Monday, January 16, 2012

Grinded into the dust

Read the preparatory post @ With No Preparation
My Workplace @ WizIQ Learner's Blog


My dreams were smashed to smithereens yesterday when I had logged in to check my CAT 2011 result. I sat for the top notch entrance exam few months back as the first customary step to fulfill my dream of getting into the best B-school in India. Cracking CAT is the first step towards chasing your MBA dream as it paves way into one of the best management institutes of the country, the Indian Institutes of Management or IIM’s. 

Around 1.85 lakh candidates took the test over a 20-day testing window across 36 cities from mid-October out of which nine were successful enough to secure 100 percentile in the Common Admission Test this year. And, here I’m licking the dust all around. I never thought of making it into this year coveted list except in my dreams where I thought God blessing me with HIS supreme powers and getting me an easy access to the IIM’s. Yet the dismal of not being selected vex me. 

licking the dust all around

This post contains the autopsy report that I prepared to know about my weakest links and areas that I needed to improve if I want myself into one of those Mecca of management studies in India. After going through various CAT coaching websites after the initial CAT exam I speculated of getting something around 80-85 percentile but then destiny had some other plans for me and I hardly managed to get somewhat around 70 percentile. A 10 percentile steep fall startled me completely and compelled me to diagnose my footfalls. 

Failures are stepping stone to success

The gravest mistake I happen to commit was not getting enrolled for any mock tests provided by almost every coaching institute. I had my own reservations behind that but at last it’s the end results that matters the most, where unfortunately my technique collapsed. To every CAT aspirants please before the actual test sit for some mock tests that may eventually help you in easing out the pressure and letting you know about your preparedness for the CAT. Mock tests make you learn from your mistakes and ensure that you don’t commit them in future.

Secondly, I scored badly in Data interpretation (DI) where the certainty of having more than one close answer dilapidated me completely. For solving questions on DI accurately one must fully get himself versed with all sorts of graphs, schemes, plans, etc. Nothing else other than practice can save your sinking boat . The busy schedule of engineering tolled with major project in the last semester proved a big hindrance to my path towards achieving mastery at DI. But excuses are the nails used to build a house of failure. Consistent practice increases the accuracy and speed needed to improve this section that comes through lot of practice papers. 

Excuses are the nails used to build a house of failure

Thirdly, the Quantitative section though junior classes based still needs a thorough understanding of mathematical formulas.  Lack of practice made it harder for me to recall the important formulas when I needed them the most. Adding to the mayhem were the close options the question paper contains where judging the answer closely won’t matter until you bang on the target. I never understood how the psychometric analysis works while differentiating a closed option from the correct one. In any case it’s always better to go for the right option than for a closed one. I guess that in my case the majority answers clicked were closed but not correct. 

even an ant works hard to get her food

Lastly, passion is great for cracking the CAT yet a strong dedication and commitment which comes from regular and discipline study are vital  prerequisite for good score. One must study for around 2 hours a day continuously to get ones foot set before the D-day. I know it' gets really hard for working professionals to dugout time from there busy schedule but then I cannot have everything served to me directly in my mouth; even an ant works hard to get her food.  You take out time, study daily, prepare well and make it to IIM’s.

Isn’t that simple? 

I won’t get disillusioned by this year debacle of mine at CAT as they say, Success is how high you bounce when you hit the bottom.” Will surely learn from my past mistakes and try to put afar the dark clouds looming over me.

Success is how high you bounce when you hit the bottom

31 comments:

  1. Good Luck Rachit...

    I think it is first important to realize why you want to do an MBA..and if it is knowledge, money or career you are looking forward to...or is it something more than that...Passion is what one needs to fulfill the dreams...and so..may be you have to find out why is it you are passionate about CAT and MBA.. :-)

    Once you have a strong reason and motivation, technical glitches can be overcome by your dedication and hard work..

    Best Wishes again..

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  2. Well you will not beleive , I took this test too I was forced I took a DICE with me an whatever it rolled I used that as an answer to the multiple answers ...

    I guess hard work always pays, not sure about these coaching classes etc etc..

    and dont let this put you down, Take care and Work harder thats the way to go ahead with .. All the best always
    Bikram's

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  3. Really sorry to hear this, But don't let this bog you down. You have been brave enough to blog about it, so am sure you will dust it off and start afresh. Best wishes and lots of luck to you!

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  4. All the best for the next time.


    Cheers,
    Blasphemous Aesthete

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  5. No worries and all the best for the next time...

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  6. Somsi: Welcome to Weakest Link and thanks for such lovely words :)

    Kunal: that's passion for integrity. Have been living in IIML since past 17 years as a resident and now wanna change the tag of resident to a student. Thanks for such nice words :)

    Bikramjit: I read your blogadda post... that will certainly fetch you an award.. :) and yeah.. hardwork & dedication paves off :)

    Neha: Thanks for showing faith in me :)

    BA: how are you ? and thanks :)

    Saru: umm... worries I don't take :D

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  7. I scored 80%ile in first attempt and 95.4%ile in next one....i realized my mistakes and figured out my weak area and formulated strategies of attempting exam and tried them out in mocks untill i figured an optimized one which i used in CAT, so if u r taking CAT again..figure out ur weak areas, try to make them strong ...or make ur strong points strong enough to cover weaker ones and which can make you sail through..nd yes mocks are must :)...if u need any info can talk to me nytime :)

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  8. Rachit..I feel bad to read that you were unable to crack CAT this time. I am sure that next time you will crack it with a great percentage. Good luck.

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  9. You know where you went wrong, so next time will be better :) Don't lose hope! You'll crack it :)
    Good luck!

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  10. very inspiring ... and that is how we should pnder over our mistakes / failures, learn from them and do better next time - not just for CAT but at every step of our life ... all the best Rachit.

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  11. Monica : Thats great... so please guide me how to improve my quantz & data interpretation?

    Rachna: Thanks :)

    Juhi: Hi, hru? and yeah may the winds make way for me next time :)

    CDreamz: thanks for such lovely words :)

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    1. for DI try to solve every kind of puzzle or set...the more u solve , better it would be...coz in DI..sometimes concepts are combined to forma new set..so do as many as u can..

      for quant...buddy its nothing but practice..it was my strongest section from starting..remember formula ad type of ques..leave the topic (1 or atmost2) which u find most difficult..focus on others in which u r gud in quant...and practice them

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    2. Dont give up...I am sure you will score better in your next attempt...

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    3. Juhi: I'm good too.. in a new environment nowadays.. I'm employed :)

      Monica Dhiman: thanks .. DI made it really hard for me.. any specific book you recommend ??

      Alka: Thanks for those lovely words :)

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  12. Hey Rachit - Never let you dreams die.
    better luck than next time though this is very inspiring for me.

    love x

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    Replies
    1. Yeah... That's exactly my mantra for success !

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  13. You need not worry. You will succeed and succeed in style.

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  14. Absolutely, hardwork, dedication and committment are very much required for any kind of big success. But once a failure is not a failure forever, like you said - "Failures are the stepping stone for success". And i am sure you ll succeed someday with all flying colors and your efforts will have best fruits for you to reap. Best of Luck!

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    Replies
    1. thanks for such lovely words :) & Welcome to Weakest Link:)

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  15. Great advice and nice quotes as well, especially "Excuses are the nails used to build a house of failure"

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    Replies
    1. Welcome to Weakest LINK.. keep coming back.. :)
      & thanks for such lovely soothing words :)

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  16. Don’t worry! You don’t need to go after the rat race..
    They sau best MBA colleges in the world only make you a rick man’s client ;)

    Nice quotes!

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  17. Nice Post or ..Nice Self Analysis (candid and open).
    I am quite sure with such clarity and micro analysis (of your performance) you will certainly make it in the next time. Good wishes in advance. Work Hard.
    Otherwise aur bhi duniya hai MBA ke siva..
    Mohan chnadra paragien

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    Replies
    1. Welcome to WL.. and thanks for such inspirational words :) Keep coming back !

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  18. Replies
    1. Welcome to WL... and thanks for such lovely words :)

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  19. Loved the success caption...Inspired upto her brains :D

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