How music & drama enthusiast Soham topped CAT

Nine applicants, including Soham, out of the 1.92 lakh who took the examinations, received a perfect score.
Soham talked about his preparation and how he aced the CAT in an interview with IANS.

Q. How did you feel when you found out your score?

A. My grade was satisfactory. I was optimistic that I would do well when the response sheet was handed out. My projected score was 153, and I was looking to see whether someone had scored higher in slot 1 than me, but I couldn't find anyone. I checked the percentile while crossing my fingers. Was pleased…

Q. How do you feel about your overall and sectional grades?
VARC 47.73, DILR 53.06, Quants 58.35, Total 159.13 are the results. VARC 99.33 percentile, DILR 100 percentile, Quants 99.99 percentile, Total 100 percentile.

Q. How many hours did you study for CATS 2021 when you first started studying?

A. I also took the CATS 2020 examinations and studied for two to three months. Because I was working on several projects at the time, I started studying two weeks before the tests. I only needed to revise because I had studied for the exam previous year as well. During my two-week preparation, I solved one two-hour mock test and spent 30 minutes to an hour analysing it.

He had purchased a Times Institute mock exam series.99admissions/wikipedia

Q. Have you ever received coaching? What are the advantages?

A. No, I haven't done so. However, I had purchased a Times Institute mock exam series. The CAT curriculum, I suppose, is not anything we haven't looked into because it assesses general ability and reasoning. Knowing the pattern of a paper, on the other hand, is essential for solving it. It is critical to complete a solid mock test series in order to achieve a high score.

Q. What methods did you employ to de-stress during exams?

A. I didn't let myself get too worked up. Stress is never a good thing. There isn't much that comes out of it… Some views on the test, the difficulty level of the question paper, the outcome… I used to talk to my friends and watch TV to keep the negativity at bay. During those two weeks, I was preoccupied with a cricket series between India and New Zealand.

Q. Tell us about yourself, your interests, and your hobbies.

A. My occupation is that of a computer engineer, and I am originally from Mumbai. I enjoy playing several musical instruments, particularly the flute. I used to be a part of our college's theatre team and enjoy watching cricket.

Q. What drew you to pursue an MBA?

A. I've studied a lot about management studies and believe I have the necessary abilities to pursue one. This training will assist me in achieving my objectives. My goal is to get into the country's top IIMs in Ahmedabad, Bengaluru, and Kolkata.

Also read: MBA Education: What It Gives and Who Needs It

Q. Who do you look up to as a role model and why?

A. I'm not a believer in principles. Different individuals inspire me based on their traits and accomplishments, and I attempt to use what I've learned from them in my life.

Q. Do you have any advice for CAT candidates in the future?

A. Have faith in yourself. Failures aren't anything to be terrified of. Don't be concerned about running out of time when taking the exam. Instead of attempting to solve the full paper, concentrate on precision. It is preferable to write two correct answers in four to five minutes than to rush and write one correct and two incorrect replies.

(IANS/PR)

(Keywords: CAT, topper, Mumbai, MBA, 2021)