A look into the mirror
The answer to the re-take conundrum depends on three things
- your evaluation of your ability with respect to the CAT
- your evaluation of your mental state when contemplating another attempt
- your evaluation of your aspirations
Let us try to make this a bit objective by making it a Q & A situation
YOU versus CAT – ABILITY
The first question you need to ask — is this the best shot you could have given? Was this a full-fledged, completely-immersed-into-CAT attempt? Do you believe you have exhausted the limits of your aptitude as far as CAT goes? Answer of all these questions and then answer the question below.
Question #1
Do you believe that you have maxed out and can go no further in terms of percentile if you give another attempt — YES/NO?
YOU versus CAT – STAMINA
The next question is whether you have enough mental fuel left to go through another year. Do not count the attempts that you made just like that. Is this your first or second or third fully serious attempt?
Question #2
Have your attempts so far taken so much out of you that you dread the thought of another attempt despite knowing that you can get better — YES/NO?
YOU versus COLLEGE
What do you think of the options in front of you right now? How do you view yourself vis-a-vis the options you have?
Question #3
Do you believe that all you need is a decent degree and a decent break and will make the most of the opportunities you get irrespective of the brand or do you believe that your aptitude, your profile and your ambition deserve a better college than the options you have in front of you right now — YES/NO?
If your answer to all the above questions is YES, most importantly the third question, then you should NOT RE-TAKE and get into a college this year itself.
If your answer is NO to all three then you should definitely re-take the CAT but also evaluate the GMAT depending on your profile and aspirations, which as mentioned will be taken up in the next post.
These are not easy questions to answer and I am sure there will be other personal considerations and pressures from different quarters that you would need to factor in. But understand that this decision is purely about your career and hence the decision has to be taken keeping only that in mind.
Not everyone might be happy with your decision but satisfying all is satisfying none and as far as your career goes you are the only one who has to be satisfied.
So you really need to answer these questions for yourself and make a decision.
If you decide to re-take
The moment you decide to re-take, other questions start popping up
- Should I quit my job to re-take for the CAT?
- How do I go about my prep? What should be my mindset?
- Do I need to take classroom coaching? what materials should I use?
- How should I go about my prep section-wise?
I’ll be putting up posts on the same soon.
The CAT Writer 
sir the answer to the first 2 Qs is a “no” and for the third one is a Big “yes”. Plus my varc was a mess this time and honestly I didn’t give my 100% into its preparation. I am just worried whether i will be able to develop the reading and comprehension skills necessary for the CAT.
My communication skills are decent enough but I’ve realised reading is a completely different ball game. Is it possible to reach a high score in less than a year for VARC?
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Hi Arjun,
The question is more or less similar to can I learn to drive an F1 car in a year. That might be a tough as but can you improve enough to reach 85 percentile. I think so.
Hope this helps,
All the best!
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Sir my 10th/12th/undergrad is 92.7/95.4/67 and I had BSc Mathematics in my undergrad but due to some medical issues I couldn’t clear one of the exams in my final attempt and I will be completing my degree in 4 years. I gave CAT 23 and prepared for 2-3 months and scored 91.41 percentile but I want to target old IIMs but I am concerned about the gap in undergrad. In such situation what should I do?
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Hi Aaina,
I do not think there is any problem with the gap in undergrad. There is no bar for you to apply.
They will ask about the gap in your interview and you need to give them the honest answer — nothing more, nothing less.
So go ahead, prepare, and score the best percentile you can!
All the best!
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Sir for first two questions my answer is “NO” but for Third Question my answer is “yes” . Now I want to retake Cat . and Sir I have one question regarding above Q&A situation. Why did you say like this i did not understand yet?
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Hi Manas,
I am not sure I understood your question.
The third question is for the situation where you have some decent admits this year. If you have or are expecting decent admits this year and and the answer to the third question is YES, then go ahead and join instead of waiting for anothe year.
Hope this clarifies,
All the best!
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Thank you sir
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Sir,
My answer for the first 2 questions would be NO & YES for 3rd one
For Cat 2023 i have prepared nearly for 5months and gave my whole time for it and due to quants as till school math has been tough for me despite my focus much on quants for preparation, i didn’t make it . Now i am in a sense of confusion whether to go for next attempt as the last yr paper (Dilr&QA)was so difficult and different from the previous years
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Hi Manish,
If you have an admit from a decent college then go ahead an join.
If you do not have any admits then take another shot but along with a job and focus on non-CAT exams such as SNAP and NMAT. There are many good colleges through both of these exams.
Regards,
Tony
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Hello Sir, I am in NIT SURAT, 4th year, 92.38 ews in cat this year, already placed in Delhivery as regional hub operations manager at 7|pa. Should I opt for nmims or bitsoM or try lims next year.
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Hi Jatin,
Given that you are from an NIT and that you have a good job, you do not lose anything by working and taking another shot. There is only an upside to it. Your profile with get better because of work-ex.
Do not doubt it, take another shot.
All the best!
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Sir,
My answer for 1st & 2nd Question would be NO and for 3rd question its a big YES
I have completed UG BBA in June 2023 since then i was prepaparing for CAT . QA has been my weakest subject but still i was focused to get min 80%ile in it . but Cat 2023 was difficult and different ,mainly in DILR &QA. I really want to go for this year but i am confused as the LOD will be same as 2023 or not
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Sir,
This year my CAT score worse it’s below 60, I have prepared for 5months for CAT given most of the time even working in Corperate company. 1.QA not able solve it 2.RC No able to mark the exact answers. right now i don’t have any admit to colleges.
My doubt, Right now I have 2.6 Years of experience.
What Should I do now sir? My academics are 10/12/Btech– 8.2/77/6.4
Please suggest me. Will it make any problem for me by the time of selection next yearI will be across 3.8 years.
What are the other ways getting into colleges.
what are the examination should I go for?
what you say about Excutive MBA is it worth of doing.
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Hi Ananth,
Your work-ex is not on the higher side, you can stop worrying about that and there is no need at this stage to look at 1-year programs.
If CAT is not an exam that is aligned to your skills then focus no SNAP and NMAT both exams give you access to the Symbiosis and NMIMS set of colleges, which have good placements. You can also take multiple attempts.
Hope this helps,
All the best!
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Sir I am 24, 82.2/81.08/75.6 and have completed my bachelors in 2021, in mass media and have a work experience of 1.5 years and had left my job in April 2023 to prepare for CAT 2023. This was my 3rd attempt but my first serious attempt, in 2022 I scored around 80 in CAT but in 2023 the score was miserable and now from 2023 march to this march is a gap year. Should I reconsider giving CAT and other exams while also focusing on GMAT. I want to build a career in marketing. Please suggest.
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Hi,
Like I have advised a few other aspirants, if CAT is not an exam that is aligned to your skills then focus on SNAP and NMAT both exams give you access to the Symbiosis and NMIMS set of colleges, which have good placements. You can also take multiple attempts. Take the CAT and XAT as well but without any pressure just as a back up.
Am not sure there are great options through GMAT for regular 2-year MBA programs in Marketing that are not covered through the above exams.
Hope this helps,
All the best!
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Hello Sir, I am 24 yrs old, 82.2/81.08/75.6, I have completed my bachelors in the field of mass media in the year 2021 and have a work experience of 1.5 years and left my job in the month March 2023 for attempting CAT 2023. This is my 3rd attempt but the first serious one. CAT 2022 I scored around 80 but 2023 was miserable. So, since March 2023 to March 2024 is a gap year. Can you please tell me if I should retake or no? I want to get into MICA or mainly B school popular for marketing. Should I give CAT again but focus more on Non-CAT ,XAT and GMAT. What would you suggest ?
Thanks!
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Hi Sir
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I have taken CAT 4 times and I got 75, 95, 85 and 97 respectively. Although I got a decent percentile this time but as I was unable to clear the sectional cut off in DILR my options have become very ;limited.
If I take 1 more attempt then I will go in the B-school at the age of 26 and come out at the age of 28 which is really scary to think of.
I converted GLIM PGPM. As it is a 1 year program I will graduate at the age of 26 which is good for me. The only concern I have is that I will be unable to graduate from a flagship institute. GLIM is great but not the greatest.
I am in a dilemma of which regret should I choose.
Kindly advice. Thanks and Regards.
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Hi Barack,
Since you have already given four years to CAT, I suggest you go ahead and join GLIM.
I know GLIM is not the greatest but it is school that has good roots in terms of the founding team.
I think it will give you a decent platform to build a great career since only an MBA degree from elite college will not take you far.
What will take you far are skills and attitude you bring to your workplace.
I know enough, not a very large sample size, but still enough people who have made it big within the corporate set up without an MBA evenb. You will graduate from GLIM with a good degree and a good start, make the most of it.
All the best!
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Hello sir, just wanted a perspective from you to better decide what to proceed with. I am a GEM Candidate 8/9/8 profile and currently 33 months of work ex . In CAT 2024 form , I will have 35 months of work ex in a very reputed smartphone manufacturer. By the time, colleges start their session in 2025, it will be 47 months of work ex.
I gave SPJIMR GIs and don’t have hopes of converting and MDI Gurgaon interview went average. If I don’t convert any of these colleges, does it make sense for me to give another attempt at CAT ? I scored 97 percentile this year with sectionals of 98/88/89. Given the unpredictable nature of CAT, my score may go down in the CAT 24.
I wanted to know does having a 3~4 years of work ex makes me ineligible profile wise for SPJIMR batch?
And If I convert MDI Gurgaon this year, should I take it or try again next year for an older IIM? I am only after placements
And do I have a shot for IIMB /IIM L /IIMK next year, if I decide to attempt CAT again?
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Hello Sir,
I need some guidance. I have a degree in Mechanical Engineering. My CAT scores from previous (four) attempts have ranged between 98+ to 97+ percentiles (even 89+ without preparation), but I consistently struggle with the VARC section.
My dream is to pursue an MBA from a top B-School. i.e. why I haven’t enrolled in any other colleges. I also have three years of work experience in IT. Today, I am 25, and if I were to take the CAT now, my MBA program would begin when I’m 26. Also, there’s some family pressure regarding marriage.
I understand that I need to change my career path as I don’t enjoy IT much. However, this attempt at CAT feels like a ‘do or die’ situation for me, as if I fail, it may be challenging to change my career path.
My question is, should I go for it? At this age, will there be a decrease in opportunities, or will I be considered less eligible for their flagship two-year programs? Please guide me. I would appreciate any out-of-the-box advice.
Thank You
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Hi Shobhit,
Whether you get to change your career path or not, doing an MBA is essential for career growth whether in IT or outside of it.
I would suggest taking not just the CAT, since it seems like the VA-RC section is not your cup of tea but also NMAT and SNAP and looking at slightly wider pool of colleges. I don’t think you are less eligible in any way, so that should not be a problem. Yes, the opportunities will be a tad fewer when compared with those in 0-2.5 years of work-ex but there still will be enough roles on offer.
Hope this helps,
All the best!
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Hi sir, CAT 2023 and XAT ’24 were my first attempts in my MBA journey. I know I did not give my best efforts but I received final calls from GLIM-G and TAPMI. I am stuck between choosing to join now or take up the exams again. Would it be wise to leave this opportunity to try again in next attempt?
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Hi RD,
Please look the process outlined in the post and then decide.
If I could make a list of colleges and say join this and not this then everyone’s job would have been easy.
But it does not work like that. Ask yourself the questions in the post and arrive at the answer.
This is your first strategic decision as a wannabe manager in the future.
Hope this helps,
All the best!
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SSir, my undergraduate percentage is below 60, and I have 5 years of work experience. Will my low undergraduate score affect the interview calls?
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Hi Pooja,
Yes, I think calls from the elite schools will be tough but you can get an admit into schools ranked between 20 and 50.
Hope this clarifies,
All the best!
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