Calling all B-School aspirants. Want to know how important a micro presentaion is? What technical questions can you expect at your interview? How important is GMAT?
Get Ahead readers found answers to these and other queries, thanks to CAT trainers ARKS Srinivas and Rahul Reddy, of T.I.M.E., a training institute for B-School aspirants, who chatted with them on December 3.
ARKS Srinivas is the director of T.I.M.E, Mumbai, and an alumnus of IIM-Calcutta. He has an engineering degree in Electronics and Communication from Osmania University and has worked with Maruti Udyog Limited in Gurgaon, Delhi and Kolkata before joining T.I.M.E., Hyderabad, as director of the CAT course. He has been training students for eight years.
Rahul Reddy is an alumnus of IIM-Calcutta. After working with Hindustan Lever and Merck Electronics, he set up T.I.M.E.'s Kolkata branch.
For those of you who missed the chat, here is the second part of the transcript:
Part I: Taking on the GD and more
Part III: Hot tips for MBA Discussions, Interviews
gf : I have made 2 attempts 4 cat while working shud i continue my attempts.
A R K S Srinivas : You should take such decisions depending on your priorities. It cannot be on the number of attempts. There are people who made it in their fourth attempt!
VT : Hi,WHAT IS THE CUTOFF OF IIM A, B C & L respectively. Pl. Reply.
Rahul Reddy : Let's wait for the score cards to come. It should happen within 2-3 days.
A : I did badly in CAT and am hoping to do well in XAT. Will my bad CAT score impact S.P.Jain admissions
A R K S Srinivas : If XAT goes well, CAT won't matter.
rajesh : arks i cleared all 6 iims what is the probability of converting calls
A R K S Srinivas : Hi Rajesh, unless you seriously commit some mistakes in all six interviews, you should, for all practical purposes, be in the IIMs. ALL THE BEST!
didntgetthru : Sir, despite a good overall score of 53 (QA-11.33, VA-34.33, DI-7.67)I missed out because of a 7.67 in DI. Cutoffs must have been as high as 9-10 in DI. Do you think I stand any chance in MDI and NITIE now ?
Rahul Reddy : Let's see the scorecards before we decide cutoffs. MDI and NITIE are expected to have slightly lower cutoffs, so you have a fighting chance.
RamyaMenon : Am a CA and ICWA and have 4 years of work experience with HLL as Commercial Manager. I had given CAT and have calls from L, I and K. Do you think I should join any of these? Will I get a job matching my profile after 2 years.. Am wondering whether its worth the opportunity cost..
Rahul Reddy : I need more information before I can advise you. I suggest you discuss this in person with an expert in your city. Meanwhile, take it as a challenge and convert the calls.
jhon : sir, i'm gettin 32-34 what chance do i have in LBS/somiaya/wellinkar/kirlosker
Rahul Reddy : A good chance for LBS and a sure shot for Wellingkar and Kirloskar.
maulik : sir, i m clearing the cut offs( as per TIME)..getting the score of 41 and no calls..what are my chances for nitie and SP jain
Rahul Reddy : 41 may be a couple of marks short. Good chance for NITIE (if QA is good). SP Jain depends on your profile and work experience.
rajan : PARAS says, tips for ICFAI interview IS THAT BE BLUNT THERE AND DONT UTTER A SINGLE WORD
Rahul Reddy : At ICFAI, the micro presentaion is very important. The interview is normal. Be prepared to demand the centre you want though, politely but firmly.
Shantanu : sir, my preparation for this cat was quite a gud enough. i was scoring around 70 in mock cats while clearing all the sectional cutoffs. but i m not able to bell the cat & have a score of 42. i m a bit depressed bcoz all my efforts has gone in vain. this was my second attempt. plz help me out that how should i prepare myself 4 the coming exams as XAT & FMS are approaching.
Rahul Reddy : Hi Shantanu, don't be depressed. You have done well but fallen short by a couple of marks. A good chance in MDI etc. if you have applied. For XAT FMS, nothing much you can do in the last days. Revise vocab thoroughly.
madhukar : hi, why is iim a not declaring its pgp-abm results?
Rahul Reddy : They will be coming very soon.
sidhu : i have got calls from ACLIK. BE, got 2 yrs wrk ex. can i expect technical questons in interview. please suggest some recommended topics for reading(gk & current).
A R K S Srinivas : Yes, very much so. But at the same time, you are expected to know more about your work-ex. Your fundas in your graduation are important. Read newspapers daily. Also read Frontline, India Today and such other magazines.
jhon : sir, are wellinkar/kirlosker good colleges , i want to do MBA(IT) is it good field to do MBA in ...
A R K S Srinivas : YES, very much so.
hitender : Hi,I am confused regarding CAT 2006 & GMAT. Regardless of fee, which one has more potential. I am a software engineer with one year experience.
A R K S Srinivas : Hi Hitender, you will still require about 2 to 3 years experience to ensure that your GMAT will be helpful to get you into a good US B School. Otherwise, at your experience level, CAT is better.
princeparas : Is true that NMIMS give preference to Gujarati domicile for calls and selection ?
A R K S Srinivas : Yes.
sree : Sir with 32-35 marks in CAT what could be the %le,and which colleges can give a call.in JMET with 54 marks which IIT's can i hopefully apply to atleast get a call for GD
A R K S Srinivas : It could range from 90 to 95 percentile. 54 in JMET may get you IIT Madras/Roorkee and Kanpur.
anujagulati : Dear Sir,I am expexting a score of 44.66-47 in CAT as per different keys (VA=19.33, Qaunt=18.33, DI=7.33)but haven't got any calls.What are my chances for MDI and SPJAIN? I have an excellent academic and extra curricular background and 6 months workex. Also, do we have to give both the CAT and XAT registration nos. in SPJAIN application? Can I now apply to NITIE?.Waiting for your reply
A R K S Srinivas : Hi Anuja, it is sad that, because of DI, you may not have IIM calls. For MDI, it depends on what cutoff they take. You could be very close.
IgotBLACK : As a hobby can i tell "Hindu Mythology" ?
A R K S Srinivas : If you are very SURE, then yes. But the interviewers would be very good at that too, so remember that.
sukrut : Sir I have rerceived a call from IIM L . how does it stand in comparison to other IIM s ?
A R K S Srinivas : It is as good as any other institute.
princeparas : Sir i bought your TRISHNA GDPI BOOK , is it enough for preparation if one wants to prepare by himself ?
A R K S Srinivas : NO, you would need live practice.
reenamoni : i am an M.Sc. in physics.can i appear in cat
Rahul Reddy : Definitely.
VK : Hi ..how good do u think are colleges like XIMB and GIM under XAT ??
Rahul Reddy : XIM B is very good. GIM is also pretty good.
anu : hello,sir i am in 2nd year of engg.from when should i start preparing for cat exam.its it tough.as i am avg stu.
Rahul Reddy : A year and a half should be enough.
Gul : Sir, Are score cards the only way the result can be viewed or is there a link available on the net? If so, please let me know the link. Thanks
Rahul Reddy : Your score cards will be given online too. Please check the T.I.M.E. Web site over the next few days.
sree : Sir with 32-35 marks in CAT what could be the %le,and which colleges can give a call.in JMET with 54 marks which IIT's can i hopefully apply to atleast get a call for GD
Rahul Reddy : You can apply to JMET after the ranks come through.
anubhav : Sir, i have calls from ACLIK.. which magazines and newspaper u suggest for daily reading ?? and Sir from where can i get a list of questions asked in actual IIM interviews??
Rahul Reddy : Any newspaper and The Economic Times. As for magazines, any business magazine and a competion magazine. Trishna Book on GD and Int has lots of actual GD topics and Int questions, available at the nearest T.I.M.E. office.
dabboo : With 10 years workex, do you suggest that ISB would be a better option for me than IIMs
Rahul Reddy : Yes, also consider IIM A and SP Jain's 1 year program.
SAMEER : SIR , IM GETTING AROUND 25 IN CAT 2005 ACCORDING TO TIME.. WHER ALL DO I HV A CHANCE?? I HV APPLIED TO NIRMA , FORE, WELINGKAR ,TAPMI , KJ SOMMAIYA..... N WAT DO U THINK MY PERCENTILE WUD BE? PLZZ SIR.. DO REPLY
A R K S Srinivas : Hi Sameer, with 25, you could end up with around 70 to 80 percentile. Probably NIRMA, FORE and Welingkar could give you calls.
Sak : Hi, A score of 37, DI-11, VA- 22 and QA- 4.66 do i ve chance in IMTG, TAPMI, SP Jain
A R K S Srinivas : You should be able to get IMT.
Roma : i have got appx.25-26 score in cat can u plz. tell me the chances of getting call from somaiya & wellingkar
A R K S Srinivas : Welingkar is possible. Somaiyya, doubtful.
Part I: Taking on the GD and more
Part III: Hot tips for MBA Discussions, Interviews
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