Now I am 2nd year B.com. I have scored aggregate 85% in 1st year. My aim is to do IIM. So how can I prepare for CAT exams.
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The other answer of the question talks about preparation, however I deem it better to know the eligibility over the preparation so that you know your chances.
About your scores...
What about your 10th percentage? 12th? Hopefully, it is 85%+. For first year, your score is fine. But make sure it's maintained all through your graduation.
If you lack scores in any of these three, better you try for some other school and forget IIM.
Why?
Because to an IIM, it's not CAT results that matter more. It's your aggregate maintained throughout your student life in other institutions that is going to be the main highlight in your application.
Prestigious B-schools like these have tough screening process and you'll only have slight chance of admission if and if only you have maintained 85%+ in your 10th, 12th and graduation. If you lack such scores in your marksheet, then it's better you say goodbye to this dream. Moreover, are you sure you can make 99+ percentile in CAT? That's risky.
CAT is an exam that is taken by people from diverse fields so CAT doesn't matter as much as it is believed to be, it's just only one of the eligibility criteria.
IIM wants 'disciplined, determined and dedicated students who have good –not necessarily best– maintained grades all through their lives', because it wants to ensure that those who get admission will maintain the same in the institution and not drop its name in the rankings.
It's like a security, of some sorts. Which works great for IIM.
In IIM, the average of total number of students in a class is 20, and applicants who aspire to get into IIM are always over lakhs ever year. As you can see, there's a huge screening process which only top students manage to go through and secure seats.
I'm not saying this to discourage you; it's what that's true so better you know the fact that anything is better than wasting money on coaching centres to get into IIM (especially if you're not up to their standards), but instead also try for other good B- schools like Symbiosis where you might stand more chances of getting admission. IIM isn't the only way of attaining a bright future; at the end of the day, it's your skills that gets you where you are.
Even if you are that, rare and special gem because you have something great in your portfolio, it would only be visible to the moderators if you are eligible enough.
Last but not the least, not getting admission in IIM is not the end of the world.
Try, but don't have high hopes over admission and don't forget to apply for other management institutions. The key to success is not the institution itself, but your own hard work and dedication.
All the best.
Joining coaching Institute like TIME, Careerlauncher, IMS is recommended.
For Quants and Data Interpretation you should refer to Nishit Sinha book.You can akso take Up TIME coaching material. For Verbal ability and Logical Reasoning, Book by Arun sharma Mcgraw hill Publication is considered best. Word oower made easy is wonderful book by Normal lewis for Verbal ability and is recommended. For paper pattern check below. https://www.google.co.in/amp/s/bschool.careers360.com/articles/cat-exam-pattern%3famp For Preparation tips from toppers check below. https://bschool.careers360.com/tags/preparation-tips All the best Ahead.
First of all you need to know how strong your basics are as you might have had gap in between the studies of Mathematics ,English and Grammar so I would suggest you to solve few past CAT papers just to know where you stand .By the end of this practice you will know your strong and weak zones.
Read the newspaper editorial daily. Read the subject you are not really comfortable with. You can refer Hindu editorial as a reference for study.
You also have 2 options at present,
Graduation and the MBA immediately or
Graduation, job and then MBA
Later you can even start with topic wise preparation obviously a good study plan has to be made and followed.
Now that you have time, 1-2 hours daily will be enough for it in the start and with time the hours will increase.
Also not only aim at CAT, plan to give other management exams as well.
Hope this helps.
Good luck.
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