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Last Mile to CAT: Synopsis of the Session.
Hello Students,
As was promised to all of you, we have hereby provided a summary of the session which was
conducted on 15
th
August, 2014. The purpose of this summary is to get you acquainted to all the
points of the discussion in the session, in case of your absence from the session.
As the CAT dates are fast approaching and we all are in the final lap of the preparation, we had
conducted the aforementioned workshop for the benefit of all IMS Students. The Session was
conducted in the following chronology:
a. Session 1: CAT 2014 Demystified.
b. Session 2: Think like a CEO, General CAT taking strategies.
c. Session 3: 100 Day Plan for CAT prep.
d. Session 4: Finding the Right Business School, Application Strategy.

Session 1: CAT 2014 Demystified.
The following points were discussed in detail at the first session:
CAT has changed.
The number of Test Cities has increased from 45 to 99 cities.
CAT application process is completely online now, eliminating the voucher buying process
from Axis Bank.
Common Admission Test will now be conducted on 16
th
November, 2014 and 22
nd

November, 2014 in two slots on each day.
CAT results will now be declared by the third week of December, 2014.
CAT Interface has changed.
The CAT will now not have a tutorial, the CAT tutorial will be available some days before the
CAT on the website www.iimcat.ac.in
CAT 2014 is expected to have 170 minutes as the test duration.
CAT will now have 50 questions each in two sections.
CAT is likely to have negative marking.
Sectional Cut offs and overall Cut Offs will matter.
No sectional time limits, students can see the whole test at one go.
CAT has changed; hence the students are expected to do the following:
Look at the tutorial before going to take the CAT.
Take all the SimCATs, thus getting great practice and maximum benefit.
Read all instructions carefully on the website www.iimcat.ac.in


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Session 2: Think like a CEO, General CAT taking strategies.
A student needs to think in the following way:
1. CEO who looks at the bigger picture, plans & strategizes
2. Section Manager who creates the sectional plan in alignment with the bigger picture
3. Executive who accurately solves individual questions
As a CEO a student is expected to set the target on the following:
Setting the target on B Schools, after studying the percentile cut off. (visit the respective
websites)
Choosing Business Schools beyond the IIMs.
Setting a Percentile Target and accordingly number of questions required to be attempted
overall and section wise.
Setting the Order of solving, by target allocation to subjects and topics in alignment.
Basically a student should have a plan for overall achievement , with an own strategy which
has been tried and tested on SimCATs several times, with improvements on both strengths
and weaknesses.
After the CEOs role, a student then needs to don the role of a Section Manager:
A Section manager shall strategize on individual sections.
Tentative attempt accuracy Section-Area-Topic wise idea.
Order of Solving to be decided, again after having tried and successfully managed to increase
score in continuous SimCATs.
Management of Resources; time management which is optimization of the most important
resource in CAT.
After the role of a Section Manager, a student needs to execute like a worker, the Overall and
Section Strategy devised for CAT:
Read carefully and with full concentration and visualize the path to the answer.
Execute the solution: accurately and mark the correct answer.
Do not keep trying, if you cannot solve, it is best to leave the question then waste more
time.
Think of the overall goals, the B School Targets, the percentile targets and the section
targets.

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With this approach, particularly when tested on a regular and dedicated basis in the SimCAT test
series, one can achieve the desired targets and hence the desired Business School.
Session 3: 100 Day Plan for CAT prep.
Plan to Achieve:
Take a SimCAT every week (Proctored or Otherwise)
Analyse your Performance using the PER.
Identify Areas of Improvement.
Prioritize and Work on Select Areas.
Then take the next SimCAT.
A Student can identify after analyzing the SimCAT the following:
1. Knowledge Gap.
2. Efficiency Gap.
Bridging the Knowledge Gap:
List all areas requiring improvement
Rate their impact on the score & on the effort required to improve
Prioritise
Spend 2 3 hrs every day and work on 2 to 3 critical areas
Bridging the Efficiency Gap:
While taking ANY test
As a CEO
Keep an eye on the bigger picture
Be prepared to tackle surprises
As a Section Manager
A-B-C analysis
Avoid Geometry First or One Liner First Syndrome




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As a Worker
Carefully read, define and solve the problem on hand
Avoid stubborn approach to finish off the problem, even if you are not
reaching an end solution
General Tips for the next 100 days:
Be positive
Build mental stamina
Practice concentrating for 3 hours at a stretch
Dont overdo it studying 8 hours at a stretch is a no-no!
Avoid undue pressure
Just dont give up while taking the CAT

Session 4: Finding the Right Business School, Application Strategy
Short list Business Schools which you aspire to go to based on the ranking on the IMS website.
Primary Objective: Minimum 1 Call
Parameters for Shortlisting
Your reasons for doing an MBA
Profile-Aspiration Matching
Score Matching
A Student should not apply to more than 8-10 Business Schools other than the IIMs
A Student should refer to the following tables for percentiles.
The following are the expected percentiles:
Expected Percentile Institutes accepting CAT
98+ FMS, NITIE, IIT - Mumbai
95+ S.P.Jain Mumbai, IIT - Delhi, IIT - Kharagpur, MDI Gurgaon,
90+
IIT - Kanpur, Madras, Roorkee, MICA Ahmedabad, MBE Delhi, MFC Delhi,
MHROD Delhi, MIB Delhi, IMT - Ghaziabad, Great Lakes -Chennai,

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85+
NIT Trichy, TAPMI Manipal, FORE Delhi, KJ Somaiya Mumbai, LBSIM Delhi,
BIM Trichy
80+
Praxis Kolkata, Welingkar Mumbai, IFMR Chennai, IIFM Bhopal, IISWBM
Kolkata, UBS Chandigarh, IMDR Pune
75+
NIT Durgapur, Christ College Blore, Alliance Academy Blore ,Gitam Vizag,
ICFAI Hyderabad, IMT Nagpur, XIME Bangalore

For various Business Schools and Various Tests the following are the percentiles
SimCAT
Score range
Target
B-Schools
CAT XAT CET Others
%ile : 90+
Crme de
la crme
IIM A IIM B IIM C
IIM L IIM I IIM K
FMS
XLRI JBIMS
ISB
(GMAT),
IIFT
%ile : 80+ A++
Rest of IIMs
SPJIMR NITIE
MDI, MICA
IIT - Del,Bom,Kh
BIM, XIM,
(SPJIMR)
SCMHRD
SIBM,
NMIMS,
TISS, IRMA,
%ile : 70+ A+
Rest of IITs,
IMT, TAPMI, IIFM
IMI, NIRMA, Praxis
MBE, MFC, MICA, UBS
(Praxis)
SIMSREE,
GIM,
Welingkar,
K.J.Somaiya
ICFAI,
SCIT, SIMS,
%ile : 60+ A Refer CAT Brochure

How to get to the above institutes:
Decide which B-Schools to apply to
Take the Relevant Tests
Clear the GD-PI-WAT
Get the Final ADMIT



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In Short, follow the following:
Shortlist B-schools very carefully, so that
The school meets your aspiration and profile
The school meets your objectives for doing an MBA
At least 1 call is assured
Action Points
Post SimCAT 9: Final Shortlist
Discuss your shortlisted B-schools with your counsellor/CM
Some Niche Courses:
HR Media & Comm Systems Foreign Trade/Intl
Business
Agri/Rural
XLRI, TISS,
IIM- Ranchi,
MDI Gurgaon
MICA, SIMC-Pune,
KJ Somaiya
IIM C , SP
Jain
IIFT, MDI Gurgaon, SIIB
Pune, KJ Somaiya
IIM A, IIM L - ABM,
IRMA, IIFM, Manage -
Hyderabad

Some Important Dates to Note:
Test Test Date Application
Deadline
Business Schools
under Test
Application
Deadline for
B - Schools
Application
Finalized
CAT
16
th
& 22
nd

Nov
30
th
Sep IIMs Same as CAT 30
th
Sep

IITs 15
th
Jan After Results

FMS 10
th
15
th
Dec After CAT

MDI 20
th
Dec After CAT

SP Jain
15
th
Sep 20
th

Sep
1
st
Sep

NITIE 15
th
Dec After CAT

MICA 15
th
Jan on After Results
XAT
16
th
& 22
nd

Nov
30
th
Sep XLRI 20
th
Dec Same as XAT

XIMB 20
th
Dec
After CAT
results


GIM 31
st
Dec
After CAT
results


SP Jain
15
th
Sep 20
th

Sep
1
st
Sep

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Also visit the IMS website on a regular basis, read IMS mails and check text messages for Business
School Application deadlines.



Regards
Pratik Gour
Product Manager - MBA India
pratik.gour@imsindia.com
T: 022-66170000 Ext. 407
www.imsindia.com





NMAT
Oct-Dec 4
th
October NMIMS, 3 Campus 15
th

September
15
th

September
SNAP
Dec 10
th
Oct- 15
th

Oct
SIBM 20
th
-25
th
Nov 5
th
Nov
MHCET
March 15
th
Feb
15
th
Mar
JBIMS, KJ Somaya,
SIMSREE, SIES,
Wellingkar
Same as CET After XAT
TISS
15
th
-25
th
Dec 15
th
Nov TISS Same as test 1
st
Week of
Nov