7 months to the C-day

Full disclosure: The writer appeared for CAT and other aptitude tests for the first time in 2016. He secured more than 99%ile in his first attempt in 4 of India’s most popular aptitude examinations(CAT,SNAP,IIFT and NMAT). This blog is about the lessons learned in his 9 months journey to B-school.

It’s high time. Time to decide how serious you are about your MBA. You might have heard stories about the need tremendous amount of effort, time and labour for CAT and others . STRIKE THAT LINE.It doesn’t. All you need is commitment. This post will deal with things that will help you decide about whether to go for CAT or not.

1. Work Ex or Work X: Do i need to quit my job for CAT? What effect it will have on the final selection? These questions come to the mind of all working professional at some time or other. I wish there were a simple answer. But sadly, it’s more convoluted than even the X-men universe timeline.
   Think about these two.
   1. “This job is frustrating, I can’t spend my whole life doing this. I need more money and less work. MBA’s the answer.” If this narrative seems familiar, take your time. You are not ready for a decision yet. After all said and done, life in B-school and the next chapters will be 10 times tougher than your current job.
   2.  “This job is frustrating, I can’t spend my whole life doing this. I need something different. and.. Since I am good at managerial things and I can work smarter, MBA’s the answer.” If this is you, read ahead. BTW, I am back with two more questions. First you have to decide, where do you stand in terms of grasp on the subject material? If you are comfortable with it and just need more practice, I think a routine job won’t have much effect. All you need is making 3 hours in a day. On the other hand, if you don’t have a firm grasp on the basics and you are serious about the MBA, quit your job. Trust me on this, all you will have to prepare is a decent answer during your interview showing your commitment to studies. 7 months is the ideal time to drop your papers. Start now and you will be doing a favour to your future self.
2. To job or not to: You have a job in your hand and 7 months to CAT. You are dying to do an MBA. But people say if you don’t have work-ex, it will be difficult to get into top B-schools. Seems familiar? Read on. The current scenario of B-schools has a 3:7 ratio for non-work ex and work ex students. But 2017 calls have shown a distinct inclination towards more work-ex oriented culture. Considering the tilt of Indian B-schools towards western ones, it’s not all that surprising. Also, how can you expect yourself to be a better manager if you weren’t a subordinate ever. The bottom line is, don’t go for a job if you want to go into a B-school. Go for a job if you want to be a better manager after your B-school.Let me tell you two facts.
   1. You can get into a top notch B-school without work ex.
   2. Having work ex will make you a better student in these schools.

That’s it for today guys, next blog post will try to find a routine for your preparation. In the meanwhile, decide what you want with your life. If MBA is the way forward, check back the same space in a couple of days. Adios.

Follow the blogger on twitter: @Pranay_sUman

Send your queries related to CAT,XAT,IIFT,NMAT or SNAP. I will be happy to help. And since you are here. spread the word about the blog and subscribe.

PS: The THOR:Ragnarok trailer looks great.