How to Shortlist a B-School Basis CAT Percentile?

How to Shortlist a B-School Basis CAT Percentile: Navigating the vast landscape of B-schools can be overwhelming for MBA aspirants, especially when considering their CAT percentile. Your CAT score plays a pivotal role in determining your eligibility for various business schools. Shortlisting B-schools based on your CAT percentile is a strategic approach to maximize your chances of admission. This process involves identifying institutions that match your CAT score range and align with your career objectives. By focusing on schools that consider your CAT percentile within their acceptance criteria, you can streamline your application efforts and enhance your chances of securing a spot in your dream MBA program.

Many factors are to be considered before deciding which MBA colleges to apply to. There are several CAT 2023 participating colleges to choose from and candidates will have to apply for them separately. Now that the exam registrations will be starting soon, candidates can fill the Common Application Form (CAF) through which they can apply to multiple MBA colleges in India in one go!

Let us take a look at the top B-schools that you can consider for admission based on your predicted percentile ranking.

Factors Controlling Admission Based on CAT 2023 Percentile

Admission to B-schools based on CAT percentile is influenced by several critical factors. Understanding these factors can help aspirants gauge their chances of securing admission to their desired institutions. Some of the key factors include:

• CAT Percentile: The CAT percentile is a primary consideration for B-school admissions. Different business schools set specific CAT cutoffs, and candidates meeting these cutoffs have a better chance of being shortlisted.
• Academic Background: Academic performance, including past academic records, undergraduate degree, and consistency in scores, is assessed by B-schools to evaluate a candidate's potential.
• Reservation Category: Many institutions have seats reserved for candidates belonging to specific categories, such as SC/ST/OBC/PwD. Meeting the cutoffs within the respective category enhances the chances of admission.
• Work Experience: Work experience can add value to a candidate's profile. Some B-schools prefer candidates with prior work experience, especially for Executive MBA programs.
• Written Ability Test (WAT) and Personal Interview (PI): After shortlisting based on CAT percentile, B-schools conduct WAT and PI rounds to evaluate candidates' communication skills, personality, and suitability for their programs.
• Diversity: B-schools often strive for diversity in their upcoming batches. Factors like gender diversity, academic diversity, and a mix of various professional backgrounds can positively impact admission decisions.

Understanding these factors can help aspirants tailor their applications and focus on B-schools that align with their strengths and profile, increasing their chances of admission based on their CAT percentile.

Also Read: Reservation in MBA Entrance Exams

How to Choose a B-School Based on CAT 2023 Percentile

As MBA aspirants, you should look for a B-school that fulfills your goals/ dreams - both short term and long term. You should ponder the following before finalizing the b-schools you apply to:

The Reputation of the B-school

How good is the reputation that involves the ranking and authenticity of the college? Some of the major factors of reputation are location, the ambience of the college campus, achievements, placement/packages, alumni, industry interface, exchange programmes, etc.

Availability of The Stream That Aligns With Your Future Plans

Select the college that offers a stream in line with your background of previous study or job. Make sure you select a college that offers the specialisation you are aspiring to pursue.

Quality of Faculty Hired by the College

Knowledgeable faculty in the college is very important and you can look forward to enriching your experience under their tutelage.

The Pedagogy Adopted by the College

Good lectures and tutorials comprising a variety of teaching styles in an institution boost the motivation of a student to explore new areas and bring the best of the learning experience from the programs and courses.

Availability of Good Quality Infrastructure

The infrastructure of a college/institution ensures that a student gets value for his money from every aspect as it plays a very important role in a B-School and in imparting knowledge. Some of the quality infrastructural facilities you should expect from a B-school are:

• Well-managed Lab with well-qualified Lab Assistant
• Upgraded Technology
• Library Membership
• Periodical & Newspaper Section
• Uninterrupted Internet Connection
• Good Wi-Fi Facility
• Photocopying Facility
• Shopping Complex
• Cloak Room
• Study Material

Skill Development Programmes Run by the College

Leadership skills and organizational skills are the two most important aspects that a student wants to develop in a B-school. To build these skills, a student should attend and organize as many projects/seminars/workshops as possible. A B-school should have the network to provide such projects/seminars/workshops with high quality. 

Practical, Workshops, Seminars, Guest Lectures

Workshops, seminars, guest lectures provide a platform for deliberation and knowledge sharing. These are ideal testing grounds for students to apply and test the concepts taught.

Having said that, it is advisable that this is the right time to shortlist the B-schools and start applying now. Every B-school worth its name has a complex and rigorous process of selecting candidates. Hence, you should be clear in your mind as to how to prepare yourself to face the second tier of the selection process after getting a call from an institute of your choice.

CAT 95+ Percentile Colleges

With a 95+ percentile score in CAT, you can seek admission in almost all of the top MBA colleges in India. These include the topmost Indian Institutes of Management (IIMs) as well as all the other colleges ranked alongside them.

In this bracket, your high percentile brings you to the zone where you fulfil the cutoff for almost most of the top MBA colleges in India as mentioned below -

Start preparing for Written Aptitude Test (WAT), Group Discussion and Personal Interview rounds, before you go ahead for a coveted seat in your dream B-school.

Also Read:WAT (Written Ability Test) for IIMs and other MBA Colleges in India

CAT 90 - 95 Percentile Colleges

Do not get disheartened if you miss the opportunity to be in the first bracket but are placed in this bracket. Below mentioned are the colleges accepting 90 - 95 Percentile: 

Also Read: Which is the Top MBA College in India for my requirement?

CAT 85 - 90 Percentile Colleges

Below mentioned are colleges accepting 85 - 90 CAT Percentile -

Also Read: Top B-schools that Accept CAT Percentile Below 90 other than IIMs

CAT 80 - 85 Percentile Colleges

Below mentioned are colleges accepting CAT 80 - 85 Percentile -

If you secure a percentile in this range, you can aim for admission mostly in Tier 2 B-schools. The admission process in these institutes mainly includes GD and PI or only PI for which you have to prepare accordingly.

Also Read:Top B-schools that Accept CAT Percentile Below 90 other than IIMs

CAT 70 - 80 Percentile Colleges

There are plenty of colleges that accept candidates with a CAT score in the range of 70 to 80 percentile. However, in this range, your best bet would be to go for a college that offers the best placements.

Also Read:List of MBA Colleges Accepting 70-80 Percentile in CAT 2023

If you have obtained a percentile below 80, you will not have many options in the top 50 B-Schools in India. But you will surely get calls from many of the Tier 3 B-schools. 

B-Schools Outside the Top 100 Ranking

Moving below the 70 percentile mark in CAT will not leave you with many options in the top 100 MBA colleges in India. However, there will still be plenty of colleges where you will be able to join an MBA programme.

Colleges for Less Than 70 Percentile in CAT

In colleges that accept less than 70 percentile in CAT, there is no particular admission deadline or cut-off percentile. Mostly, they do not reject anyone in the GD/PI.

Also Read:List of MBA Colleges Accepting 60-70 Percentile in CAT 2023

As students, you must check before you take admission whether the B-School of your choice fulfils your expectations or not. B-schools, on the other hand, should ensure that the students can get the essence of student life and professional life.

Your next step will include preparing for the WAT, GD and PI rounds for the IIMs and other top B-schools as well as Extempore, especially if you are planning to take admission in FMS or IMI. Reading newspapers and keeping yourself abreast with current affairs is the primary step for the GD, PI, and WAT preparation.

Check these other related articles that will help you with your CAT preparation.

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