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I have met many who have scored well in CAT. Nearly everyone seems to be scoring above 100."
This thought strikes many a student when s/her discusses scores with peers. Listing to all others claiming to have higher scores can be demoralising. You tend to wonder if you are going wrong with your calculation or if you really have scored badly.
Rahul Reddy and Sunil Kumar, CAT trainers from T.I.M.E., explained why this happens duringa chat with MBA aspirants on November 21: "Students have a tendency to claim a score on the higher side. They tend to take whichever answer key favours them."
For those of you who missed the chat, here is the transcript.
Rahul Reddy says, Hi all. This is Rahul Reddy, Director, T.I.M.E., signing in.
Rahul Reddy says, A lot of questions are on score-percentage and colleges to apply to. So let me give you this information. The format is --
Percentile B Schools likely to get (Scores required)
97+ MDI, NITIE, SP Jain (92);
93+ IMT-Ghaziabad, IMI, UBS (82);
90+ TAPMI, MICA, BIM, LBSIM ( 76);
85+ KJ Somaiya, IISWBM, IIFM-Bhopal, GLIM (68);
80+ IFMR, FORE, Welingkar, NIRMA, ITM-Navi Mumbai, Amrita (64);
70+ BIT-Mesra, KIAMS, HCU, SDM IMD, ISM-Dhanbad, IMDR, BIMT (55).
hksingh asked, plz just give me rough idea for %iles coz i want to know other than IIM what r the options i have if my totakl is 110+
Rahul Reddy answers, About 99 percentile.
satyarathore asked, i have got 80 in all(37 in QA, 31 in DI and 12 in EU). what percentile should i expect and what colleges should i apply yo??
Rahul Reddy answers, About 90 percentile. Please check the list given above.
myndfcukd asked, Sir, I expect pretty decent scores in QA and DI of about 50 and 60 respectively. But, the verbal score is low( 26-34). How many calls can I expect?
Sunil answers, If your scores are in these ranges, then you should be looking at all six IIM calls.
hksingh asked, hi i have scored 66 in quants , 44 in di and 12+ in eng what r my chances means i want my percentile what it can be
Rahul Reddy answers, Overall, 99+ percentile. But English is doubtful. So apply to NITIE, IMT and maybe IMI.
Swapnil asked, hi...My scores..59 QA, 30 VA, 18 DI...I really messed up big time in DI...what do you think can that fetch me MDI or NITIE or SPJain?? I have 2.5 tears of work ex
Rahul Reddy answers, Depends on DI cutoffs. Better chance at SP Jain.
piyush asked, which institue is better MDI or sp jain.
Rahul Reddy answers, Apply to both right now. Get admission in both and then we will help you decide.
asksatya asked, Sir, Please advice me about which B schools to apply with a score of 63(DI-29,VR-25,QA-9)
Rahul Reddy answers, Hi. Please check my first post (for list).
deepak asked, sir i have scored 43 DI 43 In QA and 18 or 23 in VA depending on the key... should i expect a call from any IIM what are my chances for MDI
Sunil answers, Your chances for IIM calls are slim -- may be a couple of calls, if your final score in VA is at least 20. However, MDI should not be a problem.
RajB asked, Hello Sir, According to the various Keys I am getting DI (36-40) EU (28-34) and QA (55-63) Overall 120+. What could be my probalble percentile? I have 2.5 years of Work ex. Can I expect any IIM calls?
Rahul Reddy answers, Looks good. You should get at least four IIM calls. Congrats.
madhuri asked, i am getting 31-36 n Di would that be enough to clear the cutoff??
Sunil answers, Yes.
nitin asked, With 3 year exp. and total of 103 ,31 QA 37 DI and 35 VA . What should i expect ?Any IIM .
Rahul Reddy answers, One to two IIM calls possible.
vivek asked, Hi. Sir, I have got Eng-26, DI-40, Qnt-37 ; overall-103 according to latest TIME key. What are the chances from MDI?
Rahul Reddy answers, Good chance.
piyush asked, is MDI is a good altarnate institute????? pls reply
Rahul Reddy answers, MDI is a very good institute. Only marginally below IIMs.
sameer asked, Hi Sir. I am expecting 93-97. My VA marks are less.What percentile can I expect? And which institute can I apply to?
Sunil answers, With 92+ overall score, you could look at MDI, NITIE, SP Jain, IMT, and many others. You should be looking at around 92 percentile.
Sonal asked, As per TIME solutions I am getting QA--> 55,DI-->34,VA-->20 Total--> 109 ... Can I get any iim calls? (1 yr work ex)
Rahul Reddy answers, VA is marginal. Else, you've a good chance of getting one to two calls.
rahulkumar asked, wat does sp jain look for?? do they emphesize much on ur extra curicullar ativities?? i dont have good record in it shld i appy for it my score is 108 as told before
Sunil answers, You should consider applying.
ghosh asked, hi TIME my over all score is varying from 54(TIME) to 69(CL) because of english. kindly tell me the expected %ile for total score of 54, 59, 64 and 69 marks.and which colleges should i apply to.Thank You TIME.
Rahul Reddy answers, Hi. Please check my first post for college list. 54-70 percentile, 69-83.75 percentile. Because of variation, we need to look at applying to more colleges.
sameer asked, Hi Sir. I am expecting 93-97. My VA marks are less.What percentile can I expect? And which institute can I apply to? I have 1.5 yrs of work ex. in TCS and Infy.
Rahul Reddy answers, You stand chance at MDI and NITIE. But do look at MT and, maybe, IMI as well.
Magesh asked, Sir,I am planning for FPM. What generally is the percentile for a call for interview. I am a gold medalist in Btech and did MS 9by research in IIT Madras. I dint fair well in CAT. I have few relevant journal publication too . I expect 22-12-29 overall 60+
Sunil answers, There is a slight chance that you may get a call.
Magesh asked, Sir,I am planning for FPM. What generally is the percentile for a call for interview. I am a gold medalist in Btech and did MS 9by research in IIT Madras. I dint fair well in CAT. I have few relevant journal publication too
Rahul Reddy answers, While profile helps, it will help more in converting the call. I hope you have about 90 percentile in CAT.
Sonal asked, As per TIME solutions I am getting QA--> 55,DI-->34,VA-->20 Total--> 109 ... Can I get any iim calls? (1 yr work ex)
Sunil answers, Yes. You should be looking probably two IIM calls.
nit1 asked, Hello sir, My scores are below (according to the answer sheets of the following coaching institutes) :- Career Launcher - DI (52) , EU (40), QA (35) TIME - DI (47), EU (26), QA (33) IMS - DI (52), EU (35), QA (31) The EU section is varying a lot depending on the answer sheet used (of different institutes). What are my chances of getting calls from IIM Ahmedabad, Bangalore and Kolkotta.
Rahul Reddy answers, You will definitely be getting IIM calls. We will not go into prediction about which one.
anush asked, hello, I got a score of 133 with QVD 44,46,43. Would this give me a decent chance of getting 6 calls because i did equally well across all sections?
Rahul Reddy answers, Hi. Very good chance at all six.
shiv asked, Are they going to give grace marks for Wrong questions. My set is 444 and hope so I will get 25 in VA with overall score of 120 ...
Rahul Reddy answers, Not decided. It is most likely they will be ignoring the wrong questions.
ATUL asked, SIR I HAVE SCORED AN OVER ALL SCORE OF 125+... BUT AN ABYSMAL LOW OF 16 IN QUANT... WHAT DO U THINK MY CHANCES ARE.. IN MDI... OR SOME OTHER INSTITUTES U COULD REFER???.. PLZ REPLY
Rahul Reddy answers, Hi. I guess MDI will also have cutoffs and 16 won't be enough. Look at IMT, IMI, TAPMI.
RVB asked, Mr. Rahul,as per the Cl analysis DI 71, EU 23, QA 26 and as per IMS analysis DI 71, EU 31+, QA 22 ( It includes o marks for Q.59 of set 111).... wat are my chances for the IIM's and other colleges... i'm keen on gettin into MDA or MDI-HR... also if i get a call from MICA wat rounds do they have????
Rahul Reddy answers, QA and EU are marginal, so even one change in the key can send scores up or down. If the score is maintained, you should get IIM calls. MDI, HR, definitely and most probably you will get MDI too.
amit asked, Sir with a total of 75 and 3 years IT exp, can i hope for calls from IMI or TAPMI ?
Rahul Reddy answers, Hi. TAPMI, yes. IMI, may be.
pleasehelpme asked, Hi. I am a TIME student. I am getting 94 with balanced sectionals. CanI expect a few IIM calls? I am from SC. Please help
Rahul Reddy answers, Hi. Should be enough. Congrats.
ATUL asked, SIR I HAVE SCORED AN OVER ALL SCORE OF 125+... BUT AN ABYSMAL LOW OF 16 IN QUANT... WHAT DO U THINK MY CHANCES ARE.. IN MDI... OR SOME OTHER INSTITUTES U COULD REFER???.. PLZ REPLY
Sunil answers, MDI and NITIE might not be possible... but most other institutes should give you a call. IMT, IMI, UBS Chandigarh, MICA, TAPMI are some of the good ones you could look at.
nit1 asked, hello sir, my scores are DI (47) , EU (21) and QA (35)... what r my chances for an iim call..I have 1.5 yrs wk ep...
Rahul Reddy answers, Hi. Overall score and English are both on the edge. One additional question and you will surely get calls.
aaaa asked, Do KJ SOMAIYA have individual cutoff...as i have just 4 in VA and 35 each in DI AND MATHS.....is applying to FORE worth or not
Rahul Reddy answers, May not have individual cutoff.
yoda asked, My verbal score is 45(TIME/IMS) but only 20(CL). Can you tell me how much care has been taken while preparing the keys? With the above verbal score and 83 (Quant) + 46 (DI) (total 148-175), what should I expect?
Rahul Reddy answers, You will clear English cutoffs and get IIM calls. Take it from me.
Doudbful asked, Sir, Please do reply:Hi Rahul Sir, Im a TIME student from bangalore. Last yr I was with TIME kolkata(in kharagpur). I have DI-51/QA-45/Eng-25/Total-121..What calls can i expect?
Rahul Reddy answers, Hi. Looks good. You should get multiple calls. Do mail me when you get the good news.
swet asked, hi sir i have scored di-32 eng-28 and qa-41 total -101, wht percentile am i expected to get and which colleges shd i apply for sir
Sunil answers, You should look at an overall of 98 percentile and one or two IIM calls. You should look at MDI, NITIE, SP Jain, TAPMI, MICA, IMT and IMI, and others.
vasu asked, What about Amritha, HCU, BHU with a score of 60 (DI-28, VR-23, QA-9)
Rahul Reddy answers, 60 should fetch around 75 percentile. Slightly low for HCU but you can go for it.
div asked, va 48 ps 39 di 30 overall 117 ..what r im chances?????????
Rahul Reddy answers, Hi. Looks good. You should get IIM calls.
ghosh asked, Sir please tell me score and percentile req for IMDR as im unable to figure it out 4m ur list for IMDR
Rahul Reddy answers, Hi IMDR should be about 72-74 percentile. I would not really recommend the college.
PatliBilli asked, Hello Sir, I am a TIME student. According to TIME key I am getting: VA-35, QA-68, DI-64. Do you think I'll get all 6.. or 4-5?? Also comment on VA and Overall percentile.
Sunil answers, You should get all six. VA should be 99.2+ percentile, and overall, around 99.9+ percentile.
Kunal asked, My score comes to around 70, r there any chances of call from Tier 2 good B School, I have 1 yr Work -ex in IT.
Rahul Reddy answers, Hi, you should get a percentile of about 82-84. Check my first post for colleges. IISWBM, Wellingkar, ITM, etc.
CATapultME asked, hi, my scores are - DI - 59, Verbal - 28, Quant - 47. Total - 134. I have about 8.5 yrs work ex. I realise that it is a good score, but with a thin cutoff margin on Verbal, will by work ex compensate to get me calls from all six IIMs?
Rahul Reddy answers, Hi. All six cannot really be guaranteed. Be happy that you will get multiple IIM calls.
Magesh asked, Ignoring wrong questions doesnt make sense. Others would have wasted time in answering it for which they dont get the reward.
Rahul Reddy answers, Hi. I understand how you feel. But there is no real alternative. And such possibility is mentioned on the front page instructions.
nnn asked, sir, i didnt answer cat due to lack of preparation. i m looking forward to snap and xat. do i stand a chance of getting a good score considering that i have just started my preparations?PLEASE ANSWER
Sunil answers, It is always better to have a well planned approach. However, given the circumstances, just give your best and then wait for the results.
amit asked, amit says, Sir how wud u rate GIM Goa and TAPMI ?
Rahul Reddy answers, TAPMI is better. GIM too, is good.
Ankush asked, overall score of 60. Which institutes should I apply?
Sunil answers, Consider KJ SOM, IIFM, IISWBM and GLIM.
Devendr asked, Sir, I have got 46 in Di, 31 in QA, and 13 in VA, which institutes should i apply to? do i have a chance at IMT (Ghazibad)
Rahul Reddy answers, Hi. IMT may have a sectional cutoff. But definitely worth applying. After all 13 is only one question away from our estimated cutoffs.
Nikhil asked, i have 30 in quants,26 in DI and 42 in VA, what are my chances for IIm calls?
Rahul Reddy answers, 26 in DI is risky. Might get one or two calls, especially I and K.
sushant asked, cani apply to IMI IMT TAPMI As have 3 in VA 35 each in DI AND MATHS..overall 78 ...do IMI IMT TAPMI have individual cutoff or not
Sunil answers, Neither of these had individual cutoffs till last year and presently it is not certain whether they will or not, this time. However, assuming they don't, you could consider applying to all of them.
deepak asked, sir i hav met a lot of people u hav scored well nearly everyone seems to be getting above 100 so isnt the cut off that u hav put up on the lower side
Rahul Reddy answers, Good question. There are three reasons for it. A lot of people above 100 are not clearing cutoffs. Students have a tendency to claim a score on the higher side. They tend to take whichever answer key favours them.
vivek asked, hwat comes first? IIM calls or CAT report card? And when?
Rahul Reddy answers, Normally, calls come first. Except CAT 2004, when scores (online) came earlier than calls by a few days.
ATUL asked, PLZZZZ REPLY....WHAT R THE SECTIONAL CUT OFF FOR SC/ST STUDENTS??? WILL 16 IN QUANT AND 125 OVER ALL SQUEEZE IN... PLZZZ REPLY.... IN DIRE NEED!!
Rahul Reddy answers, 16 in Quant might not be enough. It is on the edge.
AWSA asked, SIR PLEASE ANSWER MY SCORE 73 qa 43 DI 12 VA 18 2 YRS WORK IN A LEADING SW MNC ...DO I HAVE ANY CHANCE FOR SPJ AS IT IS PROFILE BASED EVEN THOUGH MY SCORES R LOW
Sunil answers, 73 would probably land you somewhere in the 85 percentile range. SP Jain calls are rarely below 90 per cent. Your chances are VERY slim.
sud asked, Dear Sirs, My marks are the following... DI - 35 Verbal - 37 Quant - 21 Total 93 Do i stand a chance at MDI or NITIE or SP Jain ??? I have a work exp of 2.5 years...Pls help...
Rahul Reddy answers, Hi. Both overall and QA are on the border. So chances are low.
swet asked, hi sir i have scored di-32 eng-28 and qa-41 total -101, wht percentile am i expected to get and which colleges shd i apply for sir
Rahul Reddy answers, Hi. Expected percentile is 98.7. Colleges MDI, NITIE, IMT.
Priyanka_S asked, Hello sir,I just messed with d whole CAT paper N now expecting a mere 47 to 55 overall score..can you plz tell me what percentile can I expect..N is there any institute with such a low score to apply for?? I tried very very hard to do well in CAT it was my only dream in life ..I ws thrgh out a topper in schol n college ..in Mocks also I ws getting a overall score of 40 to 45 ..bt I started with Eng N tht ws the end..the panic sat in..n I lost it...I'm now very depressed ..seems as if life has cum to an end plz tell me what to do?
Rahul Reddy answers, Hi. Expect 65 to 70 percentile. Take a break for some time. Indulge in your favourite activities with your best buddies. And then look at other exams and CAT, maybe next year (with a job). Bye and all the best.
rahuls asked, I have a query .. I feel you are underestimating the cutoffs by a big margin. My Logic- The Maths being so simple, would lead to most engineers getting 50+ in it, and many 60+ .. scoring 40 in is very possible for the same set of people .. and hence even a score in 20 in verbal which is also very attainable .. would lead to a huge increase in cutoffs.. my take-> 125 .. at iit delhi, where i study almost everyone is getting 120+ ..
Sunil answers, Please consider the number of people with 120+ overall AND also crossing ALL THREE sectional cutoffs... that is the critical determinant.
RVB asked, MR.RAHUL PLS DO REPLY.... almost all the institutes like CL, IMS, PT and even TIMe are projecting an overall cut off of around 105-120... but one look at all the posts in this room and most of thm have got above 120... may i pls ask u wat r these projected cutoffs based on ????
Rahul Reddy answers, Hi. Please check my previous answer for explanation.
saurabh kumar asked, hi . my marks expected are: DI- 40 Verbal -19 PS- 55 do i stand a chance to clear the cut off. what about SP jain. i m waitin for ur quick response
Rahul Reddy answers, Hi VA is on the borderline, but there is a good chance.
Rahul Reddy says, Hi. One request for everybody -- we are trying our best to answer all queries. Pls do not repost the same query.
ghosh asked, hi TIME my over all score is varying from 54(TIME) to 69(CL) because of english. kindly tell me the expected %ile for total score of 54, 59, 64 and 69 marks.and which colleges should i apply to.Thank You TIME.
Sunil answers, 54 to 50 marks should land you in the 65 to 75 percentile range. You could look at BIT, KIAMS, HCU Hyd, SDM Mysore, IMDR pune, ISM.
shyammohank asked, hello sir, my scores - qa 27, vi 38, di 48... total 113.... but qa is kinda lowish i know..... 3.5 yrs exp..... what are my chances for iims
Rahul Reddy answers, Yes. QA is marginal. I would still expect one to two IIM calls.
sunny asked, is sectional cutoff considered in JMET/NMIMS/SNAP??
Rahul Reddy answers, JMET has introduced cutoffs for the first time this year. NM and SNAP don't have cutoffs.
vibhuti asked, Sir I have 48 in Quant , 13 in DI, -7 in english total 54. Can i get a call from Great lakes
Rahul Reddy answers, Unlikely
rocky asked, I have been to TAPMI for the admission process and also converted it. I was NOT too impressed by the institute(so didn't accept the offer). Even though I didn't get a call from GIM, I know how good it is. Can u please tell me on what parameters have u rated TAPMI or GIM?
Rahul Reddy answers, Average salaries, kind of jobs on offer, the academic program etc. Also, the quality of students joining (based on percentiles) is higher for TAPMI.
anutech asked, hello sir.. ihave a doubt since thr r many prople who r getting over 125 without clearing eng cutoffs.. my score is 107 with all cutoffs cleared.. so will mdi and nitie give preference to me or to people above 125.. plz answer this is avery critical question
Sunil answers, It's very probable that MDI and NITIE will give more preference to people with more overall score than yours, subject to THEIR individual sectional cutoffs. While we suggest you apply to them anyway, you should focus on the one or two IIM calls that you can expect.
onelasttime asked, HI....DI-45,QA-32,VA-24(TIME)29(CL)34(IMS) overall 101-116...Wat are my chances on IIMs....How about MDI/MDI(HR)/SPJAIN/NITIE
Rahul Reddy answers, Chance for one to two IIM calls. Good chance for MDI and MDI HR. QA might be a problem for NITIE. SP Jain is profile-based.
kirans asked, my score is around 52.can i apply for amrita
Rahul Reddy answers, 52 is difficult for Amrita.
stupid asked, have one yesr exp ,can i get a call from IMI IMT TAPMI KJ SOMAIYA with overall score of 75 with 5 in VA ,....please answer
Rahul Reddy answers, Hi. Good chance.
vijayG asked, Please sir...Kindly reply...Sir, I am a Chartered Accountant with 6+ years of workex. DI-36, Quants 36, but VA is onl;y 13. Any chances for IIMs?
Rahul Reddy answers, Hi. VA is low. Also, overall is low. So, it would not be enough for IIMs.
nishant asked, sir.. i got 38 in MTHS 37 DI n 14 in VA acc. to TIMES.. n i've 7 mnth EXP. as Management trainee..n i'm an ENGINEER.. wat r my prospects for IMT .. MDI etc.. plz prefer me some colleges
Sunil answers, You should apply to both. And also to NITIE, IMI, TAPMI, BIM, UBS.
pleasehelpme asked, Hi. I am a TIME student. I am getting 94 with balanced sectionals. CanI expect a few IIM calls? I am from SC. Please help
Sunil answers, Yes, you could look at 3+.
IA asked, Respected Mr Rahul Reddy,will a good GMAT score(700) and having a background of an Indian Army Major be enough to get into ISB? Is there anything else they look for?What are your views on my profile,Sir? Thank You very much for your time with us.You and your team have done a great job. Jai Hind.
Rahul Reddy answers, I think 700 should be enough, though we can never be sure. They are looking for profile diversity to avoid being swamped by ex TCS, WIPRO, Infy guys. Please be very careful in filling up the essays in the application form. They take those very seriously.
ruan asked, sidkhare, Come here have beer with me, forget about MBA or study for the time being.
Rahul Reddy answers, Good idea.
swet asked, sir my question relates to iift which is the nxt exam r thr sectional cutoffs or will they consider only overall cutoff sir and is it important to shw efficiency in all sections wht shd be my strategy for this exam
Rahul Reddy answers, IIFT should not have sectional cutoffs.
AIMCATTWO asked, Sir, I am a TIME Student from Pune. Quant + DI = 58 + 56 = 114, VA = 35 (TIME key), but 40/45 (using a key which takes MODE of TIME, IMS and CL keys). Total 149 (TIME) Please comment on percentiles and possible calls..........
Sunil answers, That's an excellent break up! Forget about your percentile and start preparing for all six calls.
ATUL asked, MDI HR ALSO HAS CUTOFFZ?
Rahul Reddy answers, Yes.
rishi asked, sir...i have got di-47, QA-30, VA-5...TOTAL-82....WHAT PERCENTILE FOR ME????...WHAT COLLEGES I SHOULD APPLY FOR......IMT, IMI,TAPMI???
Sunil answers, Around 87 to 89 percentile. Consider applying to IMT, IMI, NITIE, TAPMI, UBS, MICA KJ SOM, IISWBM, GLIM.
vijayG asked, Please sir...Kindly reply...Sir, I am a Chartered Accountant with 6+ years of workex. DI-36, Quants 36
(without considering the 2 Qs with mistake), but VA is onl;y 13. Any chances for IIMs?
Sunil answers, IIM calls cannot be expected for 13 in VA.
onelasttime asked, HI....DI-45,QA-32,VA-24(TIME)29(CL)34(IMS) overall 101-116...Wat are my chances on IIMs....How about MDI/MDI(HR)/SPJAIN/NITIE
Sunil answers, Probably three to four IIM calls and every other institute you want to apply to.
hahaha asked, DI-38/34; VA-31/41;QA43 - according to IMS/TIME key ...overall -112/118 ...how many calls may i expect?
Sunil answers, At least 3 IIM calls.
sanal asked, is there any section wise cut off for SP jain. if yes , then is 19 in verbal good enough ps- 55 di- 40 please reply soon
Sunil answers, With your score, you should be getting a call from SP Jain. It has not been opting for section cutoffs.
swap asked, With DI around 20, Quant 59, English 35 overall 114...what colleges should I expect
Sunil answers, You will miss IIM calls for not clearing DI cutoffs but you can apply to almost all other colleges that take CAT score. MDI, NITIE, TAPMI, SP Jain, IMT, IMI etc. OK guys and gals, that's all the time we have for now. It was nice chatting with you all. Bye.
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