How I cracked CAT and declined IIMs, IITs, MDI offers to join SPJIMR: Toppers share their secrets with MBAUniverse.com

Making a choice of right B-school, out of the admission offers from many top management institutes including IIMs, IITs, MDI, IIFT, XLRI, is not an easy task. The road to a top B-school is a tough task that involves many stages right from applying to the right B-school, taking the exam and scoring high; getting through the final selection round and finally zeroing in at the best institute. There can be no better way to understand which B-school to choose from many good options, than the perceptive from the exam toppers themselves.

To help our readers aiming at various MBA entrance exams, MBAUniverse.com interviewed CAT/XAT/IIFT/GMAT toppers who scored high percentiles and were offered admission by many top B-schools but preferred to join SPJIMR Mumbai. In their interview with MBAUniverse.com, these toppers at SPJIMR share their experiences and respond to the questions on following key areas:

• How these toppers prepared for MBA entrance Exams
• What was their preparation strategy for PI round?
• How they avoided Social Media Distractions during Preparation Journey?
• How did they perform in Online GD-PI? What are the key tips for Online PI?
• What made the Toppers prefer SPJIMR to Top B-schools?

SPJIMR has always remained a preferred destination for MBA aspirants not only for this year but for the last many years, and many CAT toppers this year and last year joined SPJIMR instead of IIMs. But, before we start discussing the preparation and the college decisions by these toppers who are now SPJIMR students, let’s first get to know more about SPJIMR.

1. Highly Ranked and Internationally Accredited: SPJIMR is an AACSB Accredited B-School and in the prestigious Financial Times 2022 Global Rankings, it secured World Rank # 44 and India Rank # 2. It was ranked # 6 in India by MBAUniverse.com B-School Rankings 2022.
2. Placements at Par with Top IIMs: SPJIMR Placements are at par with top IIMs. SPJIMR has registered highest package of Rs.53.16 LPA, Average package of Rs.32.05 LPA in 2022.
3. Distinguished Alumni: SPJIMR has a long list of super achievers as its alumni including Mahesh Madhavan, Global CEO of Bacardi and Debjani Ghosh, President of NASSCOM.
4. SPJIMR NCL Approach: SPJIMR Non-Classroom Program initiatives like Science of Spirituality; ADMAP; DOCC; Abhyudaya and PG Lab are unique pedagogic approaches that attract top talent

Coming back to know the toppers who preferred SPJIMR, let us know – who they are, where did they study, do they have work experience and more. So here is a snapshot

CAT/GMAT Toppers at SPJIMR: Profile Snapshot
Below are some of the toppers who preferred to join SPJIMR and declined admission offers from other top B-schools

Name, Home Town,	CAT Percentile	Education	Work Experience
Karanvir Singh Bains; Chandigarh	98.55	Engineering graduate from PEC Chandigarh	3 Years at Maruti Suzuki and E&Y
Achyuth Reddy Ravula; Warangal (Telangana)	97.5	B.E. & MSc Maths from BITS Pilani	2+ Years at KFin Technologies
Vedanshee Narshana; Mumbai	94.23	BA Psychology from St Xavier’s Mumbai	Fresher
Venkata Sravan Bacchu; Vempalle, Andhra Pradesh	GMAT 2021: 99%ile	B.Tech from Manipal Institute of Technology	About 3 Years at Schneider Electric
Pratik Prataprao Patil; Manchar (Dist- Pune, Maharashtra)	CAT 2020: 99.11	Engineering graduate from Walchand College of Engineering, Sangli	2+ Years at L&T
Anish R; Kochi (Kerala)	CAT 2020: 99.6	B.Tech from College of Engineering Trivandrum.	About 2 Years at Amadeus Software
Hrithik Raj Agarwal; Panaji (Goa)	CAT 2020: 99.5	BBA from MIT College of Management, Pune	Fresher

So now that you know the CAT toppers at SPJIMR Mumbai, let us take a look at their CAT journey…read on for their in-depth interviews with MBAUniverse.com.

SPJIMR Mumbai Admission 2023 Opens: Apply Now

Karanvir Singh Bains: 98.55 Percentile in CAT 2021

Karanvir Singh Bains: Why he Preferred SPJIMR to 10 IIMs, IITB, MDI, NITIE
Karanvir Singh Bains, CAT 2021 topper from Chandigarh, cracked the exam with 98.55 percentile and converted a number of top B-schools including SPJIMR Mumbai, IIM Lucknow and other 10 IIMs, XLRI, MDI Gurgaon, NITIE Mumbai,  SJMSOM IIT Bombay and DMS IIT Delhi. A graduate in mechanical engineering, Karanvir earned 36 months of work experience at Maruti Suzuki and E&Y while preparing for the CAT exam. Read all about Karanvir’s CAT preparation strategy, his strengths and weaknesses, how he overcame them and why he preferred to join SPJIMR Mumbai and declined the admission offers from other top B-schools

Q: Why did you decide to pursue an MBA program? What were the key motivators?
A: I have 36 months of experience under my belt at prestigious organizations like Maruti Suzuki and Ernst & Young. I was already a Management Consultant leading a team of associates facing the client directly. However, I realized that though I had all the analytical skills I acquired during my engineering, I did lack an overall business perspective, which I am sure I will understand quickly by pursuing an MBA program.

Q: How does prior work experience help during an MBA program?
A: Having prior experience is always good, no takebacks from fresher's pursuing an MBA. They bring their own nimble thoughts to class discussions. But, after a 3-year diverse work-experience spanning across Product Development and Consulting, I'm actually enjoying the frameworks/cases being discussed in class at SPJIMR, Mumbai. Aspects like "delighting a customer", frequently talked about during Marketing cases resonated with one strategy that our team at a previous Consulting company had recommended

Q: How do the Academic & Gender Diversity help in MBA Program?               
A: Diversity is one of the biggest strengths of the MBA program. Being an Engineer I am sharing my room with a CA. Just having a casual discussion leads to a lot of learning. The cases discussed in the class everyone links it to their diverse perspectives. Diversity gives you a perspective that is an integral part of being a future leader.

Q: What role do the Extracurricular achievements play in admission process?
A: Definitely extra-curricular activities give you an edge in the admission process as it makes your profile deeply rooted apart from academics. Also, they are interesting strong points that could be great interview discussions. For e.g., in my MDI Gurgaon interview 10 mins were spent discussing my extra-curricular achievements.

Q: Which were the exams your prepared for? How did you perform
A: I prepared for CAT 2021 and XAT.  My overall CAT percentile was 98.55 at a scaled score of 91.82 and XAT percentile was 95.7134 at a score of 40.2667. Sectional CAT percentile was 96.53 for VARC; 94.07 for DILR and 98.19 for Quant.

Q: Did you self-prepare or attend a coaching centre and why?
A: I was working full-time in a demanding management consulting job so I didn’t had time to attend any coaching. Ironically though being an engineer VARC was my strongest suit therefore I did self-preparation mostly through practise and mock test series.

Q: What was your overall preparation strategy for CAT?
A: My overall strategy for CAT was to cover the syllabus early, then practice and practice. Practice time bound, attempting mocks is the best way to do this.

Q: Was there any area that you were weak at? How did you win the challenge?
A: Initially I was weak at DILR, I could not crack more than 2 sets in the given time of 40 min. Although I could complete all these sets in an untimed practice. I understood that I am not able to structure the problem statement under time pressure. I then tried to standardize my structure of solving the set. Slowly my attempts started increasing from 2 to 3 to even 4 sets. I did practice on a lot of sectional and full mocks. On the D-Day, I was able to do 3 sets and that was all right.

Q: Please share How did you prepare for VARC, DILR and Quant in CAT?
A: VARC: Unconventionally for an engineer, VARC was my strongest suit next to quants. I didn’t focus much on VARC per se apart from solving mocks, but I recommend regular reading which will not only help in CAT but also in MBA and the way forward. For jumbled sentences, I would recommend a lot of practice. Mocks are constant for all the sections to be well-versed in time management.

DILR: DILR is all about structuring the problem and then breaking and solving, if you are good in quants and a little weak in DILR the structuring is where you’re lacking. So, try to structure the problem statement initially by writing each step, and later doing it mentally in the mock scenario. I did the same structuring as my problem and I structured 50+ sets without solving just to get a gist of it.

Quants: Quants is all about practice and practice. I had the same strategy; I practiced many questions from different chapters of the syllabus and did the time-bound practice using mocks to acquire the time management component.

Q: What role did Mocks play in your success? How many mocks did you attempt?
A: Mocks played the single most important role in my preparation; they helped me to practice and learn time management. I attempted 30+ full-length mocks, and analyzed each one of them after attempting.

Q: What was your last-minute preparation for the CAT Day?
A: Last minute I didn’t do much preparation I had my formula book/imp mock questions and I just went through it and spent the rest of the day with my family. On the day of CAT, I tried to stay relaxed and jovial which helped me to think clearly when things were uncertain like when my slot got a very tough quants section I could sail through.

Q: If you took XAT exam, what was your overall preparation strategy for XAT?
A: I did attempt XAT and was offered the final admission from XLRI HRM and XLRI Delhi(BM). For XAT the major section was DM for which I practiced a lot of questions and mocks. Daily I watched videos on critical thinking and analysis that did help me a lot in my DM section of XAT. Rest CAT preparation itself helped me a lot for XAT.

Q: Please share your sectional XAT preparation strategy?
A: My XAT sectional preparation strategy was

Verbal and Logical Ability
Unconventionally for an engineer, Verbal was my strongest suit next to quants. I didn’t focus much on VARC per se apart from solving mocks, but I recommend regular reading which will not only help in CAT but also in my MBA and way forward. For logical ability, I would recommend a lot of practice. Watching videos and practicing critical thinking questions helps a lot. Mocks are constant for all the sections to be well-versed in time management.

DM
DM is one of the unique aspects of XAT, which a lot of aspirants find very difficult and equally fun to solve. DM expects the students to take business decisions as a leader. It is a simulation of what an MBA graduate will face in the future. For DM I studied critical reasoning through various books on GMAT and watched a lot of content on YouTube. Practiced all the previous year’s XAT papers available.

QA & DI
DILR is all about structuring the problem and then breaking and solving, if you are good in quants and a little weak in DILR then structuring is where you’re lacking. So, try to structure the problem statement initially by writing each step, and later doing it mentally in the mock scenario. I did the same structuring as my problem and I structured 50+ sets without solving just to get a gist of it.

Quants are all about practice and practice. I had the same strategy; I practiced many questions from different chapters of the syllabus and did the time-bound practice using mocks to acquire the time management component.

Q: Since Decision Making is an important section in XAT and is different from other MBA entrance exams, what was your preparation strategy for DM section?
A: DM is one of the unique aspects of XAT, which a lot of aspirants find very difficult and equally fun to solve. DM expects the students to take business decisions as a leader. It is a simulation of what an MBA graduate will face in the future. For DM I studied critical reasoning through various books on GMAT and watched a lot of content on YouTube. Practiced all the previous year’s XAT papers available.

Q: What role does GK play in XAT as it is not counted for percentile calculation? How seriously did you prepare for it? What was your strategy
A: For GK, I keep myself updated on the various dynamics of the times. I specifically studied some of the static GK provided by various coaching institutes. It is not counted section for percentile calculation and hence, made me give less time to GK-specific preparation. But being a regular reader of newspapers helped me a lot because of which I could do reasonably well in the exam.

Q: How did you prepare for XAT descriptive Essay Writing Test?
A: I was also preparing for GMAT and wrote various essays on current topics and got them checked by my mother and friends. I also used the Hemmingway editor to check the readability of my essay and accordingly improved my writing. Essay writing is also an integral part of the MBA journey ahead.

Q: Which section in XAT did you find difficult? How did you overcome it?
A: DM Section in XAT, I found it difficult because I had to prepare for it separately apart from my preparation for CAT. For DM I studied critical reasoning through various books on GMAT and watched a lot of content on YouTube. Practiced all the previous year’s XAT papers available.

Q: How did you remain Motivated through your preparation journey?
A: Motivation came from various sources, my parents, my friends and my colleagues, any exam preparation has its ups and downs. There were low periods when I was getting low marks in mocks and it was not improving on every successive mock but I took it happily and believed in myself that I will do better my mother was my strongest support in the whole journey.

Q: MBA aspirants struggle with Social Media distractions. How did you manage it?
A: Social media is now a part of one’s life. Many important questions and doubt-solving happen on various Facebook and telegram groups. So, one cannot completely shut social media out. I managed it by practicing delayed gratification. Where I rewarded myself with some minutes of social media scrolling after an intensive study session.

Q: What are the key mistakes to avoid during CAT/XAT preparation?
A: If things are not going well don’t be demotivated and give out half-hearted effort. CAT or XAT or any aptitude-based exam requires careful decision-making on top of testing the aptitude. When some questions don’t work out even in the paper, this should not affect the preparation or attempts of the other questions/topics.

Q: What were the key components in SPJIMR final selection round?
A: The SPJIMR interviews are conducted in two phases: Phase-1 is only for candidates who received calls based solely on their profiles, whereas Phase-2 is for both categories of candidates—those who received calls based solely on their profiles but missed Phase-1 as well as those who received calls based solely on their scores.

Q: How did you prepare for the final selection round?
A: Always create clear thoughts and provide evidence for your statements. When they surprised me with questions, I kept my cool, which enabled me to express my ideas clearly. Be attentive when the interviewer asks you a question since, more often than not, it is also asked of other applicants, or it may be based on an earlier response. Show your confidence in both your words and your body language. And finally, know who you are. They will put pressure on you, but if you are confident in yourself, you won't give in.

Q: Please share some of the key questions asked in the Personal Interview?
A:  Some of the topics on which questions are asked include

• Be prepared for interview questions like "Tell me about yourself." Or why an MBA?
• I can't express how important it is to know oneself well enough.
• Since interviewers have been performing their jobs for years, they are aware of those who are lying. They will put you to the test, but if you are sincere, you will succeed.
• Read all sides of each current events story. Positives/Negatives. Create a distinct viewpoint on any topic.
• Read up on the area of expertise you want to pursue. the newest trends.
• Mock Interviews - Get ready for mock interviews held by various coaching facilities. in particular, stressful interviews. On D-Day, you wouldn't want to experience a nervous breakdown.
• Technical Disciplines - Become knowledgeable about the principles of one or two technical subjects. This also applies to those who have job

Q: Was your Interview conducted Online? How was your experience?
A: Yes, both my interviews were conducted online. My experience was seamless, the interviews were managed well. With minimal glitches. There was a lot of support from the admission team if there was any kind of issue.

Q: Please share Tips for doing well in Online Interview?
A: In my opinion, the following tips will help

• Familiarize yourself with the technology beforehand. Try talking to a friend through it the day before your interview.
• Interview in a room where you are not going to be disturbed.
• Ensure the room's lighting is good, and make sure that whatever is behind you is
• Prepare as though you would for a face-to-face interview.
• Do set the camera up so that you'll be visible from the waist up.
• Do test your internet connection on the day of the interview to be confident that it is working.
• Do dress professionally & be well-groomed.
• Do turn off your cell phone and close any other browsers so that you are not distracted.
• Do clean the camera so that you don't appear blurry on the other end.
• Do look straight into the camera so that it looks like you are looking directly at the interviewer.
• Do remember all essential nonverbal traits, including eye contact, smiling, and posture.
• Do leave a pause after every question the interview panel asks. There might be a delay, and you could end up interrupting the interviewer.
• Do speak conversationally and try your best to build up a rapport with the interviewer.
• Do follow the same basic etiquette as you would a regular interview.

Q: What were your key criteria while selecting a B-school for admission?
A: The key criteria for me while selecting a B-school for application and later admission were

• Legacy of the institute
• Location of the institute
• Faculty
• Batch size
• Reviews from alumni and seniors
• Placements

Q: Apart from SPJIMR, which other top B-schools Shortlisted you?
A: 16 other B-schools shortlisted me - IIM Lucknow-SM, MDI Gurgaon, NITIE Mumbai, XLRI, SJMSOM IIT Bombay, DMS IIT Delhi, IIM Trichy, IIM Ranchi, IIM Sambalpur, IIM Udaipur, IIM Raipur, IIM Vizag, IIM Kashipur, IIM Jammu, IIM Nagpur and IIM Sirmaur apart from SPJIMR.

Q: Which all top B-schools offered Final Admission to you, apart from SPJIMR?
A: Apart from SPJIMR Mumbai, I was offered final offers from all the 16 B-Schools I was shortlisted-IIM Lucknow-SM, MDI Gurgaon, NITIE Mumbai, XLRI, SJMSOM IIT Bombay, DMS IIT Delhi, IIM Trichy, IIM Ranchi, IIM Sambalpur, IIM Udaipur, IIM Raipur, IIM Vizag, IIM Kashipur, IIM Jammu, IIM Nagpur and IIM Sirmaur.

Q: What motivated you to choose SPJIMR over other B-schools?
A: There are many reasons why SPJIMR was selected above other colleges. Certain of them are

1. Since SPJIMR consistently ranks in the top B school rankings, it is a well-known brand in both the business world and the general public. For me, this made it an ideal institution.
2. In terms of placements and industry exposure, SPJIMR has an advantage over other B schools thanks to its advantageous location.
3. Through initiatives like PG-Lab, Abhudaya DOCC and GFT, SPJIMR's distinctive curriculum places a special emphasis on giving students international exposure and values-based education.

Q: Now that you are in a top B-school, tell us your impressions of Life in a B-school!
A: Life in a B-school is hectic to say the least but is equally exciting and fun. Sleeping late at night the EOD submissions are all important and fun aspects of the MBA program. Enjoying every free moment and working very hard the next is what MBA is. The PG- Lab at SPJIMR has been the highlight of my MBA program so far. I have developed time management and people management skills. Classroom discussion and learning has widened my knowledge base.

Q: How is studying in an MBA program different from preparing for CAT? 
A: Studying MBA and preparing for CAT have some similarities like both require sincerity and hard work. While studying in an MBA program gives you a lot of exposure and is a lot of new learning on how things work vie case studies. While CAT requires revision of old aptitude questions and concepts.

Q: Finally, what is your message and tips for candidates preparing for CAT and other exams?
A: When studying for a competitive test like the CAT/XAT, regularity is crucial. Instead of extrapolating your mock scores as the actual CAT performance, you should utilize them to analyze your strengths and shortcomings. Mock scores are only a reflection of how you performed throughout the 3-hour mock exam. Try to develop a plan of action based on your strengths.

SPJIMR Mumbai Admission 2023 Opens: Apply Now

Achyuth Reddy Ravula: 97.5 Percentile in CAT 2021

Achyuth Reddy Ravula: Why he Preferred SPJIMR to IIMI, IIMK, IIML   
Achyuth Reddy Ravula, CAT 2021 topper from Warangal (Telangana), cracked the exam with 97.5 percentile and converted a number of top B-schools including SPJIMR Mumbai, IIM Kozhikode, IIM Indore, IIM Lucknow and all the new IIMs. A Dual Degree holder from BITS Pilani -  A B.E Computer Science and M.Sc Mathematics, Achyuth earned 27 months of work experience as a Product Manager at KFin Technologies Ltd. while preparing for CAT exam. Read all about Achyuth’s CAT preparation strategy, his strengths and weaknesses, how he overcame them and why he preferred to join SPJIMR Mumbai and declined the admission offers from other top B-schools

Q: Why did you decide to pursue an MBA program? What were the key motivators?
A: Post my summer internship after 3^rd year, I’ve realized that my interest lies in management. It has more to do with my interest in the business side of the project and people management rather than a mundane programming job. It was then a straightforward call to gain a couple of years of experience before pursuing management education from a top-tier institution.

Q: How does the prior work experience help during an MBA program?
A: While work experience is not mandatory for an MBA candidate, it does help the students in synthesizing the concepts taught at the B-school.

Q: How do Academic & Gender Diversity help in MBA Program?
A: Most MBA colleges these days offer additional points for academic and gender diversity during the admission process. Diversity on all accounts helps in contributing to the discussions and enriches peer-to-peer learning. Participants coming from different backgrounds bring in diverse thoughts and add value to the overall learning.

Q: What role do Extracurricular achievements play in the admission process?
A: Extracurricular achievements help to make your profile stand out amongst your competitors. Having a strong array of Extracurricular activities is even more important for colleges like SPJIMR which give huge importance to the overall strength of your profile.

Q: Which were the exams your prepared for? How did you perform?
A. I prepared only for CAT. My overall CAT percentile was 97.5 at a scaled score of 81.62. Sectional CAT percentile was 78.14 for VARC; 94.67 for DILR and 99.16 for Quant.

Q: Did you self-prepare or attend a coaching centre and why?
A: I took the help of professionals from a reputed coaching center as I felt the need to bank on the expertise of experienced people in such a time-crunched exam. Also, studying with your peers enables peer-to-peer learning and helps you gauge your position relative to the competition.

Q: Did you opt for Online coaching or class room coaching? Please share details
A: I opted for the 1-year online program of IMS. The pedagogy consisted of full-time access to the concept videos, study material and mock tests. The trainers were well-versed in the subject and made sure we did not miss the offline classroom experience.

Q: What was your overall preparation strategy for CAT?
A: The strategy was to maximize the scores in my topics of strength like logical reasoning, arithmetic and algebra while focusing on relatively weaker sections of data interpretation, VARC to score as much as possible within the section.

Q: Was there any particular area that you were weak at? How did you win this challenge?
A: I felt I was not doing well enough in VARC. To tackle it, I started to emphasize reading newspaper articles, blogs and editorials from leading publishers. This exercise was followed by a careful analysis of a barrage of sectional tests before proceeding to attempt the full-length mocks.

Q: Please share your sectional preparation strategy for CAT?
A: For VARC, I made it a point to read articles every day with a focus on editorials and blogs like Aeon. For Quant, I relied on the concept videos and practice questions whereas, for DILR, I focussed on solving 2 sets every day. I used the study material provided by the coaching institute and sectional mocks to supplement my preparation.

Q: What role did Mocks play in your success? How many mocks did you attempt?
A: I attempted about 20 mocks before the exam. The number of mocks you choose to attempt varies from person to person and depends on your level of comfort with managing time. Mocks helped me to find the right balance between speed and accuracy.

Q: Please share your strategy for the CAT Exam Day?
A: For VARC, my strategy was to alternate between Reading comprehension and Verbal ability questions to avoid burnout. For DILR, the key is to identify the easiest sets to solve first and then proceed to the difficult ones. As for the quant, I decided to spare a few minutes to skim through the questions and then start solving the questions in the order of difficulty.

Q: How did you remain Motivated through your preparation journey?
A: It is indeed a challenge to stay motivated throughout the course of this journey. When you are down, remember why you started. Seek help from your parents, friends and well-wishers in your time of need.

Q: MBA aspirants struggle with Social Media distractions. How did you manage it?
A: I chose to deactivate my social media accounts during the entire course of preparation. Thus, it was not much of a distraction for me.

Q: What are the key mistakes that aspirants should avoid during CAT preparation?
A: One of the most common mistakes candidates do is to attempt fewer mocks and not analyze them adequately. The key to cracking this exam is to attempt as many mocks as possible and analyze the results to revise your strategies in order to maximize the sectional scores.

Q: What were the key components in SPJIMR final selection round?
A: Unlike the interview process of other B-schools, SPJIMR evaluates the candidates basis on two group interview rounds i.e., GI-1 and GI-2. While the 1^st round focuses on technical competency, the second one tests the college-candidate fitment.

Q: How did you prepare for the final selection round?
A: I focussed on the details submitted in Form-A and Form-B. Along with my work experience, I spent time revising my undergrad subjects and brushing on my general knowledge.

Q: Please share some of the key questions asked in the Personal Interview?
A: Some of the key questions were:

1. Tell us about yourself within a minute
2. Challenges to the global supply chain industry
3. Threats to the digital supply chain
4. Difference between digitization, digitalization and digital transformation.

Q: Was your Interview conducted Online? How was your experience?
A: Yes, my interview was conducted online. Both rounds lasted for about 40 minutes each. It was a seamless experience as the admissions team left no stone unturned to make us comfortable.

Q: Please share Tips for doing well in Online Interview?
A: Treat online interviews the same way you treat offline interviews. Always carry a smile and present the best version of yourself.

Q: What were your key criteria while selecting a B-school for application and later for admission?
A: I always wanted to make it to one of the top 10 B-schools in the country to pursue my MBA. Some of the parameters I used to apply for B-schools include Alumni base, reputation in the corporate world, the relevance of the curriculum, faculty-student ratio, roles offered during placements and emphasis on the overall development of an individual.

Q: Apart from SPJIMR, which other top B-schools Shortlisted you?
A: I was shortlisted by IIM Kozhikode, IIM Lucknow, IIM Indore, CAP IIMs apart from SPJIMR Mumbai.

Q: Which all top B-schools offered Final Admission to you?
A: I was offered admission by SPJIMR, IIM Indore, IIM Kozhikode (Finance), IIM Lucknow (PGP-SM) and all the CAP IIMs.

Q: What motivated you to choose SPJIMR over other B-schools?
A: The legacy of SPJIMR as a socially conscious B-school is unparalleled. It was an aspirational college for me since it always features in the top B school rankings. I spoke to quite a few people from my family circle who are now alumni of various other top B-schools. Most of them unequivocally advocated for me to choose SPJIMR. Also, the locational advantage at SPJIMR gives it an edge over other B schools in terms of placements and industry exposure.

Q: Now that you are in a top B-school, tell us your impressions of Life in a B-school!
A: It feels surreal that I’ve made it to one of the best B-schools in the country. The professors here are pioneers in their respective fields and do their best to make the classroom learning experience enriching. The biggest takeaway from any MBA program is the power of networking. You get to meet and talk to a diverse set of people around you. I was initially awestruck looking at the people around me. This pool of talented and diverse participants made me believe in the selection process of SPJIMR. It is indeed true that time flies in an MBA college. You get engrossed in a lot of things like exams, assignments, clubs, committees etc. Sacrosanct deadlines are the norm. Eventually, you are prepared to ace the game of multitasking.

Q: How is studying in an MBA program different from preparing for CAT? 
A: SPJIMR has a unique curriculum that focuses on the overall development of an individual. Apart from academics, we are exposed to programs like

1. Abhyudaya (a program to understand urban poverty),
2. DoCC (social internship) and
3. ADMAP (a platform to take part in the everyday decision-making of the college).

Such programs shape you to be socially sensitive managers who strive to contribute to society. Life at SPJIMR is more than just academics. You get enough opportunities to give it back to the student community in the form of clubs, committees and fests. The culture is highly vibrant and conducive to the overall development of an individual.

Q: Finally, what is your message and tips for candidates preparing for CAT?
A: I can understand that the CAT journey can be very arduous and often requires a tinge of luck to go your way. A few pointers from my end are:

• Be regular in your preparation. Consult people around you but, have a strategy of your own.
• Attempt and analyze as many mocks as you can.
• Remember why you started when you feel like giving up. Focus on the process more than the results.
• Relax and give your best shot on D-day.  

SPJIMR Mumbai Admission 2023 Opens: Apply Now

Vedanshee Narshana: 94.23 Percentile in CAT 2021

Vedanshee Narshana: Why she Preferred SPJIMR to IIMS, IIFT, MDI
Vedanshee Narshana, CAT 2021 topper from Mumbai, cracked the exam with 94.23 percentile and converted number of top B-schools including SPJIMR Mumbai, IIM Shillong, MDI Gurgaon, IIFT, and new IIMs. A Bachelor of Arts (BA) in Psychology from St. Xavier’s College, Mumbai, Vedanshee is a fresher and is the only child of her family. Read all about Vedanshee’s CAT preparation strategy, her strengths and weaknesses, how she overcame them and why she preferred to join SPJIMR Mumbai and declined the admission offers from other top B-schools

Q: Why did you decide to pursue an MBA program? What were the key motivators?
A: Having a keen interest in Marketing since a long time, I felt it was the right path to take after my bachelors and was in sync with my major (Psychology).

Q: In your opinion, does prior work experience help during an MBA program?
A: As a fresher who has just completed the first term of MBA, I do feel at times that prior work experience makes a lot of course matter and discussion subjects relevant. However, it all depends on how well-read and aware you are- if so, you can contribute to these activities equally well. Certain roles of Marketing require freshers, so I guess it’s dependent on the specialisation as well.

Q: How do the Academic & Gender Diversity help in MBA Program?
A: They certainly help because the same issue is looked differently by different people. A homogenous lot would make it no different from UG- however to realize the full benefits of diversity, we need to improve these ratios even more.

Q: What role do the Extra curricular achievements play in admission process?
A: They become those unique differentiating factors in your forms that give the interviewers something new to discuss.

Q: Which were the exams your prepared for? How did you perform in CAT?
A: I prepared for CAT, XAT. My overall CAT percentile was 94.23 at a scaled score of 69.76. Sectional CAT percentile was 98.57 for VARC; 79.26 for DILR and 79.81 for Quant.

Q: Did you self-prepare or attend a coaching centre and why?
A: I attended Coaching centre- mainly to establish discipline and routine. I also felt the need for additional help in DILR and QUANT sections.

Q: Did you opt for Online coaching or class room coaching? Please share details
A: Since the coaching began in Jan 2021, it was completely online. I joined Patrick Sir’s and Rochelle Ma’am’s Quoin Academy for my CAT and GDPI preparation. I was very satisfied with the way they functioned- two classes a week and multiple doubt solving lectures.

Q: What was your overall preparation strategy for CAT?
A: My focus was to maximize scores in my strongest area – VARC.

Q: Was there any particular area that you were weak at? How did you win this challenge?
A: Yes, QA was my weak area. I practised more and focused on some tricks to get to the answers faster.

Q: Please share your sectional preparation strategy for CAT?
A: My strategy was to read more and practice respectively. I also resorted to experimenting with strategies during the mocks.

Q: How many mocks did you attempt before the exam?
A: I attempted around 25 mocks- they certainly helped me divide my time better and get into the habit of quickly dropping a question and moving ahead.

Q: Please share your strategy for the CAT Exam Day?
A: I had no strategy as such for the Exam Day. The fact that my strongest area – VARC would come first in the order of things was of immense help. Other than that, I mostly kept myself relaxed during that week.

Q: How did you remain Motivated through your preparation journey?
A: I had heard early on during my preparation that one tends to think that they are as good or bad as their recent mock score and keeping that in my mind helped me motivate myself again and again. There were patches when I took a break for a day or two just to rejuvenate.

Q: MBA aspirants struggle with Social Media distractions. How did you manage it?
A: I was actually quite occupied with my UG curriculum and CAT prep, so there wasn’t much time. Adding to that, it was the Covid year and hence there’s wasn’t much happening on social media either, so I could keep my social media use in check.

Q: What are the key mistakes to avoid during entrance exam preparation?
A: Comparison with others instead of focusing on your strengths – Taking mock scores and mock exams too seriously

Q: What were the key components in final selection round?
A: Key components were Diversity factors and interview answers

Q: How did you prepare for the final selection round?
A: Introspection and being in touch with current affairs helped me prepare for PI round

Q: Please share some of the key questions asked in the Personal Interview?
A: Mostly the questions were form based

Q: Was your Interview conducted Online? How was your experience?
A: Yes it was Online and was quite smooth

Q: Please share Tips for doing well in Online Interview?
A: Basic hygiene checks like proper background , formal wear, looking at the camera, positioning it at eye-level and good connectivity are a few tips.

Q: What were your key criteria while selecting a B-school for admission?
A: Since I was applying during my final year of college, I only applied to the top ten. Also looked at the kind of companies that came to various campuses for placements

Q: Apart from SPJIMR, which other top B-schools Shortlisted you?
A: Apart from SPJIMR, I was shortlisted by IIM Ahmedabad, IIM Shillong, MDI Gurgaon, IIFT and CAP participating IIMs

Q: Which all top B-schools offered Final Admission to you?
A: Along with SPJIMR Mumbai, I was offered final admission by IIM Shillong, MDI Gurgaon, IIFT, CAP participating IIMs

Q: What motivated you to choose SPJIMR over other B-schools?
A: Key reasons were Location, placement record among others

Q: Now that you are in a top B-school, tell us your impressions of Life in a B-school!
A: My impressions and highlights of the programme so far are - Developing flexibility to constantly changing situations, being on your toes always and hectic days. The highlights would be those nights you spend with your team working on case competitions or a day before the exam when everyone teaches a  bit of what they know to everyone else

Q: How is studying in an MBA program different from preparing for CAT? 
A: During CAT prep your effort is much more defined and directed towards certain areas- you cannot say the same about MBA! It is much more rigorous and varied in terms of what you study and learn. CAT can be an individual effort but MBA cannot!

Q: Finally, what is your message and tips to prepare for CAT?
A: My message is to have faith, be realistic and don’t forget to chill every once in a while! 

SPJIMR Mumbai Admission 2023 Opens: Apply Now

Venkata Sravan Bacchu: 99 Percentile in GMAT 2021

Venkata Sravan Bacchu: Why he Preferred SPJIMR to ISB, XIMB, TAPMI
Venkata Sravan Bacchu, GMAT 2021 topper from Vempalle, Andhra Pradesh, cracked the exam with 99 percentile (Score of 760 out of 800) and converted number of top B-schools including SPJIMR Mumbai, ISB, XIMB, TAPMI among others. A B. Tech from Manipal Institute of Technology & Electronics and Communication Engineering, Venkata earned  work experience of 35 Months as Analyst at Schneider Electric, Bangalore before joining SPJIMR. Read all about Vekata’s GMAT preparation strategy, his strengths and weaknesses, how he overcame them and why he preferred to join SPJIMR Mumbai and declined the admission offers from other top B-schools

Q: Why did you decide to pursue an MBA program? What were the key motivators?
A: My heart goes out to all the farmers, who are the pillars of our economy but never get their fair share. I hail from a small village and while growing up I observed a lot of challenges that farmers face, right from uncertain rain, crop prices to damages, but still, there is slow progress in the agriculture segment as a whole. I always wanted to do something about this and in March 2018, when I saw few farmers sprinkling fertilizers barefoot, I decided to disrupt this method as I strongly believe in “DARE TO DISRUPT” for a positive change in a system and come up with a thought to design drones for this job. But to give life to an idea was not easy as I had to convince farmers, arrange the funding, and training them with the right skills. I made a team of 5 volunteers, and we started educating farmers about the benefits and simultaneously raised a campaign within our network of friends, family, etc. for the pilot testing which reduced the whole day job to a few minutes task with no wastage. The initiative was applauded by the farmers and the sarpanch, and my quality of dare to disrupt got my first success story. I never looked back and after transitioning to Schneider, I always questioned to disrupt to get better results every time.

During my work-experience, I use to closely work with the leadership team and the people who lead the various departments and my work was majorly focused in production planning of supply chain domain. While working with them I had learnt many things and realized that I lack in few of the aspects that is required to become a potential leader which has been my biggest dream. I also understood that I need to further broad my horizons on understanding the entire business of an organization so that it helps me add more value to the organization I work for. Later which I gave a thought to sought for an MBA and discussed with seniors to understand if MBA is the right platform for me to achieve my goals. After, I finalised that MBA would provide me an opportunity and platform that I have been looking for and also it helps me understand the various aspects of business which is an essential part to become a ideal potential leader for any organization.

Life has been fortunate because of my family, who always pushed me for excellence and encouraged me to follow my dreams. MBA for me is not just another program but disruption in my life, though a positive one to fulfil my dreams.

My dream is to give back to my roots and to make my village/hometown the best in terms of adapting to new technologies and a better life for everyone. But dreams can only become a reality if we have an action plan. After working for a couple of years, I had several interesting experiences in terms of understanding the supply chain, operations, innovation, working with people etc. and I always felt excited about my job and the company. Now, it’s time to take this curiosity to the next level to achieve big results for my future organizations, communities, and people. Post-MBA, my plan is to accelerate my career and continue working for core engineering firms or related industries such as manufacturing, supply chain etc. and transition to leadership roles. I would seek leadership roles within the operations and supply chain domain and would continue to create wonders through disruptive technologies. The next few years will equip me with the right skills, knowledge, and wisdom to take leadership roles at an organizational level such as COO. I believe I need to club my strong technical, problem-solving ability with the right management tools and techniques to achieve my vision.

Q: How does prior work experience help during an MBA program?
A: The whole point of an MBA is to improve your management and leadership abilities and employ them in the real world, which includes the business world but is not limited to it. Therefore, if you attend a business school, you should take a lot of business subjects like operations and supply chain management, finance, marketing, and economics.

Now think about two people. One is more experienced, and the other has, say, a five-year work history. Let's assume that the new student is bright academically and that he will therefore have no trouble understanding the topics. However, a true comprehension of those concepts and how they apply to day-to-day life cannot be attained without relevant work experience.

For instance, if you wish to lead a hockey team, you must first learn how to play the sport before you can do so. A manager who has no prior job experience will be comparable to a hockey captain who attended a prestigious business school but has never really played the sport.

Q: How do the Academic & Gender Diversity help in MBA Program?
A: Diversity in MBA is one of the crucial factors that we would need to consider while selecting a B-school. Academic & Gender Diversity actually helps in many ways where academic diversity would help us to understand the problem in multiple dimensions which would also make us think in a unique way about a particular situation or a problem. The major contribution comes from peer learning I believe.

The learning environment in the classroom is improved when programmes include students from a variety of backgrounds, experiences, and locations because pupils are challenged by those who bring new viewpoints. The ability to work with persons they may unconsciously have prejudices against helps students become more culturally fluent. In a diverse classroom, discussion also occurs more frequently, and discussion breeds invention. The changes in sustainability that the world needs will be driven by this innovative mindset.

Q: What role do the Extra curricular achievements play in admission process?
A: Colleges look for applicants who are committed to the extracurriculars they choose and the best way to show this is through the length of your participation in an activity. The longer you have been involved in a pursuit, the better it will look on your resume.

To highlight the extracurriculars you have been most committed to, list activities in descending order. This way, you can direct the admission officers’ attention to the most important items. It is advisable to omit short-lived extracurricular activities from your resume.

Colleges are not on the hunt for academically gifted students with a specialty. They are looking for students who will make an impact on campus. They want students who will come to their campus and leave a mark – influencing the campus culture for the better.

So, basically, admissions officers are often looking for applicants who have demonstrated initiative or leadership in other aspects of their life – often through extracurricular involvement. This can mean running for club president, organizing a fundraising drive, or simply working behind the scenes to ensure that everything your activity involves runs smoothly.

Q: Which were the exams your prepared for? How did you perform?
A: I prepared for GMAT, CAT. However, I appeared in GMAT. My overall GMAT score was 760 out of 800 and the percentile was 99. My reasoning score was 51/51; Verbal Reasoning score was 41/51; and Integrated Reasoning score was 7/8. This is top 1 percentile position in GMAT.

Q: Did you self-prepare or attend a coaching centre and why?
A: While working, I was hardly getting time to properly format the study hours. I joined IMS institute in Bangalore thinking that experts help and weekend classes will guide me in a better way to achieve good percentile in the exam. It's important to understand the correct format of the test and practice the correct syllabus, paper pattern & study material to secure good marks. A coaching institute provides good use of its resources.

Q: Did you opt for Online coaching or class room coaching? Please share details
A: I opted for an offline class but later due to covid pandemic, it turned out to be an online class. I joined IMS because it was the most trusted & well-known institute for MBA entrance. The IMS faculty and teachers provided me with wonderful support and guidance which helped me a lot with my preparation. The lectures were very informative and provided me with a strong base. The sectional tests and mocks were the game changer. They were pivotal in my preparation. I thank the entire IMS faculty for helping me in this journey, I’m really grateful for their support.

Q: What was your overall preparation strategy for GMAT?
A: I'm happy to provide some advice on how I achieved a 760 score while working a full-time job. To start, let's discuss your prep materials. Before you begin studying for the GMAT, you should look for a GMAT preparation resource that will assist you in staying on top of your preparation. I researched for a course that includes a detailed study plan. Having a study plan is essential because it will serve as your road map, allowing me to track my progress clearly, right from the beginning. I was able to map out my study schedule with the study plan, ensuring that what I was studying is well-organized and efficient.

While you are likely to come across a variety of study plans, my recommendation is that you follow a study plan which best suits your situation and timings. This type of plan will help you concentrate on learning one topic at a time, and then practicing that topic until you have mastered it.

I spent time researching the GMAT prep resources available before deciding which ones to use for preparation. To learn more about the best prep materials, I had read student reviews on websites such as GMAT Club as well as MBA Insights. After I have joined IMS to gear up for the ride.

In general, I advise to devote at least 18 hours per week to their GMAT preparation. As a working professional, I choose to devote 2 hours to studying each weekday, followed by 4 hours each day on Saturday and Sunday. Of course, if you can put in more than 18 hours per week for your studies, even better! Just make sure that you don't overwork yourself and that your study time is productive.

When it comes to your actual study schedule, I'll assume you work an 8-to-5 job. Most of your available study time will be outside your regular working hours, so there are various options for structuring your study schedule. You could study in the morning, the evening, or a combination of the two. Let's take a look at all three possibilities which I gave a thought during my preparation which may help you.

Schedule for Studying at Night
If you are more of a night owl and don't want to spend time studying in the mornings, another alternative for studying would be at the conclusion of your workday. If you want to finish your homework earlier in the evenings, you might begin between 5 and 7 p.m. directly after your workday is over. If you work in an office, you might think about remaining late to finish your two hours of studying, or if you work from home, you might think about getting started right away, around 5 o'clock. On the other side, you may put off your study sessions until later in the evening, around 7 or 8 p.m., if you would rather take a rest after work.

Schedule for Morning and Evening Study Sessions
There is no requirement that you study only in the mornings or exclusively in the nights. You may study in the morning on some days and in the evening on others, or you could study in the morning and in the evening on particular days, depending on your schedule. As long as you can dedicate at least 2 hours per weekday to your studies, it is acceptable if you want to vary when you study on some days. You might, for instance, choose to study in the evening on Mondays and Tuesdays, but in the morning on Wednesdays, Thursdays, and Fridays. As an alternative, you can favor studying for an hour each in the morning and the evening. These options are all workable. All you have to do is devise a study schedule that will allow you to make the most of your available time while studying.

Finally, make the most of your free time on Saturday and Sunday to prepare for the GMAT. I recommend 4 to 5 hours each day on Saturday and Sunday, but if you can extend yourself to 6 or even 8 hours each day, you can still do it! Keep in mind that the more you push or extend your study hours, the more efficiently you should be able to move toward your GMAT score goal.

Q: Was there any area that you were weak at? How did you overcome this challenge?
A: I was weak in verbal. Getting to know that I have to improve my speed-reading skill. I used to read as much as I could and also used to utilise even my coffee breaks which really helped me in acing the long paragraphs.

Q: Please share your sectional preparation strategy for GMAT?
A: Verbal: Make sure your basics are in place - GMAT Verbal is not about answering by instinct. There are grammar rules to learn and clear and precise strategies that you can apply for CR and RC. Make sure you know those and that you have a methodology to solve the questions. Do not let instinct, mood or ‘sounds kind of right’ be factors in your answering.

Read anything and everything you can - ok, yeah that’s an exaggeration. Reading fiction or newspaper reports are not of much help for the GMAT. What you need to be reading are more academic or theoretical articles - from science, environment, business, economics, and literature magazines and journals. But make sure you have a regular reading habit - about an hour a day of reading should work.

Quants: I come from an engineering background, so I have prepared Math extensively to a point where school-level Math in 11th and 12th seemed extremely easy to me.

I was also preparing for CAT while I gave the GMAT, and CAT has an extremely high level of Math skills required- it is tougher, the syllabus is more, requires really quick thinking.

I finished the section with 20 minutes remaining in the GMAT exam. I scored 51/60, which puts me in the 97th percentile.

It does not require extensive formulae application and you have enough time for each question if you’re well-prepared. The most important thing is to improve your accuracy. I used to mess up in the easiest questions with very small mistakes like calculation errors, or not reading the question statement at the end properly. If your basics are clear, and you practice enough to do well under pressure, I’m sure you’ll find it quite easy.

You do not have to get all questions right in the quant section to get Q51 in the GMAT. I scored 51 in the quant section of the GMAT.  I could deduce that I had made one mistake in the questions that count to the GMAT score in last quarter of my quant section. If one were to base it on my experience, it is clear that one can score 51 in the GMAT quant without getting all questions right.

Q: How many mocks did you attempt before the exam?
A: I gave around 30-40 mocks (full time). It is true that you will become more confident as you practise. Therefore, if you're really interested in taking mock exams, I'd advise you to enrol in test series from two separate organisations TIME, IMS and judiciously take the most closely related exams at the centres as this will help you acquire a sense of the actual GMAT exam.

The most crucial stage of a mock is analysis of your performance, although people sometimes ignore on how vital this is. It aids you to develop a plan of action based on your strengths and weaknesses.

Q: Please share your strategy for the GMAT Exam Day?
A: These are the following tips that I followed on the exam day:

1. Went through all of the mocks model questions
2. Remind myself on the strategies which helped me in mocks to increase my score
3. Slept 8 hours before the exam day
4. And finally just relaxed and waited for the exam start time.

Q: How did you remain Motivated through your preparation journey?
A: During my preparation strategy, I use to stay motivated because I use to not forget why I started and what I wanted from this. Sometimes, I felt a bit low when I got low score in mocks but I never gave up and there was a time where I kept getting low score though I tried hard, later which I had to take a break for couple of days and bounced back with full energy which showed me the positive results. I started believing that failure is not the end to success, but a part of success.

Q: A lot of MBA aspirants struggle with Social Media distractions. How did you manage it?
A: This is a quite common problem for many students who are preparing for various competitive exams. I installed all of social media apps and followed the routine, but slowly realized that it depends on us as to how much are we committed to the preparation and our goal to make it to one of the top B-schools in India. I use to keep my phone in silent mode and keep short term goals or I would say day goals where I set few concepts to practise and finish for that day so it further boosts up my motivation.

Q: What are the key mistakes that aspirants should avoid during exam preparation
A: Avoid following key mistakes

• Not making any study plan
• Not consolidating resources which are best in out there
• Not giving mock
• Not focussing on weakness
• Refusing to guess
• Not getting enough rest

Q: What were the key components in final selection round?
A: SPJIMR’s Interview Process is one of the most professionally conducted processes across B-schools in India. It is also one of the unique processes. It is rightly said that it requires a real spark in the candidate to clear interviews at SPJIMR.

Q: How did you prepare for the final selection round?
A: I have gone through the interview experiences shared on quora and various websites online and analysed what kind of questions could be expected in my interview. Listed down different set of behavioural questions related to management and real life that could be asked and assessed on which helped me during my interview.

TIP: Be yourself, Do not try to fake the things. “Honesty and believing in yourself will make you reach to make into your dream b-schools”

Q: Please share some of the key questions asked in the Personal Interview?
A: Group Interview1:

• Tell me about yourself
• Why MBA
• What type of forecasting you used in your company?
• What would you believe in?
• They asked few work related and general knowledge questions too

Group Interview2:

• Gave us one of the on-going issue and asked us to discuss among ourselves.

Q: Was your Interview conducted Online? How was your experience?
A: It was conducted online due to pandemic. The admissions committee aka AdCom is very friendly in guiding one through the process. If you happen to give interview in Mumbai, you also get to meet some of the current participants in programs at SPJIMR. One can gather important insights from them.

Q: Please share Tips for doing well in Online Interview?
A: Always be on time, be Well dressed and groomed because appearance make first impression, Check and update the system and keep it ready to avoid technical issues during the interview, Stable internet is must

Q: What were your key criteria while selecting a B-school for admission?
A: I was looking for 4 key factors in a B-School.

1. Peer learning- Diversity
2. Good Academics
3. Exposure
4.  ROI

Q: Apart from SPJIMR Mumbai, which were the other top B-schools that Shortlisted you for final selection round.
A: I was shortlisted by ISB, MDI, BITSOM, Michigan State University- (USA), XIMB, TAPMI, Great Lakes apart from SPJIMR

Q: Which all top B-schools offered Final Admission to you?
A: Apart from SPJIMR Mumbai, MDI, BITSOM, Michigan State University- BROAD college of business with full tuition waiver (USA), XIMB, TAPMI, Great Lakes offered me admission

Q: What motivated you to choose SPJIMR over other B-schools?

A: Key reasons to join SPJIMR are

• SPJIMR has a unique curriculum that focusses on providing value-based education which would make us expose to various experiences programs like ADMAP, Abhyudaya, DOCC and international exposure through GFT (Global Fast Track Program)
• SPJIMR has its own traditions, just like every other place. The institution's heart and soul are ingrained with these traditions, which is its beauty. No custom is left unfulfilled, whether it is as simple as honouring a classmate's birthday or as sophisticated as planning the yearly activities.
• SPJIMR is a renowned brand in the industry as well as in the public space, it was an aspirational college for me since it always features in the top B school rankings.
• The locational advantage at SPJIMR gives it an edge over other B schools in terms of placements and industry exposure.

Q: Now that you are in a top B-school, tell us your impressions of Life in a B-school!
A: I am an engineer from MIT, Manipal, thus coming from an engineering background, I feel there has been a lot of learning for me in the classroom at SPJIMR. All of the SPJIMR professors are leaders in their fields and very approachable. Numerous student committees are active in numerous areas of campus operations. This has provided me the chance to hone my teambuilding abilities and make a contribution in a field that interests me. The university is very green and active. It is located in the centre of Mumbai and features a lake and a biodiversity park.

Q: How is studying in an MBA program different from preparing for GMAT? 
A: During GMAT preparation, there used to be a plan made and strategies could be derived but in an MBA environment, I would say studying strategy may differ and here we actually relate everything that we learn to real life through various courses and labs that has been designed for the practical purposes.

Overall, I would say that both are unique experiences in their own paths.

Q: Finally, what is your message and tips for candidates preparing for GMAT?
A: When preparing for a competitive exam like the CAT/XAT/GMAT, regularity and persistence is crucial. Instead of comparing your mock scores to how you performed on the actual exam, you should utilise them to analyse your strengths and shortcomings. Mock scores are only a reflection of how you performed throughout the mock exam hours.

Try to develop a plan of action based on your strengths and take mocks seriously.

SPJIMR Mumbai Admission 2023 Opens: Apply Now

Pratik Prataprao Patil: 99.11 Percentile in CAT 2020

Pratik Prataprao Patil: Why he Preferred SPJIMR to IIMs, IITs, MDI, NMIMS
Pratik Prataprao Patil, CAT 2020 topper from Manchar (Pune), cracked the exam with 99.11 percentile and converted number of top B-schools including SPJIMR Mumbai, many IIMs, IIT-B,D,Kh, MDI, IIFT, NMIMS. A graduate in electrical engineering, Pratik earned 25 months of work experience at L&T while preparing for CAT exam. Read all about Pratik’s CAT preparation strategy, his strengths and weaknesses, how he overcame them and why he preferred to join SPJIMR Mumbai and declined the admission offers from other top B-schools

Q: Apart from SPJIMR Mumbai, which were the other top B-schools that shortlisted you for final selection round?
A: I was shortlisted by MDI Gurugram (HR and IB program), IIM Shillong, SJMSOM IIT Mumbai, DMS IIT Delhi, IIFT. I converted all these B-school calls

Q: What motivated you to choose SPJIMR over other B-schools? Please share top 3-4 reasons
A: SPJIMR had always been my dream college. Following are the reasons to choose SPJIMR over other institutes:

i) The course structure was fascinating since we are divided into our specialisation branches right from the beginning and completely devote our efforts in that direction. I was very sure of pursuing my MBA in marketing; hence this was a better choice.

ii) Could resonate a lot with the purpose statement of SPJIMR which is to contribute towards larger purpose in interest of community and society.

ii) The non-classroom learnings: A lot of focus is put into these courses and I personally felt the value-based learning from these courses is something I would miss out in other institutes.

Q: How did you perform in CAT 2020?
A: It was my third CAT experience and I am happy that I cracked CAT 2020 and got SPJIMR Mumbai. I scored 99.11 overall percentile in CAT 2020; 93.54 percentile in VARC section; 99.6 in DILR Section and 96.8 percentile in Quantitative Ability section.

Q. Apart from CAT, did you appear in any other MBA entrance exam? How did you perform in it?
A: Apart from CAT, I appeared in IIFT, scored 97.98%ile; SNAP, scored 96.65%ile; NMAT, scored 256

Q: What have been your academic and family back ground? Do you have some work experience as well?
A: I did graduation in electrical engineering in 2018 from Walchand College of Engineering, Sangli (A govt aided autonomous institute). I belong to Manchar (Dist- Pune, Maharashtra). I am a single child. My father is an engineer and works in chocolate manufacturing and my mother is a tailor and she runs a small tailoring shop. I worked for 25 months in sales and marketing in L&T- Electrical and Automation division before joining SPJIMR Mumbai. I like Trekking and travelling, cooking and am amateur reader

Q: What was your overall preparation strategy for CAT?
A: So, this was my 3^rd attempt at CAT. I had decided to quit my job and focus full time on engaging in preparation. Based on the previous experiences I decided to take full time coaching this time around. I joined IMS thane centre and additionally took test series of Career Launcher and TIME. Considering my past performances and previous strategies I decided to start my preparations as early as March. This allowed me to cover all the topics in detail and then focus on taking mocks and analysing the mocks at later stage. I decided to finish the concepts by end of June and then purely focus on mocks.

Q: Was there any particular section/area that you were weak at? How did you overcome this challenge?
A: I was very weak at VARC. To overcome this, I realised I need to practise active reading in the test. So initial step was to get acquainted with reading. I started with reading editorials and sports section in newspaper. Reading sports kept me interested in reading newspaper and editorials gave a different perspective to current happenings around me.

Once comfortable with reading I started adding business news to my reading. After this I figured philosophy and psychology is something I feel uncomfortable in reading. So, I forced myself in reading such topics through sources like Smithsonian magazine, the guardian, aldaily etc. This allowed to be comfortable with terminologies associated with these topics and I was more comfortable if I get passages from these areas in test.

I also started reading novels at the initial phase but had to let go of them from October. The result was reflected very late so if someone’s struggling with this section needs to have lot of patience.

Q: Please share your sectional preparation strategy for CAT? How did you prepare for VARC; DILR; Quant
A: VARC briefly described above. For DILR practise is only key. We aren’t very sure of how the question would come. Initially I solved few traditional problems that we encounter like circular arrangement, tournaments, bar and pie charts etc. Once acquainted with traditional questions I just made sure I solve as many different varieties of questions as I can. I also made sure that I eliminate bias towards LR or DI section and answer the question to its merit. Apart from this I had 3 parameters to judge on whether I am selecting the set or not. I judged the set based on if set is standard vs unique, plugin vs deductive conditions, open vs closed questions. (Strategies learnt at IMS coaching).

For QA the process was easy. Since I am from engineering background and had passion for Maths QA was comparatively easy. Once I had gone through the concepts all I focused on picking the right questions and maintaining the accuracy. For this I followed something known as A-B-C framework (abhi karo- baadme karo- chhod do. This too learnt from IMS thane).  So, when I read a question, if I am sure I can get the answer in 30 sec it goes in category A, if it takes 60 to 90 seconds in category B and beyond that category C. This allowed me to channel my efforts on limited questions and keep things on track.

Q: What role did Mocks play in your success? How many mocks did you attempt before the exam?
A: Mocks were most important aspect of my preparation process. I took almost 50 mocks in total. In the first half my focus on mocks was to check how well I have understood the concept, improve accuracy and experiment with different strategies. Once I get hold of strategy, I focused on improving speed.

Q: Did you self-prepare or attend a coaching centre and why?
A: I had enrolled in coaching at IMS Thane. The reason being I had taken up CAT twice before 2020 and didn’t have very good scores. I had realised my limitations and felt I need some external push to understand the mistakes in my preparation process.

Q: Please share your strategy for the CAT Day. What was your last-minute preparation? How did you plan your CAT test taking?
A:Well, I had been preparing for CAT since march 2020. I had developed a thorough strategy which was tried multiple times before and hence was confident. I just tried to relax myself a day prior to the test. I didn’t touch my notes neither took a mock. On the day of exam, I just made sure I stay calm drink lot of water and stay in the moment. I tried not to think of the result. I was in slot 2 and made sure I do not ask anyone on how the slot 1 went and burden myself with expectations. Staying calm on the exam day is the key.

Q: How did you prepare for SPJIMR GD/PI/WAT? Please share some of your GD/WAT topics & PI questions?
A: Since I had enrolled in coaching, I went through series of mock GI. I was shortlisted for marketing specialization. To prepare for that I went through few concepts from koetler. I had already completed a course from coursera for marketing and that helped a lot as well. I had prepared for a set of PI questions well in advance.

Q: In this pandemic situation, was you GD-PI-WAT conducted in person or was conducted Online? How was your experience?
A: My PI-WAT was conducted online. The experience surprisingly was very good in online mode. The team from college was very engaging and the process was smooth. There wasn’t much fatigue since the timelines were followed religiously and hence the experience was amazing.

Q: Your final message and tips for candidates preparing for CAT
A: My message and key tips are:

• Do not quit unless you are very very sure. More often than not, it doesn’t help much.
• We do not study 24 hours a day. If you are able to manage 4-5 hours daily with your job, please stick to that
• Have patience when preparing for VARC. It is not something which is formula based and hence it takes time in changing the methodology being comfortable with it and then reflecting those in results. Come what may, reading is very important. Read anything but make sure you read.
• Be as calm as possible on the day of exam
• Stay away from negativity and believe in yourself.

SPJIMR Mumbai Admission 2023 Opens: Apply Now

Anish R: 99.6 Percentile in CAT 2020

Anish R: Why he Preferred SPJIMR to IIMs, IITs, IISc, MDI, NITIE
Anish R, CAT 2020 topper from Kochi (Kerala), cracked the exam with 99.6 percentile and converted number of top B-schools including SPJIMR Mumbai, IIM Indore, Shillong, IISc, NITIE, MDI, IIT-B,D, Kh. A B.Tech in Computer Science & Engineering, Anish earned 22 months of work experience at Amadeus Software Labs as a Software Engineer while preparing for CAT exam. Read all about his CAT preparation strategy, his strengths and weaknesses, how he overcame them and why he preferred to join SPJIMR Mumbai and declined the admission offers from other top B-schools

Q: Apart from SPJIMR Mumbai, which were the other top B-schools that shortlisted you for final selection round?
A: I was shortlisted by SPJIMR, XLRI Jamshedpur, IIM Lucknow, IIM Indore, MDI Gurgaon, NITIE, SJMSoM IIT Bombay, IIM Shillong, DoMS IISc, DMS IIT Delhi, VGSoM IIT Kharagpur, Baby IIMs, NMIMS Mumbai. I converted calls of SPJIMR, IIM Indore, MDI Gurgaon, NITIE, SJMSoM IIT Bombay, IIM Shillong, DoMS IISc, DMS IIT Delhi, VGSoM IIT Kharagpur

Q: What motivated you to choose SPJIMR over other B-schools? Please share top 3-4 reasons
A: Some of the key reasons are:

• Interest in Product and Program Management made me lean towards a program that is focussed on Information Management
• Placement outcome
• International immersion in the form of Global Fast Track program
• Brand name of the college

Q: How did you perform in CAT 2020?
A: It was my third CAT experience. I cracked CAT 2020 with overall 99.6 percentile. Sectional score was 91.88 percentile in VARC section; 99.95 in DILR Section and 97.88 percentile in Quantitative Ability section.

Q. Apart from CAT, did you appear in any other MBA entrance exam? How did you perform in it?
A: Apart from CAT, I appeared in XAT and scored 99.26%ile.

Q: What have been your academic and family back ground? Do you have some work experience as well?
A: I have done B.Tech. in Computer Science and Engineering from College of Engineering Trivandrum. I belong to Kochi (Kerala). My father is DGM, BPCL-KR; Mother is Homemaker and Brother is SoC Engineer, Intel. I worked for 22 months in Amadeus Software Labs as a Software Engineer before joining SPJIMR Mumbai. My hobbies include Reading Crime Fiction, Watching and playing football, Trying out cuisines. 

Q: What was your overall preparation strategy for CAT?
A: My CAT preparation started in the middle of 2017 when I was in my third year of graduation. I enrolled myself in TIME and focussed on completing all the topics through their study material. I could not spend enough time on mocks that year and I ended up scoring 98.17%ile in CAT 2018. I knew that I had more in me and prepared even more seriously for CAT 2019, this time primarily focussing on mocks. I ended up scoring another measly 98.3%ile, in line with what I had scored the year before. I got a few calls from reputed institutes, however could not convert them as I had not put much effort into interviews. In my third and final attempt, I concentrated only on mocks and finetuned an overall strategyfor the D-day. I took close to 50+ mocks, mainly from AIMCATs, IMS’ SIMCATS and past papers. I took considerable time analysing each one of my mocks and making note of all the new tricks that I study and the concepts that I had missed. This helped me score a 99.6 in CAT 2020, mainly coming from a 99.95 in DILR, thanks to all the mocks that I had taken previously.

Q: Was there any particular section/area that you were weak at? How did you overcome this challenge?
A: If there was ever one section that I was really weak in, it was VARC. My accuracy was always bad in the section and in exams where I was able to do well in terms of accuracy, my number of attempts took a hit. I can’t say that I have still overcome this weakness, however I read a lot during my last attempt and took a lot of sectional exams. This helped me get enough practice that ensured I did not flunk in the section on the day of the exam.

Q: Please share your sectional preparation strategy for CAT? How did you prepare for VARC; DILR; Quant
A: VARC: I was always weak in this section and focussed on getting as many sectionals done as possible and read a lot, especially the editorial section in newspapers which also helped me get an edge during the interviews.

DILR: Mainly focussed on completing TIME’s material and doing questions from previous years papers.

Quant: Quant came naturally to me, and I did not have to spend a lot of time preparing for it. The mocks that I practiced helped in keeping my edge in QA.

Q: What role did Mocks play in your success? How many mocks did you attempt before the exam?
A: Mocks were absolutely crucial in my CAT journey as they helped me find a balance and devise a strategy no matter what kind of paper turned up on the day of the exam. They helped me mentally prepare myself to all sorts of difficulty levels and allowed me to experiment between various strategies and fine tune my exam taking approach. I have attempted more than 50+ full length timed mocks for my last attempt in CAT.

Q: Did you self-prepare or attend a coaching centre and why?
A: My strategy for first and subsequent attempts was:

• I attended TIME’s classroom program for my first attempt.
• I depended just on self-preparation for my last two attempts.
• I did not feel the need to attend classroom programmes as they are more focussed on building conceptual clarity which I believe I already had.
• I felt that mock preparation was more important to bell the coveted CAT exam and deviated my efforts to taking more exams.

Q: Please share your strategy for the CAT Day. What was your last-minute preparation? How did you plan your CAT test taking?
A: VARC: Focussed mainly on RC questions as my accuracy was very bad when it came to the verbal section. This did not work in my favour as the RC questions where highly tricky and confusing and I ended up wasting a lot of time reading the articles before deciding to drop them altogether.

DILR: Coming off a dismal VARC performance, my confidence was low. However I buckled up and focussed on choosing the right set of questions after reading through all the sets. This worked well as I was able to eliminate the sets that I thought were hard and was able to pick the low hanging fruits quickly. In the last 5 mins, I remember being able to solve a question set just by making an educated guess and keying in a few options, eliminating some others. This helped me score a 99.95 in this section, shooting my overall to 99.6%ile.

QA: I went through all the questions in the first few minutes, and picked the easiest ones to start with and then gradually went on to the more difficult ones. This helped me get a balanced score in Quants.

Q: How did you prepare for SPJIMR GD/PI/WAT? Please share some of your GD/WAT topics & PI questions?
A: I joined a mentoring program called 7Lakes Consulting for GD-PI prep and followed news extensively in that period, also forming an opinion on them in the process. I took close to 20 mock interviews with elaborate feedback and this helped me get comfortable with any sort of interview that was thrown at me.

WAT Topics : Importance of CSR to companies.

PI Questions

1. What will you do differently if you were your company’s CEO?
2. Future of airlines
3. What about crime fiction novels do you like so much?
4. Movie that you watched recently and your take on it.
5. Why is your UG SGPA all over the place? Why so inconsistent?
6. How do you think India handled the COVID pandemic?
7. Favourite cartoon character and why?
8. Questions on recommendation algorithms and deep learning.

Q: In this pandemic situation, was you GD-PI-WAT conducted in person or was conducted Online? How was your experience?
A: It was conducted online. I would say the experience was as similar or even better than that of an offline interview process as I did not have to worry about travel and reaching the place on time. Colleges like SPJIMR and SJMSOM conducted the process so smoothly that at one point I even forgot an interview was taking place and felt so at ease.

Q: Your final message and tips for candidates preparing for CAT
A: The message and tips are

1. Don’t put off taking the mocks till the very end. My advice would be to start your preparation by taking a mock and then analysing the areas where you are weak in and concentrating on them rather than trying to hit a something blindfolded.
2. Focus on interviews only after your exams are done and don’t mix them up.
3. Join a mock interview coaching program as they can really help you iron your flaws.
4. Look out for top 10 colleges like MDI, SPJIMR, FMS etc that close their application processes a day before the exam.
5. Don’t put all your hopes on one or two sections, try to strike a balance between all sections. Spend more time on sections that you are weak in.
6. Don’t take mock scores to heart, also don’t get overconfident after a good mock.

SPJIMR Mumbai Admission 2023 Opens: Apply Now

Hrithik Raj Agarwal: 99.5 Percentile in CAT 2020

Hrithik Raj Agarwal: Why he Preferred SPJIMR to IIMs, MDI, SIBM, NMIMS
Hrithik Raj Agarwal, CAT 2020 topper from Panaji (Goa), cracked the exam with 99.5 percentile. Hrithik is a BBA (International Business) from MIT College of Management, Pune and is a fresher. His mother is an alumna of SPJIMR Mumbai. Hrithik converted number of top B-schools including SPJIMR Mumbai, New IIMs, MDI, SIBM, NMIMS but chose SPJIMR as his preferred destination. Read all about his CAT preparation strategy, his strengths and weaknesses, how he overcame them and why he preferred to join SPJIMR Mumbai and declined the admission offers from other top B-schools

Q: Apart from SPJIMR Mumbai, which were the other top B-schools that shortlisted you for final selection round?
A: I was shortlisted by SPJIMR, IIM Ahmedabad, IIM Kozhikode, MDI, NMIMS, SIBM, Baby IIMs, IIFT, MICA.

Q: What motivated you to choose SPJIMR over other B-schools? Please share top 3-4 reasons
A: SPJIMR has one of the most unique pedagogies in the country and has a very different vision in comparison to other top B-schools in the country. They focus more on a person’s soft skills and on the other facets of the personality.

They focus on all-round development with NCL courses like Abhyudaya and ADMAP. Additionally, As someone who has always been interested in Finance, I liked the fact that I can choose what I want to do beforehand and that there would be focussed studies. Being in the financial capital of the country was just a bonus. Lastly, the smaller batch size told me that SPJIMR gives its students much more attention than other B-schools.  

Q: How did you perform in CAT 2020?
A: It was my first CAT experience. I cracked CAT 2020 with overall 99.5 percentile. Sectional score was 96.88 percentile in VARC section; 99.51 in DILR Section and 98.07 percentile in Quantitative Ability section.

Q. Apart from CAT, did you appear in any other MBA entrance exam? How did you perform in it?
A: Apart from CAT, I appeared in SNAP and scored 99.6178 percentile; in NMAT score was 254. Also appeared in IIFT and scored 96.8795 percentile

Q: What have been your academic and family back ground? Do you have some work experience as well?
A: I have done BBA (International Business) from MIT College of Management, Pune. I belong to Panaji (Goa). Both my parents are entrepreneurs by trade, and my mother has done an MBA from SPJIMR, Mumbai itself. I am a fresher. My hobbies are Playing board games, Reading fiction and Watching TV shows

Q: What was your overall preparation strategy for CAT?
A: An honest answer would be that I tried many different strategies that my mentors suggested, but in the end, I realised that they don’t work for me. Most concepts in CAT are all taught in high school and below. There are very few concepts that are above this level. All I needed was some brushing up. I found what works for me is that I used to help my peers in clearing their concepts. This helped me become crystal clear in my own.

Q: Was there any particular section/area that you were weak at? How did you overcome this challenge?
A: As an avid reader, my reading speed was fast from the get-go and in the mocks, I used to finish the hour long VARC section in under 45 minutes. But, the one thing I struggled with is accuracy. In QA and DILR my accuracy was consistently close to a 100% but barely hit 70% in the RC section. To remedy this, I started slowing down and instead of attempting all 34 questions, I targeted attempting 22-23 with an accuracy of 85%. For practice, I did a few RCs but never timed them and made sure not to try and give it in a haste. It took a little work but pretty soon I managed to improve my score in VARC as well.

Q: Please share your sectional preparation strategy for CAT? How did you prepare for VARC; DILR; Quant
A: I always enjoyed solving sets of DILR so that section was never a problem. In the last month or so, I had started doing DILR during my breaks from the other sections. For VARC, I focused on improving my accuracy since my reading speed was pretty good. In QA, most of the concepts were ones that were covered in school, so I made sure to keep my basics clear. I found that explaining concepts to other helped clear my own as they had a different perspective to the problems.

Q: What role did Mocks play in your success? How many mocks did you attempt before the exam?
A: Mocks are definitely an integral part of the process. But I believe that more important than just giving the mocks is sitting and analysing them after. There’s no point in giving 40-50 mocks if you keep repeating the same mistakes. A week before CAT, I went to an office and gave a mock there, all the while keeping my gloves and mask on to simulate the actual experience. I gave a total of 17 mock and 3 past year papers.

Q: Did you self-prepare or attend a coaching centre and why?
A: I registered with IMS for their classroom learning program before the pandemic hit. Once the lockdown started, they were quick to set up an online portal and distribute their students on the basis of their preferred time slots. The classes, although online were very useful and the teachers used to reply at all times of the day and the night.

Q: Please share your strategy for the CAT Day. What was your last-minute preparation? How did you plan your CAT test taking?
A: I had gotten the morning slot for CAT and as a night-owl, using my brain in the morning was not something I was used to. I changed my schedule completely and started sleeping by 10pm and waking up by 6am. The day of the CAT, I had my favourite breakfast and did everything to mentally calm myself. During the paper, I numbered the pages for DILR beforehand. I had planned on doing the VA part first and in QA sticking to the topics I know. In the last 2-3 days before CAT, I attempted the previous years papers.

Q: How did you prepare for SPJIMR GD/PI/WAT? Please share some of your GD/WAT topics & PI questions?
A: As part of the IMS classroom program, I had a couple of mock Group interviews. These helped as they gave me an insight into the type of interviews conducted. Apart from this, what struck me the most was the unique type of interview. Most other colleges had interviews either focused on academics or on current happenings. SPJIMR included that in the first round but kept another round of interviews that were just focused on the values and the morals of a student. It showed that the college has a different and unique perspective when it comes to accepting students. 

My WAT topic was: If given a chance, will you visit mountains or beaches ?

Some of the PI questions which were asked in GI-2(group interview 2) were:

• Who is your favourite superhero and why?
• What is your biggest achievement which is not in your CV?
• What is your biggest failure and learnings from those?

Q: In this pandemic situation, was you GD-PI-WAT conducted in person or was conducted Online? How was your experience?
A: My GD-PI-WAT process was entirely online, and it was one of the, if not the smoothest interview experiences. The students and the teachers had planned the entire process down to a T and had left no stone unturned. Throughout the process, we had our current seniors talking to us and telling us about their experiences both, during the interview and in an MBA.

Q: Your final message and tips for candidates preparing for CAT
A: At the end of the day, its just a test. Don’t stress yourselves over it too much because you’ll end up doing more harm than good. In the last 2-3 days, go watch a movie or play a sport and just relax. Cramming at that time will not help. Just make sure you keep your practice consistent, and focus on all the sections equally.  SPJIMR Mumbai Admission 2023 Opens: Apply Now

Stay tuned to MBAUniverse.com for more updates on SPJIMR Mumbai