CAT Tales-8 (Applying to colleges)

Well life almost settled into a routine; weekdays in college, trying to study some in mornings and Saturdays, going to Chennai on Sundays.

College work started increasing, what with all the submissions, records and deadlines. Brainstorming sessions were held, both in the hostel (with friends) and on the phone (with Dad) about which colleges to apply for. Forms were filled. As already mentioned other than CAT I applied for XLRI (you write XAT for it), FMS (FMS entrance exam) and MDI (takes CAT score).

Gyaan Segment

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For FMS you are supposed to write an SOP (Statement of Purpose). Here you are supposed to discuss your short as well as long term goals and tell them how FMS will help you achieve them. Good work of fictional writing, you could say!!

Anyways my advice for SOP is to get it over and done with asap. The more time you spend on it, the more addictive it gets. Just think about what you want to write, write a rough draft, show it around to friends and people who know you well, finalize the copy and submit it. The more you keep it with you, the more you read it, the more number of trivial changes you make and the more you agonize.

Actually I did all of the stuff that I am telling you not to. I looked around for some sample copies. Had a look at a few of my friends' SOPs. Thought they were too general, decided to write a radical one for myself and did (It was a suicidal one and am just glad the interview panel didn’t bring it up in my interview) .

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Actually was thinking of applying for a couple more colleges but then decided against it. The reasoning behind was that I didn’t want any desperation to cloud my decision while making up my mind whether to join a college or not (20-20 hindsight!!). The colleges that I had applied for decent enough and if I could not make it to any of them I was willing to give it a shot the next year. After all I had a job offer to fall back on.

Well after some trips to Chennai my performance in the AIMCATs stabilized (if it can be called that).

Studies for CAT took a backseat as college exams started; first the lab exams and then the semester theory papers.

In the middle of my two semester theory papers I had my CAT exam. Wasn’t as dramatic as I am making it sound. Actually had the day before and after the CAT exam as study offs so it didn’t matter much.

Read about the C-Day (that fateful day 18 Nov, 2007) in the next edition of CAT Tales.