For that IIM dream!!

For some extra practice!

2010-10-15T15:18:00.002+05:30

Well I just purchased Rank Booster - 2011(Online + CD) from TestFunda. I had the Online Scholarship Test Discount available to me(Got Rs. 420 off as a result), so I thought why not just make the right use of it. I decided to go for this one to complement the Funda Books given by CL and for in depth practice of the concepts.

Actually I ordered the same way back on 4th October. Then I decided to use the Cash - On - Delivery payment option. But after waiting for more than 10 days I decided to contact them to ask details of the purchase. Then only they told me that I will have to make an Online Payment for this. Had they informed me the same when I ordered it, I could have actually utilized these holidays in a much better way. But all is well that ends well, Right?

In the end, Happy Questions Solving to me for my dream!

Multitasking!

2010-10-08T11:07:00.000+05:30

Apple iPad lacks it but I am trying hard to do it. Multitasking! but alas not everything is falling correct as of now. Let me delve in and write about stuffs I use to do on an average day :

Reading two newspapers a day - Hindu and Economic Times(Well I am just a month old reader of ET. I must say it has a very good editorial section). This is only what I am doing for VA as of now.
Completing the funda books that I put on the back-burner during the Mid Semesters.
Solving Arun Sharma after completing each chapter from the Funda Books.
Solving questions on TestFunda. I recently ordered their 2012 Rank Booster and waiting for it to get delivered.
Surfing different news website viz. BBC, NYT, CNN, Yahoo et al.
Weaving dreams about that dream. I remember reading about Student Exchange Programs in the top MBA colleges in the ET a few days back. Well that excited me. I have always dreamt of enjoying my life in the land of Kiwis and seeing that most of the colleges had their tie up in New Zealand it was surely a morale booster.
Apart from doing stuffs for my dream, I try to find time to solve some good programming questions on sites like Codechef, SPOJ et al. I am also trying to up my participation in various coding competitions. This was expected of me after I faltered in the third round for internship at Microsoft and when you have one of your senior(Mohit Nagpal from 2K7 IT batch) garner the much envied job at Microsoft IDC.
Trying to read the Algorithms book by CLRS, nothing can beat this book.

Well I am trying hard to do my best in whatever tasks I take up. I think its high time to tighten the belt(just like the weightlifters do before they take the center stage) and pursue my dreams.

Cee Yaa!! =)

TestFunda Online Scholarship Test Result!

2010-09-28T17:55:00.000+05:30

Well, I gave this online scholarship test on 26th this month. The test was conducted by TestFunda to get discount to purchase material for CAT preparation and I should say it demanded real concentration and will to solve the questions and do them fast really fast!

It was entirely a new concept of Scholarship Test at least for me. It had the usual three sections. The time was divided into three 20 minutes slots, one slot for each section. The thing was that every question in a particular section also had the timer attached to it. The faster you solve the question, more points you can score. I had to wait for at least 6 minutes to move to another section.

The result for the same was announced around 30 minutes back. Well I didn't remember the attempts but here is my score card.

My score is 2044 & rank 36.

Also now I can avail a Scholarship of 30% on CAT 2011 courseware.

Well the result made me happy and I am already thinking of purchasing some courseware from Testfunda!

I must say it's the just the beginning. And the dream is really following along!!

Cee Yaa!!

Down but not out!

2010-09-07T19:38:00.000+05:30

Today while reading the newspaper I stumbled across these golden words by J.K Rowling when he addressed the graduating class of 2008 at Harvard University, let me quote it for you:

"It is impossible to live without failing at something, unless you live so cautiously that you might as well not have lived at all..."

This set me thinking and then I came up with this:

"To enjoy success I will have to enjoy failure as well.."

Well the thing is that the word Success cannot exist without the word Failure.

Lets ponder over this!

Journey so far!

2010-08-25T19:50:00.002+05:30

Its been a month since I joined CL and one thing that I can proudly say is, I have finally started getting 'Feel' of it(CAT for the nescient ones :p). Someone has said it correctly that unless you are in the ship surrounded by thousands trying to go in the same direction, you can hardly make efforts to surpass them(never heard of it, take your time digest it.)

Going by the sage words, the day I entered the class I had this thought in my mind to try and compete with my fellow batch mates from Day 1 and I think I have been successful so far. This 'batch change' has really worked out in my favor. Barring a few rest are as passionate as me. The girls(not all, a few only) as always are good in English, I am speculating this after this little incident - A girl ended up getting a chocolate from Ms. Deepti when she gave all the correct answers for Subject - Verb agreement exercise( I made 2 mistakes!). Regarding the Quant and LRDI classes, I have my fellow Dceites who are always ready to put a strong competition.

As the internship season started lately in the college I have not been able to devote the required time for my endeavor and I am not complaining as I have been picked by Deloitte for their Summer Internship program. So the focus shift really worked wonders!

Well I believe the right time has come to start scratching the grey matter up there and solve some questions provided in the Funda books else I will find myself in a complete mess as CL is really picking up speed now. It's Percentages tonight!

Cee Yaa!! Keep Dreaming!

'First Class' Experience at CL!

2010-07-17T22:59:00.000+05:30

The so called first class which was destined to happen on 4th July(12-2) for my batch was a DCAT session. Aah! Don't be amazed its just a test to gauge the students capability and make him/her acquainted with the pattern of CAT. It contained 75 questions to be attempted in 120 minutes flat.

The first day of the coaching contains a lot of bizarre incidents and I think demands a little description. So here it goes! Reached Rajiv Chowk Metro Station at 11:20 am. I knew that I have to exit from Block A as it is closest to the center. But in spite of knowing the exact location of the center I made this mistake of asking the security guard standing at the exit of Block A about where is Rama house. Then begins the whole story. He told me the opposite direction that I should have taken. Banking on him I took that exit. I wandered in CP in the blazing hot sun trying to figure out where has Rama House gone, if I have taken the right path. Somehow I made it to the center at 11:45 am only to find that the classes for my batch are being held at Vidya Bhawan(here after referred to as VB), some 2 Km from the center. I cursed the center and ran towards VB coz I didn't want to be late for the first class for my endeavor.

I managed to reach VB in time panting, sweating(use a hell lot of adjectives yourselves!:P) from head to toe. The batch didn't have much students giving the (first)exam(First Blow!). I started attempting the paper with full passion(thanks to the AC just above my head, I was not sweating for the first time in the day so far). Then came two jokers of some DU college who didn't even know that we will be having a DCAT on that day. They were like What! A paper on the first day and ended up chatting. I managed to attempt a good number of questions in the stipulated time. The result is still awaited. Will inquire about the result tomorrow!

The next class on 10th was not a lot different story apart from not wandering in CP like a moron! Reached VB again panting and sweating! Ha! I can't help it. The class was the introduction one taken by (Ms. or Mrs. I don't know) Shuchi from IMT Ghaziabad. Garnered quite a lot things as Why IIM students are paid that hefty packages, difference between a leader and a manager, had the first experience of GD in which only 4-5(including me) spoke(Second Blow!). These two blows made me think of having a batch change.

So here I am in the 11th July batch(9:45-11:45), classes of which are being held at the center itself with good quality students who are passionate of cracking the CAT(I am being optimistic about it). Today was again the Introduction Class taken by Mr. Gaurav Sir pass out of IIFT. Overall a good session with frequent interruptions from the late comers( I don't know when students will understand the value of Time!).

Tomorrow is the second class towards my endeavor. Lets see how it ends up!

See Yaa!! :)

B-School Campuses

2010-07-14T11:19:00.000+05:30

Recently there was a B-School Shutterbug contest on PG. It garnered huge response from all over India as it was a chance for MBAs to show off their B-Schools.

Man! I am enthralled by seeing these beautiful campuses. Some of the IIMs like Khozikode, Shillong and Calcutta have so beautiful campuses that these should be called IIM resorts rather than B-Schools. Have a look at these awesome campuses. Well, I am working to make these places my destination two years down the lane. What about you?

PS: Click on the image to know which campus it is. Use the full screen option from the lower right corner.
Iss beauty mein kho Jao.

First Step towards that IIM dream!

2010-07-01T12:50:00.000+05:30

Well I took the first step yesterday when I joined the CL-CP batch to clear the CAT-11(Confidence! Yay!!).

After searching for 'The' institute that will provide me with an environment and complement my studies, since the holidays started and making up my mind a thousand time to join this particular institute, I was forced to think again.

But after contacting some seniors (who are mad(figuratively) to enter IIM's) and counting on their suggestion I decided to take the first step forward. And the result followed.

Looking forward for the first class, to be held on 4th July(12-2). It will be D-CAT session on the first day followed by the Introduction the next saturday.

Will be back to write about the experience of first class on Sunday. Watch Out!!

First Mock Test

2010-06-27T17:51:00.001+05:30

The first things always have a special place in the Heart whether its the first School, first Gift, first few Friends in the school, first Fight the list can go on and on.

The first thing I am talking about here is my First Mock Test for CAT, I gave today at the IMS Pitampura Center. I registered for the same around 7 days back as soon as I saw the advertisement in the Newspaper. It was an open SimCAT. The advertisement mentioned that it is going to be a National Level Exam as it is to be held across all the Centers of IMS. I missed the AIMCAT 1120 the Open exam from TIME all because I had my rescheduled Mid Semester Exams lined up from the next day.

Talking about the SimCAT:

Reached the center at 9:20 AM, the exam was destined to be started at 9:30. But due to the lethargy of the IMS people the exam started at 9:35. The guy who distributed the question paper told us that it was a 3 hour exam but eventually took the OMR sheets after 2 hours 15 minutes. But this didn't created a problem as I have read the instructions clearly mentioning the time frame of 135 minutes. God saved me!! It could have been other story otherwise.

The exam was not that nightmarish. I started with the VA part and finished it in 50 minutes flat. Next I took up the QA section and after 40 minutes I started with the DI section. DI was quite easy, managed to attempt 17 questions leaving the first set which contained 3 questions.

In all it was a good experience, managed to do about 47 questions. Hoping for a good percentile. The result will be posted soon on IMS website, will post about the same in the next post.

Cyaa..

Some Inspirational Stuff!

2010-06-26T16:00:00.000+05:30

Reading "All I wanted to speak about CAT" at PG is always pleasurable but sometimes one come across such a post that enkindle the much needed fire inside.

On the same note I came across this gem of a post:

A moment comes in everyone's life when he/she adorns the victorious throne meant for chosen few. It need not be an IIM seat or Forbes list of the Richest. It starts with winning that first spoon race in class 2nd, singing a song in front of a large gathering without letting the knees tremble, boldly facing the phenomenon of being a laughing stock just because you dont listen to Iron Maiden or Enrique and finally not accepting the fact that you cant solve that quants problem. All are rubbish. I have experienced each one of these.

I am not here to write my life story. I will concentrate only on one word - CAT. Since the past 3 years that I have known CAT, I have always experienced but have always failed to comprehend the aura that surrounds it. When you start thinking of topping that one exam,the rush of blood inside indicates that you are made for it. If the adrenaline starts flowing inside you and your legs are restless, it points to the fact that CAT beckons you. Not all get this feeling, some lose it before they start. Some lose it half way down. Some stand against that wall. If it will not be tumbled down, it will atleast be cracked.

Enough gyaan ? So have a look at this :

aimcat 1001 - 80.44
aimcat 1004 - 86.75
aimcat 1005 - 99.78
aimcat 1006 - 98.75
aimcat 1008 - 94.14
aimcat 1011 - 90.48
aimcat 1012 - 89.01
aimcat 1015 - 94.58
aimcat 1016 - 93.54
aimcat 1017 - 91.80

Each failure in mock made me wake up half an hour early and study. Visits to DT scorecards made my heart burn. Each <95%ile made me realize that I will lose it all by a whisker and I can win it all,again by a whisker. I realized that I need that ONE success which will bring out the best in me to everybody. Life consistenly demands proof of excllence....till you keep adducing it,you are the king. Light up the fire inside you, to prove yourself and the world that you ARE the person you think you are.

CAT 2009 - 99.99 with 99+ in all sections

So did PROMETRIC do it for me? I dont know. I only know that I did it for myself. My job involved travelling almost every day. I have never stayed in Chennai which is supposedly my base location. Even right now, with 10 days to go in Britannia, I am sitting in a hotel room in Patna and writing this. CAT was on 6th Dec and I was in Rudrapur (google if you dont know where) whole november. I woke up at 4 in the morning and studied till 8 before heading to factory. 24th march was IIMC interview in bangalore and I was in Gaziabad on 23rd afternoon in factory. IIMA on 5th April - I was in Pathankot on 1st, Jammu on 2nd, Kanpur on 3rd and finally in Banaglore on 4th april 12 midnight. I left banagalore for Kanpur only to be back within 2 days : IIML on 10th.

What keeps one going - seeing everybody around talking about byju sir's classes and boot camps while you are struggling with anemometer in 45 degree heat near the oven with an IIM interview next day? Determination.

I was advised by one and all, to apply for a medical, go on leave and sit and prepare and make notes and revive current affairs and attend mock GDs. Given the person that I am, running away from one job to finish other is the last thing I will think about. I faced it head on. Each interview attended without Prep,but surely with confidence. Because I had faith in the person that is inside me.

So last two questions:
1. Do you think you are better than what you are being treated like?
2. Do you belive that life is short and you are delaying the success that you deserve?

If any of the answers is a YES, get up, open the official quants thread for 2010 and start!

The world ain't all sunshine and rainbows. It's a very mean and nasty place and howmuchsoever tough you are, it will beat you to your knees and keep you there permanently if you let it. You, me, or nobody is gonna hit as hard as life. But it ain't about how hard ya hit. It's about how hard you can get hit and keep moving forward. How much you can take and keep moving forward. That's how winning is done!!
By shreyans_nitt (Wimwian)
Courtesy PG

Need I say more.

Why MBA?

2010-06-22T18:29:00.001+05:30

Now this is the most dreaded question that comes to mind when one starts preparing for MBA Entrance Exams. Also this is the most important question, the answer for which resides within you. One has to introspect and find the answer which satisfies the interviewer as this is the most common question that is asked in the second phase (PI).

Found this really useful post on PG, it glibly sets apart an Engineer from a MBA:

Well, before I give my piece advice, let me start with my case........

I heard about MBA only when I entered into the Engineering college, and every final year senior was doing something or the other for CAT. It was almost amazing for me to see that even during their final year engineering they are more interested in solving puzzles, simple maths problems and reading English rather than spending time in Computer Programming or learning new things about their branch of study. This was really bizarre at a times when they started to discuss about the Economy of India (or for that matter even a subscription of Economic Times used to confuse me about its utility for an engineering student). I was simple left amazed. and probably everyone in my freshers batch was amazed to know that there is something called MBA, and its more important to earn an MBA degree, even more important than earning a BE degree.

A few years later I got a chance to know something more about 'Why MBA?', but even then the focus was more towards the 'HOT' Money which you can earn. All the discussions used to condense to the fact that MBA can give you a hell lot of money which Engineers can simply dream of.

I was still confused about What an MBA is all about, and how come it gives so much money without even working in actual things (I am believer of the fact that Engineers do the actual work). I have seen days turning into weeks, weeks turning into months and months into years, but my question regarding MBA still remained the same. Is MBA only about Money? Who on this earth will give anyone so much money without working? The MBA guys just know how to speak good English and use fork & knife while eating, how the hell do these people contribute in working?

With all sorts of possible questions I left for my first job after college, and still standing firm on the notion that 'MBAs are just show-offs, they do not work at all'. And while working in a huge MNC (One of the top 3 in this world) my whole approach towards an MBA started to change. And here goes the metamorphosis.......

While an engineer does a focused job (be it programming, or designing or something else), but we engineers do only a part of the job (which is the actual brick and mortar of a house), but even we don't have a clear idea about what will be the final outcome of our work, Why? We engineers always get dead-lines from higher authorities, why? We don't know what should be the right strategy of an organization in coming 5-10 years. All the answer to above questions is that - We exist in the organization to do a very-very focused job.....we can at max influence a client to choose some services/products, but engineer can't decide anything beyond that.

I have personally believed that an engineer can at max influence the lives of at max a team working under him, but never define the strategy of an organization. For defining things which are beyond the level of 'actual' work there is a need of a generalist and which happens to be there in MBAs. An MBA person can always give direction to the organization, and at the same time channelize the resources in achieving the same. An MBA has the capacity to become the face of the organization (even when he doesn't do the 'actual' work). An MBA has the capacity to influence the market based on the resources under him. An MBA has the capability to negotiate his resources to do some work.

Finally, an MBA thinks beyond the obvious, and that's why he is paid more than the people working for him.

I guess I have even reasons why one should go for MBA. And I have learnt all this while working. And I guess the best way to gain a motivation for MBA comes only when you start working, else you tend to take MBA as a routine thing which comes after an engineering degree.

Thinking about why you should go for an MBA degree is in itself a huge task, and it requires an immense degree of self-questioning and introspection. The more we question our-selves the more suited are we for this degree.

All the best to all those who are aspiring for this hallowed degree.

Sarsij Nayanam

Well this surely must have cleared some of your doubts, though there is ample time remaining to make your mind and clarify it "Why MBA?" to yourself first than to some other.

But the early starters always remain ahead. Don't they?

Sine Qua Non!

2010-06-20T11:35:00.004+05:30

Its been a long time since I last put up a post here to tell you something about my endeavor.But I am back and that too with a bang.

Yes, the Dream is living ON!! But before I delve further to tell you about how my preparation is moving ahead let me first discuss something about the title of this post.

Well, yesterday while I was surfing the net as usual I landed on a blog of a WIMWIAN (doesn't it sound cool!! This is what my endeavor is all about. Being a Wimwian. The abbreviation unfolds as Well Known Institute of Management in Western India i.e. IIM Ahmedabad) and stumbled upon this term Sine Qua Non. After some search on Wikipedia I got the zest of this Latin term as "(a condition) without which it could not be" or "but for..." or "without which (there is) nothing." It refers to an indispensable and essential action, condition, or ingredient. I was so moved by this term that I decided to change the header of my blog and include this term asap. This term clarifies the purpose of this blog of mine. Without IIM there is nothing for me, without which it could not be.

Now let me delve further into this post and describe the preparation that I have been doing from December last year for my tryst with CAT. As this two month long break is progressing at its usual speed I have chalked out some inevitable work that needs to be finished in this mentioned time span. After some hour long sessions of reading some quality posts at Pagalguy about CAT and the associated challenges I have come up with this theory of mine - "To clear CAT I not only need logic to clear the first phase but also good communicational skills and broad knowledge of the happenings around the world for the second phase". I have read many a times about people who have secured percentile in that coveted range (99++) and faltering in the GD/PI when they are tested against those people who have scored the equivalent percentile. At that moment of life all that matter is knowledge outside the books, you need to be acquainted about the recent developments or for that matter about the pressing issues that surrounds our dear world.

To not fall in the category I have just mentioned I am trying to develop a habit of reading some quality magazines that contain all the world's news in about 150 odd pages, try and read the whole newspaper including the OP-ED and Business pages daily, watching documentaries that describe the most pressing issues that the World is facing or may face in the following years.

Now this was for the second phase, for the prior phase I will be joining a Institute that will motivate me to perform better at all the stages in the coming days.

I want to fly high!! See yaa friends!!

Word Power Made Easy

2010-01-10T22:37:00.000+05:30

Hola Friends!!

Howz life on your side?
After spending the 40 days at home to prepare something for CAT entrance, now i think that I have missed something big. I didn't devoted enough time to prepare for VA.
But better late then never.
I think it's high time to start preparing for VA now as it can solely determine the entrance to the mighty B-School. So to start with I took out the Word Power Made Easy book by Norman Lewis given to me by my Maternal Uncle.

I think the right time has come to shell out the needed time from the so hectic schedule ( Yeah!! The college is opening from tomorrow). Lets see if the dream continues.
:-)

Bonjour Friends!!!

2010-01-04T22:33:00.001+05:30

So, the end of holidays is near. Its a week to go.

I'm quite happy with myself that at least I was able to finish the basics of QA, the most dreaded of the topic for CAT (for me :p at least) in these holidays. Didn't touch the VA thing at all in this break apart from reading the newspaper( The Hindu), now I am thinking I could have done more justice to it.

Now, I am planning to take some Mock Papers to test if am on the right track or I need to mend the way I am preparing for it.

Lets see what awaits in the future.

The dream lives ON!

2009-12-22T22:20:00.000+05:30

Hey fellas!! So after my last post, i have created a huge buzz that a second year is preparing for CAT when it is to be given 4 semesters later. But then I say I am not the same stereotyped boy next door.

So as the title says, the dream lives on. To mention I started with the QA thing as I found this as the most challenging topic out of three. Today I completed 6 chapters of Arun Sharma. I think i have to pick up speed now, as I initially decided to complete QA in these holidays.

Lets see! if the dream becomes reality.

CAT(Common Admission Test)

2009-12-13T23:01:00.000+05:30

Hey! Folks this is not to make you familiar about CAT, rather this is to accompany me in my tryst with CAT(the toughest admission test around) scheduled to take place somewhere in December 2011.

So, I started out preparing (or you can say making myself acquainted with) for CAT, right after the end of the third semester examinations. Its been 12 days, since I started acquainting myself, this is the short summary of what I have gathered till now.

Toughest section in the Paper at least for me, if not for you.Involves a hell lot of formulaes which you must remember if you want to have your say in CAT. Started with Arun Sharma. Finished the first Block. Currently doing the questions of Block 4, 250 questions to be solved.

The subject that needs most of the practicing skills. You have to be dead fast to solve the questions in a limited time and clear the cut-off. Believe me it requires a lot of pacticing.

The subject that requires most gradual build up of vocabulary. You have to be fast to understand the Paragraph and answer 4-5 easy questions on it. It includes many other things which go hand in hand with Vocabulary.

Guys! Time to go back and starting solving the Geometry and mensuration problems. Bye for now!!