IIM selection criteria
How can you increase your chances of getting into IIMs?
| What do IIMs look for?
|
What is it? | Can I work on it now? How? |
| CAT percentile | Overall percentile in CAT 2022 | Learn, Practise, Analyse. |
| 10th & 12th Score | Aggregate % scored in board exams | ———- |
| Graduation Score | Aggregate % scored in graduation exams | If a student gets good grades- A top performer |
| Personal Interview | PI & GD/WAT is the most important part of the admission process in IIM | Build your profile, personality, speaking skills & knowledge base |
| Academic Diversity | Engg, Non- engg, doctor, arts etc. | ———— |
| Gender Diversity | More weightage is given to female/transgender candidates | ———– |
| Work Experience | Both fresher (0-2yrs) & experienced individuals have their own perks & are preferred by companies differently
· Consult, Finance, Marketing- Both · PM Tech- Experienced |
· Freshers- Good grades, internships, competitions.
· Experienced- Good company, Significant work role & responsibilities, Work Recognition & Appreciation |
Selection criteria
In order to get admission to top b schools, one needs to score well in any of the competitive exams but that’s not it. Scoring well only qualifies you in running the half marathon, the other half is yet to cover. All of it gets evaluated in terms of profile, academics, interview, group discussion, etc. Also, there go heaps of dilemmas regarding profiles. People who crack profiles have astounded profiles evaluated on these parameters most commonly:
- Academics- This includes your marks in 10th, 12th & under graduation level. Improve this whenever you can.
- Co-curricular– This will have weightage after your exam qualification.
- Extra-Curricular– This will have weightage after your competitive exam qualification & includes activities done apart from your college or school curriculum.
- Gender Diversity– This is an unsaid quota that more commonly includes the women’s quota. There is a ballpark estimate of all the corporate institutions and organizations to have a 50% quota of women presence as women bring a different perspective.
- Academic Diversity– There are different categories on this point here. The first one lies in Engineers, Non-Engineers (20-25% fixed), Weird category (doctor, law, vet, etc.), and GMAT category (valid in India & Abroad).
CAT Syllabus
Quantitative Ability- These are,
- Arithmetic
- Algebra
- Geometry
- Number System
- Modern Maths
- Special Topics (includes Set Theory, trigonometry, etc.)
Verbal Ability and Reading Comprehension- Divide this section into topics i.e. RC and Verbal then Para jumbles & Para summary (PS).
Logical reasoning & Data Interpretation- Arrangements, Blood Relations, Graph charts, Venn diagram, etc.
Must know things (do not skip!!)
- Start with VPAR. This will boost the speed of your preparation just like chyawanprash boosts immunity.
- Prepare for the syllabus that builds up 50% of the total topics, mainly, Arithmetic, RC, and LRDI.
First 2 months: In QA- Arithmetic, DI/LR- Pick any 1 and take it to the moon.
Dashboard– Bible LOD 1, LOD 2, Shortcuts.
Timetable for CAT
On a daily basis, cover the topic in two sections at least, for example
| Monday | Tuesday | Wednesday |
| Quantitative Ability | Data Interpretation | Verbal Ability |
| Data Interpretation | Verbal Ability | Quantitative Ability |
Here, in 3 days, you are covering everything at least twice. You need to do this on weekdays repeatedly and then on weekends, Revise everything, Consolidate and give a mock. Give a mock on Saturday preferably then analyze the same on Sunday.
Work-ex individuals are recommended to study 1 hour before going to the office and 1 hour after coming from the office daily.
Freshers have plenty of time to study. They must target solving at least 20 questions each day.
- May\June – 2hrs/day.
July/ August/ September- 3hrs/day
October/ November- 4+ hrs/day
Weekdays- cover atleast 2 topics in a day
Weekends- Saturday- Consolidate & take mocks.
Sunday- Do an analysis of each mock thoroughly.
Monetary Plan for MBA: –
- Before planning for an MBA know that in India, MBA is commonly the highest degree one gets as very few pursue PhDs after their PG. so, your MBA has to be from the best college. You will be branded with your college and keep the badge for the next 40 years of your professional life. Number one has to be joining coaching where you find value for money. You must Beg, Borrow, and Steal if aiming for top business schools.
- There are 2 courses highly recommended by previous CATKing toppers currently sitting in the top IIMs of the world:
| TURBO COURSE | INTENSIVE COURSE |
| 8 months of CAT preparation mainly from April to November. | CAT and non-cat preparation from April to next year April. |
| Expenditure: 10,000 INR for CAT forms + 20,000 INR coaching fees. Altogether, 30,000 INR. | 25,000 INR for CAT and NON-CAT forms + 25,000 for coaching. Altogether, 50,000 INR. |
| After November, we have Jan, Feb, and March for GDPI, WAT and PI calls converting process. | Oct- NMAT
Nov- CAT Dec- IIFT, SNAP, MICAT Jan- XAT, TISSNET Feb- MICAT2, SNAP 2. March to April- GDPI, WAT PI, CDPI calls, and converting process.
|
| June- end of entrance Preparation and beginning of actual MBA journey. | June- end of entrance Preparation and beginning of actual MBA journey. |
All the best!!
