Yukti Somni took CAT 2021 and converted IIM Ranchi HR program. She had 12 months of work experience Today we talk to her and try to understand her journey with CAT
Walk us through why and when did you decide you wanted to pursue MBA?
For all the cliched reasons, to be honest, career boosts, and more opportunities, MBA would open up new pathways. I decided I was opting for an MBA during my final year.
How did you prepare? Tell us about the mocks.
Everyone has their strategies. But mainly my sources were material from coaching classes. Mocks are of utmost importance but only with analysis. Mocks simulate the CAT experience, so I would say take mocks right from the beginning of your prep. In the start, my scores were not great and confidence issues crept in but then mentors asked me to take the test to test the concepts I had already learned and worked on. That made it relatively easier.
Walk us through how was the last few weeks before CAT and what was your schedule?
Your experience on the day of the CAT
Before the d-day I was nervous. I knew all the prep until then was for that very moment. So yeah had negative thoughts initially. But after having a good breakfast I forgot everything and focused on giving my best instead and then the negative thoughts seemed to disappear. In the last few days I revised the concepts I knew especially in the last 4 weeks before CAT learned nothing new because then if I had got anything wrong again I would’ve focused on getting that right instead of polishing what I had known already. But I got a decent enough score.
How to prepare for the interview? How was your interview experience?
Being a journalism student I used to follow current affairs closely but because the mentors had asked me to prepare for static GK I had during my CAT prep itself. So this is how I had prepared for my Interview round
Before the interview I was not at all nervous, I knew I had put in the hard yards and everything was built for it. I went in I confidently answered every question if I didn’t then I said I was not aware of it they grilled but I handled it graciously and then it was perfect.
Any particular activity for breaks?
For breaks, I did not do anything specific but used to talk to my friends and went out for small walks with them. Watched a few movies or series or listened to songs. I am pretty boring like that (chuckles)