All I wanted to speak about CAT
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RUN UP TO MY FIRST CAT ATTEMPT:
I had hardly heard about CAT till I reached my 2nd yr of Engg(2004). Then I heard about it from few seniors and few batch mates. Tried to get some info about it.
June 2004 :
I feel like I can try it. After all, I have cracked IIT-JEE couple of yrs back, so Quant and DI shouldn't be a problem at all (heard that it's 10th class level ).
I just have to work on my VA and things are going to be alright.
Some of my batch mates have joined a coaching. I don't need to worry, still a long long way to go for CAT 05. No point in studying for CAT 1.5 yrs.
I'll get bored by the time CAT 05 comes. So, Just Chill !!
Also, the most important semester of the B.Tech (5th sem) is coming up. Probably, I should concentrate on that.
December 2004:
The dreaded, toughest 5th Semester's gone. I spent it playing Computer Games and Cricket. I am afraid of getting worst grades till now.
Forget it. Doesn't matter. Anyway I am going for an MBA ;-)
I should join a CAT coaching now.
January 2005:
As expected, got the worst grades of B.Tech till date.
Coaching is going on smoothly except for VA. I do not understand why my answers hardly match with the answer keys for any damn VA exercise.
Nor do I understand the reasoning behind the answers as explained by the teacher. Let's wait and watch what's being taught at the coaching.
April 2005 :
It's end semester time. So coachings have called off all the classes. From July, no classes, only Mock Tests for CAT 05 !!
I am in an awkward position. I am still not comfortable with VA. Haven't got any summer internship ! Need to work hard for End semester exam !!
I still think, there is lot of time on my hand. I can still work hard and bell the CAT.
May 2005 :
End sems gone. Did decently this time :-) . Also got the internship ( somehow ). But boss, placements start in July.
After the hardwork in office ( I had to work hard during the 6 weeks of the internship ), what should I do ? Prepare for placements or for CAT.
CAT is still far away, if I get a decent job then
I can study for CAT without any pressure :-) .
Better work on aptitude, C and C++, some digital electronics and Micro Proc's.
July 2005:
Yes! I have cracked big time. Got a job with a reputed company. But probably the package is not enough
.
I should try for a few more days and see if I can bag another offer which is bigger and better.
Mock CATs started. But how would I do well if I am not concentrating on CAT.
August 2005:
Wow ! Now I am happy. I got a bigger, better offer :-) This is a big success. Let me celebrate.
September 2005:
Oh my god ! I am left with only a couple of months. I am still unable to clear VA cut-offs, but absolutely no issues with QA and DI.
I am looking for help from everyone... seniors, coaching faculty.
November 2005 :
Finally, CAT is staring at me. I am still not confident of VA.
I'll give my best.
January 2006:
QA :98.xx
DI: 98.xx
VA:92.xx
( Attempted too many questions, poor accuracy took its toll )
OA : Don't remember
Verdict : No IIM Calls. No other calls either ( Why ?? Not applied anywhere else. IIM hi jaana hai yaar. Kisi aur college jaane se acha to naukri hi kar leta hoon !! - that's what I felt)
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Did not take CAT 06. Was disappointed with the result and thought of working on VA in the long term. Some one told that VA can't be improved is short term.
Being low on confidence, I accepted.
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RUN UP TO MY SECOND CAT ATTEMPT(CAT 07):
August 2007:
I have been too busy with my office work. No time to study for CAT.
No problems, I just need to brush up the basics. Hopefully my VA would have improved
I haven't even joined any test series. What's the point in joining the test series without preparing?
October 2007:
Man, I got the onsite opportunity. I have been waiting for this for more than a year now. I am planning to carry the CAT study material with me. I'll study there.
Any way it's a short assignment, I'll come back before CAT.
November 2007:
I am back for CAT but the workload was too much there. Couldn't study at all.
Ab to bhagwaan bharose hai sab !
January 2008:
I am not in India.
CAT results declared.
I have barely managed to score positive number of marks in Verbal ( some positive fraction). Other sections do not matter.
I am ashamed of myself. My room mates who were taking CAT for the first time, have done much much better than me.
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RUN UP TO MY THIRD CAT ATTEMPT(CAT 0
:
April 2008:
I am back from the onsite stint. Got a promotion and a nice salary hike. Enjoyed a lot.
Earned good money. Bought a nice digital camera. But still, something hurts really badly; the CAT 07 debacle.
I have decided. This will be the year of a great comeback or retirement.
May 2008:
Incidentally, I came to know, one of my school-mates has joined a class room course for CAT.I think I should also join. At least I'll be studying regularly. Joined.
June 2008:
Started with basic exercises in QA,DI.
Now I am familiar with some of the students in coaching.
July 2008 :
I am learning a lot through discussions with fellow students in the coaching as well as the teachers.Mainly outside the class :-)
We discuss the problems from exercises and Mocks.We also discuss the strategies.
August 2008:
I have been pretty consistent with QA and DI (Never went below 90%ile in the mocks). But hardly cleared VA cut off twice. Need to buck up.
But yes... over the period of last 3 months I have improved on vocab and I am not missing the cutoffs by too big margins :-)
September 2008:
Fellow coaching mates are doing pretty well. Especially one Bong and the other guy from Kanpur. These guys really inspire me and put pressure on me to work harder and think smarter. I have improved my accuracy in QA and DI. Now I am always above 95%ile. VA cut-offs still doubtful.
October 2008:
Few weeks to go.
Although VA is still doubtful, I have managed to clear the cut-offs most of the times. And I am sure if it's my day, I'll ROCK. That's what I told Mr. Saha.
The biggest weakness in VA has been identified. I am going to stay away from the grammar section. I need to revise and practise as much as possible. I should get the mocks from some other coaching as well.
Net practice is not enough. I need good match practice. I have to hit the purple patch now !
November 2008 :
The D-day. I am pretty relaxed. The couple of days leave from office last week, has helped me stay focussed. Got "Best of Luck" calls from number of friends. On the CAT centre, I met Ravish bhaiya. It was highly positive discussion with him. Can't imagine how much a couple of jokes can help to forget all the tensions.Best part being, his offer to take a piece of a huge CRACKLE chocolate, just before the paper and I accepted it happily(waise bhi Chocolate ko koi manaa karta hai kya :-D).
The paper was a surprise as usual. Higher fraction of VA questions. Looks like I am in trouble!! Let me start with strongest section. QA is going pretty well.Although wasted some time in a couple of tough ones, but am satisfied with 10-12 attempts in 50 minutes. VA section looks big, but I just have to clear the cut-off. Looks like I have a lot of choice this time around. Big variety of questions, I can easily leave those from my weaker areas and still manage to attempt a decent number of questions. I have spent around 55 minutes to attempt around 20 Qs.Might be on the lesser side but have the least time left for DI which is unexplored. (HUGE RISK actually, but was very conscious of clearing the VA cut-off). Well, finally I have managed to attempt 11 in DI. Don't know about the accuracy though. Isn't really a very happy feeling coming out of the exam hall. Probably could have managed the time better. Now, I feel not only VA but also DI is doubtful.
After coming out, figured out that most of my friends have attempted more than 30 Qs in VA. What the heck !! I gave almost 1 hr to VA and attempted only 19 Qs !!
Within 2-3 days all the solutions were out. QA is clear pakka. DI: should be clear. VA: Scores fluctuating over a range of 15 marks(35-50).
January 2008 :
Eagerly waiting for the results. Came to know about the results one day before (Courtesy : Vinay Poojary, my friend).
99.43 %ile OA. With least being DI 92.74 %ile (was a close shave: one more wrong Qs could have caused a whole lot of trouble).
And the biggest surprise, a whopping 66 (98.xx %ile) in VA.
Anyways, got calls from L and K. Converted both. Going to L.
Something that I learnt :
1) Being systematic helps
2) Identifying weaknesses as early as possible helps.
3) Being in the proximity of strong competitors helps ( if taken positively).
People I want to thank :
My family,
All the friends including:
Amol Agrawal( For discussing every Mock in detail on phone even if it meant a big hole in the pocket and giving moral support),
Vinay Poojary( Encouraging and helping me throughout, mostly over Gtalk :-) )
Ankur Rakshit, Himanshu Nigam, Shankar, Koushik Pal ( The coaching was lot more enjoyable because of you guys + all the help and awesome discussions over cutting chaay)
Sukrut Kharia ( Answers to all the questions and doubts + encouragement, especially "Amod bhai, China -wina ghoomna band karo. Is saal to kuch acha kar dikhao", after the CAT 07 debacle ).
Gautam Saha ( Always encouraging and checking status of my preparation just by asking a simple question "Kaisi chal rahi hai padhayi?", huge number number of times :-D )
Nishant Shekhar ( Mocks share karne ke liye)
Finally, all the teachers of my coaching. Especially
Prem Sir (More of a friend and a mentor than just a teacher) and
Chandraveer Sir.
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