Here is our interview with Siddhartha Saxena, 97.27 percentiler in CAT 2009, who got calls from IIM K and MDI Gurgaon and converted MDI.

After appearing for the GD & PIs in IIM Kozhikode and MDI Gurgaon, he is taking admission in MDI Gurgaon. Siddhartha belongs to Lucknow. He has done his graduation in Electrical and Electronics Engineering from BITS - Pilani.

Excerpts from the interview:

Q: What is your CAT 2009 percentile?

A: My CAT 2009 percentile is 97.27. I had taken CAT in 2007 also, for which my percentile was 99.38.

Q: How many GD & PI rounds have you had? Please share your experience in detail.

A: This year I had two GD & PIs, one with IIM Kozhikode and one with MDI Gurgaon.

MDI Gurgaon: It was a very good experience. The interview was focused on questions like why I want to go for management education, my goals in near future and on a long term, how would MDI help me in my future goals, my current work experience and few questions on general awareness with the focus being more on understanding rather than factual knowledge. I was able to satisfy the interviewers and got the gut feeling that I would convert it.

IIM Kozhikode: While I had a pleasant experience in MDI Gurgaon, it was not my day for the IIM Kozhikode GD & PI. The interviewers started by asking me to introduce myself. I told briefly about my academic background followed by positive attributes in my personality. I by mistake stretched it a little longer when I was interrupted by on of the interviewers saying I am boasting about myself. I told them that I take it as a feedback and would try to restrain from it in future. Then I was asked four questions from current affairs which were quite obscure. I couldn't answer them. I was also asked a question based on my graduation which I was able to answer. The last question I was asked was why my score dropped from 99.38 in CAT 2007 to 97.27 in CAT 2009, as I had displayed the CAT 2007 scorecard in my academic file. I wasn't able to satisfy the interviewers and was sure that I wouldn't convert it.

Q: Which are the institutes that shortlisted you for GD/Essay & PI rounds and offered you final admission?

A: I converted MDI Gurgaon and couldn't convert IIM Kozhikode. I am taking admission in MDI because MDI is one of those institutes where I can get education at par with IIMs and is ranked in the top 10 B-schools in India.

Q: What was your strategy for the written exam as well as the GD, PI & Essay writing preparation? What would you advice CAT 2010 aspirants? Please share in details.

A: My strategy was to go through the TMH series of CAT books and last 10 years of CAT papers. I also took the "McGraw-Hill MindWorkzz" test series. Other than this, personal guidance from Mr Arun Sharma and Meenakshi Upadhyay proved to be really beneficial.

My strategy was to go through the three sections of CAT for two hours each everyday. Last two months involved revision and preparation through the test series. For GD, I joined a group of high scorers and we conducted Mock GDs among ourselves. I also went through two mock personal interviews with Mr Arun Sharma and two with Meenakshi Upadhyay. For increasing the level of general awareness, I went through two to three magazines. As I was not an avid news paper reader, my general awareness was low which proved to be disastrous in the IIM Kozhikode interview. I would suggest the aspirants to go through news papers thoroughly and regularly throughout the preparation period. Last moment studies don't work here.

Q: You were among the first batch of CBT CAT takers. How was your experience and what is your take on that?

A: My experience of the CBT CAT was very smooth but was not so for many of the test takers, many of whom I know personally. Moreover, the evaluation procedure is dubious because the IIMs haven't made the whole procedure, with every detail, public.

Q: How did you prepare for the computer based format of CAT and what is your advice to the CAT 2010 candidates?

A: For CBT CAT 2010, go through a CBT Mock CAT Test series. This will help the candidate get accustomed to the CBT format.

Q: Any other information/message you would like to share with us?

A: Go through the news paper thoroughly. It not only helps in GDPI but also in the Verbal Ability section.