exams and the regular assessment tests were over, so I had a pretty free week. I gave the exam in Chennai. A day before the exam, I went to the temple and was in a very relaxed state of mind. I would suggest meditating or a visit to temple, if you are a religious person. A nice sleep is very important because it will help you concentrate well on the day of exam. I would also suggest aspirants to refrain from revising topics just before the exam as it may send you into panic mode.

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

A: I gave NMAT exam on October 25, I am awaiting the result. I will also be appearing for upcoming CAT, XAT and IIFT exams.

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

A: I used to struggle a lot in the Data Interpretation section. In terms of the length of the passages and the amount of reading you have to do, it is pretty substantial and to maintain that level of consistency was a major challenge. While evaluating my mock test results, I realised that I was wasting a lot of time reading passages, I was double checking my answers a lot and I was getting very doubtful about it. So, I changed my strategy, I decided to read the passage completely in one go and jot down the important points on the paper. I have also stopped checking my answers twice. In the real exam, you have to be very confident but cautious as well. It is equally important to not to waste time on questions that may cut into your time and make you panicky.

Also Read: MAT Question & Sample Papers 2019

Q: Any tips for future MAT aspirants?

I believe sincerity is the most important trait for cracking any exam. I would advise aspirants to stay focused through their prep period and to never give up on their goal.

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

My dream colleges will obviously be the holy trinity i.e. IIM A,B &C (Ahmedabad, Bangalore and Calcutta) but more specifically, I would like to join IIM Calcutta. I have heard that IIM C gives you that sort of holistic growth that you need in your life and I look to pursue either Marketing or Finance and it’s a common knowledge that IIM C is pretty amazing for both the streams.

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