Sahil Bansal is a Mechanical Engineer from IIT Delhi. He took CAT in year 2008 and got 99.91 percentile. He was offered admission by IIM Lucknow, Indore and Kozhikode of which he finally chose IIM Lucknow. MBAUniverse.com spoke to Sahil regarding his selections as well as his advice towards the CAT 2009 aspirants and his thought about the CBT format of CAT.
MBAUniverse.com talks to Sahil on his preparations and suggestions for aspirants for CAT
Q: Which are the institutes that shortlisted you for GD PI and offered you final admissions?
A: Based on my CAT score and profile, I got calls from IIMs Ahmedabad, Calcutta, Lucknow, Indore and Kozhikode. Final admission was offered at IIMs Lucknow, Indore and Kozhikode.
Q: Which is the institute that you have decided to take admission, and why?
A: I will take admission in IIM Lucknow. This decision is guided by the perceived superior positioning of Lucknow amongst the three final calls I have. IIM Lucknow scores in most of the parameters be it infrastructure, faculty, placements, batch, profile etc.
Q: Which test prep institute did you go to? How did you make the selection? How should CAT 2009 aspirants make this decision?
A: I joined T.I.M.E for my preparation. I joined the test series for Career launcher too. Most of my preparation was through the Test Series. Test series are able to simulate the CAT as well as give a very realistic feel of the competition. Will suggest the CAT aspirants to take a couple of test series and concentrate on doing well in them.
Q: With just over 6 months to go, what is your advice to CAT 2009 aspirants?
A: Just get comfortable with the basics and practice hard. Try to concentrate on speed without compromising too much on accuracy.
Q: How should they plan their study on the basis of different sections in the paper and time management?
A: Test series are an ideal way to gauge ones preparation level and find out the problem areas. Identify the areas that need to be worked on and polish that before the next test. The time management too comes from practice. Try different strategies across different mocks to come up with the one that suits you.
Q: As you are aware, CAT 2009 will be a computer-based-test. In your view, how does this change the exam?
A: CAT 2009 as stated by the IIMs will be online. This would bring in a lot more confusion towards the beginning with no one knowing the exact pattern or format. However one thing that remains constant is that CAT is and will remain an aptitude test. So, a person with the right aptitude for management will make it no matter what the format is.
Q: What is your take on this new format?
A: The format will be a little harsh for the people who will be taking the test on the first day. However with time people will get used to the format and it would reduce the stake a bit if it is held multiple times in a year. The process will also become a little transparent and quick. Just hope that the IIMs do retain the importance ofCAT and it does not just become a mandatory requirement that everyone clears easily.
Q: Are you happy that you did not have to appear for this format or you feel that CBT form would have been better for you?
A: I feel that it should hardly matter in what format the exam is being conducted. The aptitude of a candidate remains just the same and a good candidate with the right aptitude will make it no matter what. Remember the IIMs will not want to miss out on the right candidates.
Q: What should aspirants do to adjust to this new format?
A: Since the intent of the test is the same, the exam will continue to test the same things. Aspirants should focus on their basic concepts as well as practice for speed and accuracy. A bit of practice on online formats will help them feel comfortable on the D-day.
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Sahil Bansal is a Mechanical Engineer from IIT Delhi. He took CAT in year 2008 and got 99.91 percentile. He was offered admission by IIM Lucknow, Indore and Kozhikode of which he finally chose IIM Lucknow. MBAUniverse.com spoke to Sahil regarding his selections as well as his advice towards the CAT 2009 aspirants and his thought about the CBT format of CAT.
MBAUniverse.com talks to Sahil on his preparations and suggestions for aspirants for CAT
Q: Which are the institutes that shortlisted you for GD PI and offered you final admissions?
A: Based on my CAT score and profile, I got calls from IIMs Ahmedabad, Calcutta, Lucknow, Indore and Kozhikode. Final admission was offered at IIMs Lucknow, Indore and Kozhikode.
Q: Which is the institute that you have decided to take admission, and why?
A: I will take admission in IIM Lucknow. This decision is guided by the perceived superior positioning of Lucknow amongst the three final calls I have. IIM Lucknow scores in most of the parameters be it infrastructure, faculty, placements, batch, profile etc.
Q: Which test prep institute did you go to? How did you make the selection? How should CAT 2009 aspirants make this decision?
A: I joined T.I.M.E for my preparation. I joined the test series for Career launcher too. Most of my preparation was through the Test Series. Test series are able to simulate the CAT as well as give a very realistic feel of the competition. Will suggest the CAT aspirants to take a couple of test series and concentrate on doing well in them.
Q: With just over 6 months to go, what is your advice to CAT 2009 aspirants?
A: Just get comfortable with the basics and practice hard. Try to concentrate on speed without compromising too much on accuracy.
Q: How should they plan their study on the basis of different sections in the paper and time management?
A: Test series are an ideal way to gauge ones preparation level and find out the problem areas. Identify the areas that need to be worked on and polish that before the next test. The time management too comes from practice. Try different strategies across different mocks to come up with the one that suits you.
Q: As you are aware, CAT 2009 will be a computer-based-test. In your view, how does this change the exam?
A: CAT 2009 as stated by the IIMs will be online. This would bring in a lot more confusion towards the beginning with no one knowing the exact pattern or format. However one thing that remains constant is that CAT is and will remain an aptitude test. So, a person with the right aptitude for management will make it no matter what the format is.
Q: What is your take on this new format?
A: The format will be a little harsh for the people who will be taking the test on the first day. However with time people will get used to the format and it would reduce the stake a bit if it is held multiple times in a year. The process will also become a little transparent and quick. Just hope that the IIMs do retain the importance ofCAT and it does not just become a mandatory requirement that everyone clears easily.
Q: Are you happy that you did not have to appear for this format or you feel that CBT form would have been better for you?
A: I feel that it should hardly matter in what format the exam is being conducted. The aptitude of a candidate remains just the same and a good candidate with the right aptitude will make it no matter what. Remember the IIMs will not want to miss out on the right candidates.
Q: What should aspirants do to adjust to this new format?
A: Since the intent of the test is the same, the exam will continue to test the same things. Aspirants should focus on their basic concepts as well as practice for speed and accuracy. A bit of practice on online formats will help them feel comfortable on the D-day.
| Check Top MBA Colleges in India by Cities | | |
| Also Read Important Articles on MBA Admission | ||
| Top MBA Colleges in India | MBA Admission | MBA Entrance Exam |
| MBA Placements | MBA Ranking In India | GD Topics |
a person with the right aptitude for management will make it no matter what the format is