What After CAT 2023 Exam? Here are Some Important Things To Do

What After CAT 2023 Exam: The Common Admission Test or the CAT exam is a single step in the entire process of MBA admission for management aspirants. After the conclusion of the CAT exam, most candidates assume that their share of the responsibility is over, but that is not the case. There are several important tasks that aspirants must tend to, for enhancing their chances of securing admission to their dream MBA college or university. One of the first things that a candidate should do after the CAT exam is to assess their performance and estimate their scores as accurately as possible. The stages after the CAT exam at the eminent B-Schools in India include the Written Ability Test (WAT), Group Discussion (GD), and Personal Interview (PI).

Candidates can use tools like the CAT 2023 Percentile Predictor and CAT 2023 College Predictor to gain a better understanding of their admission prospects. The CAT results have been declared on December 21, 2023. Assessing the CAT score and percentile to determine how competitive a candidate is for admission to various MBA programs is also a major step.

Apart from an assessment of the CAT performance, aspirants must also focus on selecting the right MBA colleges to apply to for MBA admission. The cutoff scores for different colleges and programs can vary significantly, so candidates must research the admission criteria of the colleges they are interested in. Candidates must make sure they consider all the necessary factors when selecting MBA colleges. In this article, we have covered all the areas that aspirants should focus on after the CAT 2023 exam.

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Important Dates After CAT 2023

Here are the dates for some of the important events now that CAT 2023 has been conducted:

What after CAT Exam 2023?

Provided below are a few pointers explaining what your next step should be after appearing for the CAT exam.

Analyze your Exam Performance

Firstly, check out the detailed exam analysis of the CAT to understand the question paper and the difficulty level of the exam. It is essential to evaluate your performance before seeking admission to any MBA college. Given below are the credible sources talking about the CAT paper analysis in detail to understand more about the CAT 2023 exam. Go through them to get a firm understanding of the exam.

Calculate Your Raw Scores in CAT 2023

Your raw scores will be calculated for each section based on the number of questions you have answered correctly, incorrectly, or omitted. You will be given +3 points for each correct answer and -1 points for each incorrect answer. There will be no points for questions that are not answered. This marking scheme ensures that candidates are only awarded points for what they know. 

Find Out How the CAT 2023 Score Will be Evaluated

The CAT, like virtually all large-scale exams, will utilize multiple forms, or versions, of the test. While all forms are carefully assembled to ensure that the content is comparable, the difficulty of each form may vary slightly. Such minor differences in the overall difficulty level cannot be accurately measured until after all of the forms have been administered and the results analyzed.

To facilitate this comparison, each form will contain equating blocks comprising a predefined number of statistically profiled questions selected from a large item bank. By comparing candidate responses to these equating blocks across multiple forms, the ability level of the individuals can be evaluated, and the precise difficulty of the forms calculated. The raw scores are then adjusted, as necessary, through a process called equating.

Equating assures fairness for all candidates by allowing accurate comparisons to be made of performance across all of the test forms. Equated raw scores are then placed on a common scale or metric to ensure an appropriate interpretation of the scores. This process is called Scaling.

Check the CAT 2023 Normalization Process

CAT 2023 will be conducted in two sessions. Two different Test Forms shall be administered in two Test Sessions. To ensure fairness and equity in comparison of the performances of the candidates across different test sessions, the scores of the candidates shall be subjected to a process of Normalization. The CAT 2023 normalization process shall adjust for location and scale differences of score distributions across different forms. After normalization across different forms, the scores shall be further normalized across different sections. The scaled scores obtained by this process shall be converted into percentiles for purposes of shortlisting.

The process of Normalization is an established practice for comparing a candidate’s scores across multiple Forms and is similar to those being adopted in other large educational selection tests conducted in India, such as the Graduate Aptitude Test in Engineering (GATE). For normalization across sections, percentile equivalence will be used.

Also Read: CAT 2023:Check Out Seat Reservation Policy at IIMs

What will be the Normalization Process for CAT Result 2023?

• Adjust for location and scale differences of score distributions across different forms
• Then the scores will be further normalized across different sections
• The scaled scores obtained by this process shall be converted into percentiles for purposes of shortlisting For reporting purposes, Scaled Scores for each section viz., Verbal Ability and Reading Comprehension (VARC), Data Interpretation and Logical Reasoning (DILR), and Quantitative Ability (QA) and Total score, along with the percentile shall be published

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

What is the CAT Percentile Ranking?

A percentile rank is the percentage of scores that fall below a given score. For example, a 75 percentile would imply that your score is greater than or equal to 75% of the total CAT test-takers.

Percentile rankings are provided for each section as well as for the overall exam score. Raw scores will not be made available under any circumstance, as they do not represent a fair interpretation of your performance to other candidates who have taken the CAT during the same testing window.

Taking Admission into MBA Colleges in 2024

Based on your CAT score and percentile, create a list of MBA colleges that you are eligible for and that align with your career goals. On the basis of your CAT result 2023, you will get a call from the colleges individually, provided you had already individually applied to that college earlier. Each college follows its application deadline – some before the last date of application for CAT and some after. Usually, many colleges keep their application deadline open till January of the next year. Consider the reputation of the colleges, program offerings, and location.

Besides the CAT 2023 percentile, MBA colleges follow their shortlisting parameter usually comprising of Essay Writing, Group Discussion, Statement of Purpose, Case Analysis, Personal Interview or Extempore, etc.

Apply to MBA Colleges

Complete the application process for the MBA colleges you have shortlisted. This typically involves filling out online application forms, providing necessary documents, and paying application fees.

Prepare for GD/WAT and PI Rounds 

Some MBA colleges may require candidates to participate in Group Discussions (GD), Written Ability Tests (WAT), and Personal Interviews (PI) as part of the selection process. Prepare for these rounds by practicing communication skills and enhancing your knowledge of current affairs and relevant topics.

Network and Seek Guidance

Connect with alumni, current students, and professionals in the MBA field to gain insights into different programs and colleges. Seek guidance from mentors and professionals who can help you make informed decisions.

Make an Informed Decision

Once you receive admission offers, carefully evaluate your options and make an informed decision about which MBA program to join. Consider factors such as program curriculum, faculty, campus facilities, and career opportunities.

Important Things to Do After Taking the CAT Exam 2023

Here are some important things that you should do after appearing for the CAT 2023 entrance exam:

Preparing for GD/ PI

You should remember that scoring good marks in the CAT examination doesn't guarantee your admission to one of the top B-Schools in India. You will have to perform well in Group Discussions/ Personal Interviews and other rounds as well. Final admission to colleges will be done on a merit list which will include your performance in CAT as well as GD/ PI rounds. Candidates are required to be well-versed in current affairs for group discussion. They must keep in mind that their speech should be concise and avoid unnecessary detail. The candidates must be knowledgeable on the most recent social, political, and economic developments occurring on both a national and worldwide scale. It is a wise choice for candidates to make newspapers a part of their morning routine. Here are some of the newspapers candidates must go through.

• The Hindu
• Live Mint
• The Economic Times
• The Indian Express

Here are some topics for the Group Discussion (GD) round that candidates can prepare beforehand.

• Social media
• Globalization
• Quota system
• Reservation in India
• Privatization
• Terrorism
• Politics

Apply for Admission to B-Schools

You are advised to keep track of the application dates of your selected colleges. Some colleges have an application deadline before the CAT result. You can't apply to them once the result is declared.

Attend Webinars And Workshops

Attending webinars and workshops will help you to get familiar with the type of questions that you can face in the interview. Besides this, it will also help you to gain some confidence before you appear for an interview. Refreshing your C.V. presentation at this time would be a great idea. While it's important to present yourself in the best possible way, there's no need to go overboard, and that's where expert assistance comes in. Join a reputable institution and improve yourself.

Choose your MBA Specialisation Wisely

Once you have appeared for the CAT exam, you have some time to choose your specialization. You can check the trends and future growth of all types of CAT specializations before finalizing one. You are advised to choose the specialization that matches your interests and experience. 

Back-Up Plan for MBA Admission 2024

One of the most important things is to have a backup plan. Since you are not sure about the CAT result, you should keep a backup plan ready with you. You are advised to take at least 2-3 other entrance exams such as XAT, NMAT, or CMAT. If you can score good marks in any of these management entrance exams, then you will surely be able to get a good B-School. You don’t have to depend upon the CAT results.

Take a Break

Last but not least, give yourself a break by reading a book, watching some entertaining movies, and getting some rest since you deserve it and because doing so won't be possible for the next two years.

Also Read: CAT vs CMAT, NMAT, XAT, SNAP, IIFT & Other MBA Entrance Exams

Top MBA Colleges Accepting CAT Scores in 2024

You are advised to sort out at least 8-9 colleges of each CAT percentile range. You can check the official website of the college to know about its cutoff percentage. Some of the well-known MBA colleges that accept CAT scores are provided below:

Candidates must also check out the articles mentioned below to know which colleges they must select based on their CAT 2023 scores.

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For admission-related guidance, fill out our Common Admission Form or call the student helpline number 1800-572-9877 (toll-free). Our admission experts will be glad to help you out. If you have any other doubts about the CAT 2023 examination, you can ask questions in the Q&A zone. Stay tuned with us for more updates!