MindInsight:- What was your overall strategy for CAT?

Vickram Sharma:-
Before I discuss my strategy for CAT, I would like to emphasize that it is very important for everyone to formulate his/her own strategy for the exam based on their capabilities and comfort zones.
My strategy was to devote equal time to all sections (VA, QA and DI) initially and then try to concentrate on a few remaining questions to maximize my score. I spent 45 minutes each on all three sections and used the remaining 15 minutes to concentrate on sections which I found relatively easy (depending on the paper and my strengths) with the intention of maximizing the overall score. I had tried many different strategies during the mock tests and felt that this was a good way to ensure clearing of cut-offs before trying to improve upon your percentile. Besides that, I had made a conscious effort to read all questions in the paper so as not to miss out on the easy ones. While giving CAT, there can be many occasions when you get deeply involved in a question and end up spending a lot of time on it. It is very important to let go such questions and continue with your exam and come back to such questions later, time permitting.

MindInsight:- How did you manage your time?

Vickram Sharma:-
Again, time management varies a lot from one individual to another. Since my job required long hours, my preparation was limited to weekends. Though, I had enrolled for classroom courses, I was unable to attend most of them due to other commitments. However, I did my best to ensure that I attend all classes which dealt with concepts I wasn't very comfortable. I also made sure that I don't miss any of the mock CATs. I used to spend around 8-10 hours per week for my preparations and this increased to around 15-16 hours in the last month before the exam. Since the examination tests your concepts, studying at the last moment doesn't help much. I did not do much in the last couple of days before the exams except revising formulae and used this time to relax myself completely.

MindInsight:-Is coaching institute a must for CAT preparation?

Vickram Sharma:-
Joining a coaching institute is not a must for CAT preparation. However, the mock tests conducted by various institutions are very helpful in developing confidence and for identifying one's strong and weak sections. Coaching classes can be helpful in increasing speed and to work upon your weak sections. Further, spending money upfront for classes ensures that you put in a minimum amount of time for your preparations. If someone is motivated enough to put in efforts on a regular basis, there is enough material available on the net or in bookstores for preparations. In such cases, a correspondence package from an institute is enough.

MindInsight:- What will be your advice to MBA aspirants?

Vickram Sharma:-
I think CAT is not just a test of your intelligence but also of your nerves and your ability to perform under pressure. It is very important to believe in yourself and maintain your calm during the examination. Always remember that if a paper is difficult for you, it would be difficult for others as well. Thus, you should never give up and put in your best during the exam. Further, while you are preparing for CAT, it is very important to maintain a balance between studies and enjoying yourself. Consistency in efforts is very important during preparation and it helps if you devote time every week for a considerable period instead of leaving everything for the last 1 or 2 weeks. Finally, don't stress yourself or try to understand new things just before the exam. Use the last couple of days to relax and get a good night's sleep before you give CAT.

MindInsight:- What do you think are the three things you did well, that landed you in an IIM?

Vickram Sharma:-
1. Confidence and the drive to clear CAT.
2. Regularity in efforts (preparation and giving of mock tests).
3. Knowing my strengths and weaknesses.

MindInsight:- How did you prepare for GD/PI?

Vickram Sharma:-
I had joined a classroom course for GD/PI and had given few mock GDs and a couple of mock interviews. Though, the weightage is relatively less for GD/PI, it can make a huge difference if your scores are at the borderline. It helps a lot to attend a few mock GDs and understand what your weaknesses are. You should seek feedback from the moderator and try to work upon them. From a PI perspective, it is helpful to prepare a few standard questions as best as possible to make a good first impression. You should be prepared to answer questions about yourself, why you want to do an MBA, what differentiates you from others, etc. Further, it is important to keep yourself abreast with what is happening around you and follow the newspapers regularly.

MindInsight:- How helpful is academic background for MBA?

Vickram Sharma:-
In most cases, what you learn in a business school is very different from what you would have had learnt during under-graduation. It helps if you are strong in areas like quant, finance, etc. but any such advantage gets evened out. You might have to put in a little extra effort during your first term but after that your prior background doesn't help much.

MindInsight:- How did being at IIM change you?

Vickram Sharma:-
One of the most important things which I would take away from my two years at IIM would be a very strong network of friends and peers. Though, this might sound trivial, it is something which would always remain with you and would be a big support always. Besides that, being at IIM has helped me develop myself as a person in many ways. I was a part of the placement committee at IIM Bangalore and the responsibilities the role entailed have helped shape my personality significantly.

MindInsight:- A few things about Life at IIM ...

Vickram Sharma:-
One of the best things about an IIM is that every person can choose how he wants to spend his/her 2 years on campus. You can choose to enjoy your time at an IIM without taking away much in terms of education or you can be at the other extreme. Having a good mix of learning and fun would probably be the best way to spend your 2 years at an IIM. Though, I can go on and on about life at IIM, for me it has been an amazing mix of learning, fun, parties, friends, etc. Life here is as fast as it could be and you wouldn't even realize how the 2 years have passed away.

MindInsight:- How much work experience matter in getting an IIM call?

Vickram Sharma:-
Every IIM assigns different weights to work-experience. For IIM Bangalore, the weigtage is 5%. Though, work-experience might not help you significantly in getting an IIM call, it might help you during the interview process or even as a student at an IIM.

MindInsight:- What do you think about MindInsight.com as a portal for MBA preparation?

Vickram Sharma:-
MindInsight.com is an excellent portal for MBA aspirants. It is a very good resource for information and data at a single place. It has some very interesting features like K-booster, T20, etc. which can help in learning concepts in a nice way. It certainly has the potential to become a great site for information and learning for all CAT aspirants.

Thank you Vickram for your wonderful tips which will be surely helpful for all MiGhts.

Degree	Board	Marks
CBSE-AISSE (Xth)	DAV School, Kymore, MP	86.8%
CBSE-AISSCE (XIIth)	Kendriya Vidyalaya Fort William, Calcutta	88.6%
B. Tech.	Electrical Engineering,Indian Institute of Technology(IIT), Roorkee	9.02/10