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What after CAT 2011: A 100 percentiler reveals
Rajesh Balasubramanian, one of the 9 toppers to score 100 percentile at CAT 2011 explores the odds for aspirants and advises the way forward.
With the results of the Common Admission Test (CAT) being announced today, MBA aspirants from all over the country are hooked to the CAT website for their scores.
To access the CAT results, students can log in to https://weaiimcalcat.catiim.in/ using their CAT registration number and email id for verification.
The results will decide the fate of over two lakh aspirants who appeared for the test between October 22 and November 18, 2011 who will now seek admission to the 13 Indian Institutes of Management and other leading B-schools in the country based on their scores.
While the results could mean exhilaration for those who have scored in the 90th percentile, what about those who haven't made the cut?
We spoke to Rajesh Balasubramanian, head of 2IIM who appeared for CAT 2011 in November 2011 and is one of the 9 test takers who scored a 100 percentile this year.
Balasubramanian, who is a graduate from Indian Institute of Technology Madras (2001) and Indian Institute of Management Bangalore (2003)explores the odds exclusively for rediff.com and advises aspirants on the way forward. Read on.
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Illustrations by Uttam Ghosh
What if: You have scored in the 90th percentile
If you have scored 98 and above, you must apply to all the leading IIMs.
There is a good possibility of you getting calls from all of them or some of them depending on your overall performance and sectional scores.
At the same time, you may also want to start preparing for the next level of admission -- the Group Discussion and Personal Interview round.
Also read: 15 blunders you MUST AVOID in Group Discussion
Also read: 14 things you MUST AVOID at a Group Discussion
If you have scored less than 98, you still have a good chance of making it to the top 50 b-schools in the country.
Knowing that you have bagged a good score, you must capitalise on your achievement and choose a school that's best for you.
You must also bear in mind factors like specialisation, faculty, research, etc while deciding a B-school.
Also read: Top 10 things you MUST consider when choosing a B-school
Also read: 9 useful tips to choose the RIGHT B-school
What if: You have scored between 80 and 90th percentile
While your score may not match the expectations of IIMs, your score is good enough for you to still get into a good B-school in your city or elsewhere.
If you have appeared for SNAP (Symbiosis National Aptitude Test), XAT (Xavier Admission Test) and NMAT (Narsee Monjee Management Aptitude Test), you may take a decision after securing their results as well.
Do not jump into conclusions or give in to peer pressure and enrol yourself in a not-so-great school in your sheer desperation to pursue an MBA.
Make an informed decision after taking into consideration all the possibilities available in your pursuit.
What if: You took a break from work for CAT, and have scored less
A lot of aspirants are under the impression that taking a year's break from work to prepare for CAT is the right thing to do. Wrong.
Taking a year's break only adds to the pressure and directly affects your performance.
A few hours of dedicated preparation for 3 months can definitely lead to a good CAT score. CAT is not an exam that desires a break of a year or 6 months.
If you are not satisfied with your current score, you may retake the exam, but not the cost of your career.
If you have quit your job for the CAT, take a week's break and find out a way to get back on track.
You may take a month's break from work to prepare for the exam, but a one year's break is just not advisable.
Should I appear for CMAT or CET?
If you want to pursue your MBA from a B-school in Maharashtra, you may consider taking the CET (Common Entrance Test). If you are aiming for schools outside Maharashtra, CET is out of question for you.
Although CMAT (Common Management Admission Test) has been touted as the next big national aptitude test after the CAT starting 2012, there is much ambiguity regarding the outcome of the exam and also regarding the expected pattern and difficulty level of questions.
Since the list of B-schools accepting CMAT scores are yet to be declared by AICTE (All India Council for Technical Education), one is not sure whether the exam will remain as a mere option for aspirants who would like to take the exam just to try their luck.