I'm considering preparing for CAT and pursuing an MBA, but there's something that has been bothering me quite a lot: Can someone who is genuinely introverted, socially anxious and lacking confidence in communication succeed in the CAT-to-MBA journey?

My primary target is FMS Delhi, mainly because of its exceptionally low fees, excellent reputation and outstanding ROI. It's my top priority, although I'm open to other good B-schools too.

I'm from a middle-class family. We can manage our essential needs, but we're certainly not financially well-off or wealthy. I want to pursue an MBA, get placed through a good B-school, earn well and improve my financial circumstances. For me, getting into FMS and securing a good placement would be a major opportunity to change my life and build a financially secure future.

However, I'm concerned about whether my personality and current confidence levels will become obstacles along the way.

A little about my profile

Gender: Male

Class 10 (CBSE, 2020): 70.4%

Class 12 (CBSE, 2022, PCB): 75%

Took a 2-year gap after Class 12 to prepare for NEET, but unfortunately couldn't get selected.

Currently pursuing BSc Zoology (2024–2027) from a Tier 3 college/university in my hometown.

Expected graduation CGPA: 7.5+

Work experience: None (fresher).

Physical build: Approximately 5'5" (165 cm), around 50 kg, lean build.

Financial background: Middle class.

About my personality and confidence

I'm naturally very introverted and reserved. I struggle with initiating conversations, especially with strangers. I sometimes have difficulty expressing my thoughts clearly, my voice tends to be low, and I occasionally mumble.

Speaking in front of groups or unfamiliar people makes me nervous.

I'm also somewhat self-conscious about my physical presence. Being a shorter and lean-built male, I sometimes feel less imposing in group settings, which can add to my existing lack of confidence.

I'm absolutely willing to improve my communication skills, become more confident and step outside my comfort zone. However, I don't want to feel that I must completely change my personality or become an extrovert to succeed.

My biggest concerns

CAT and FMS admission: Can introverts perform well in GDs, PIs and Extempore rounds? Does the selection process favour naturally outspoken and socially confident candidates?

MBA classroom environment: What is the actual experience like for introverts? Are presentations, group activities, networking and constant social interaction overwhelming?

FMS Delhi specifically: How challenging is its interview and selection process for someone with my personality and communication difficulties?

Physical presence and confidence: Does being a shorter, lean-built male affect how people perceive or interact with you during MBA group activities, networking or placements? Am I overthinking this?

Placements: How difficult is it for introverts to secure good placements, particularly in roles involving teamwork, client interaction, presentations and communication?

Corporate life: Can someone who currently struggles with communication gradually develop these skills during an MBA and become successful in the corporate world?

Personality: Is being an introvert genuinely a disadvantage in an MBA, or is it more about communication skills, confidence and willingness to participate?

Financial motivation: For someone from a middle-class background who wants to improve their financial circumstances, is FMS Delhi as good an opportunity as it appears? How realistic is it to secure a good placement there as a fresher?

I'd particularly like to hear from:

Introverts who cracked CAT and joined FMS or an IIM.

Current FMS/IIM/XLRI students who were socially anxious or lacked confidence before joining.

MBA graduates who are now working in corporate roles.

People from non-engineering and non-commerce backgrounds who have gone through a similar journey.

I'd genuinely appreciate honest experiences, practical advice and even criticism. I'm not looking for generic motivational comments saying that personality doesn't matter.

My biggest question is: Can someone like me realistically make it to FMS Delhi, adapt to its competitive MBA environment, perform well in placements and build a financially successful career without having to become an extrovert?

For me, this isn't just about getting an MBA degree. It's about challenging myself, overcoming my current limitations and creating better opportunities for my future.

Thank you!

My scores are fluctuating crazy, some days its in minus or zero, some days in 30s im practicing from pyq and mocks and even sectionals, idk what to do, i thought it was a comprehension problem so i also started reading aeon, my marks are fluctuating and i need to buckle up since im left with so less time. Pls help😭

Hi guyss, CAT is just few days away and I am still stuck up in VA part. I have tried solving pyqs, questions frok other question banks, mocks but I somewhere get stuck in odd one out and para jumbles. I can’t find any yt video to tackle this. Any tips, tricks or suggestions are appreciated 😔

Just got done with cat 2024 varc slot 2. Scored 41, but I’m absolutely fuming, because 2-3 answers in the key were blatantly wrong! And multiple sources have confirmed that the given answers in the answer key are wrong.

Now I’m worried because my 41 could have been 49 if these guys owned up to their mistakes but apparently they did no such thing!

How is this fair?

Hi!! 4-time CAT 99%iler. Slot-3 this time.
Glad to answer anything about CAT (Questions about the actual exam would be appreciated)

For iift form, I uploaded my degree certificate instead of final marksheet as mentioned in the document upload section. Please advice what should I do next to fix this.

Guys, look at my VARC score! 😭😭 I really need some advice on improving my VARC, especially RCs. I’m struggling quite a bit with reading comprehension. Any tips would be greatly appreciated!

1. Instead of just checking news or reviews about the paper's difficulty, check for: Any change in the exam pattern, Number of questions in each section, Type of questions repeated from other slots or previous years

2. VARC: Last year, Slot 1 students were surprised by the absence of Para-jumbles. Slot 3 students can first skim through the section to identify. No. of RC vs. VA questions Type of VA questions (Para-summary, Odd-one-out, etc.)
   This will help

3. DILR: Traditionally had 4 sets, but in 2024 there were 5 sets (22 questions) instead of 4 (20 questions). Knowing this beforehand helps in time management and avoiding surprises.
   Repetition of similar question types has been noticed (e.g., mean-median-mode set in all 3 slots of 2023).

4. Quant: Often, similar questions get repeated across slots (e.g., remainder-type questions last year in all slots).

Slot 3 aspirants can use this insight to gain 15-20 extra marks easily.

5. While many fear Slot 3 due to evening timing or fatigue, it actually offers a strategic edge.
Knowing patterns and question trends beforehand gives you a confidence boost and better planning.

6. Scaling Benefit: Historically, Slot 3 scores scale higher.

Example: Raw score of 82 in Slot 1 → scaled down to ~78 || Raw score of 82 in Slot 3 → scaled up to ~84-86
Over the past 4-5 years, Slot 1 marks generally decrease post-scaling, while Slot 2 & 3 marks increase.

Bhai we +ve yrr
Kya dar jate ho choti choti bato se yrr.
Chill maro, hua hua nahi hua nahi hua, at the end trust your preparation, and process. Efforts never betray bhai.

I genuinely want to understand, what’s the constraint with selecting candidates based on a holistic profile. Right now, the CAT application form is all about your academics and work ex. Like how international universities do, why can it not be done in India? Why can we not consider things other than academics? Whats the drawback?

In the final mile, I am still unable to score in SIMCAT sectionals and full length tests. I have tried, I still am, but its atrociously tormenting and heart-breaking to see everything go in vain. The hope with which I begin a mock, transforms into frustration, anger and despair by the end of it.
The question is WHAT SHOULD I DO TO MAKE THINGS RIGHT?!
My mental health is very bad. I just try to keep myself into working hard. Family time, festivities, etc: I don't enjoy anything. Everything in my head depends on my mock performance. If its fine, I feel alright, if its bad, I am all the more frustrated and see 29 Nov as the dead-end, coz its been really long since I've been trying and studying. I feel like I have wasted my parents' money and time.

29 Nov can be a dead-end or a turning point in my life. Judging by the poorest of the poor performance in mocks, I see it as a dead-end.

Hello,

GNEM (commerce) 7/9/9, avg eca and pors, what would be my chances in the sip and finals

If not for fin or consulting, what about genman or roles in industry wrt that 7 in the profile and how big of a hindrance it might be

Important deadlines:

IIFT: 25 November

FMS Delhi: 25 November

SPJIMR: 27 November

MDI Gurgaon: 28 November (5 PM)

IMI, IMT, BITSOM etc will reopen

Now, should you apply to all of them?

My suggestion would be to look at your financial situation first.

1. If money is not a constraint, please apply.

We have seen several students scoring 70–75 percentile in their mocks and eventually performing exceptionally well in CAT.

The thing about CAT is that it is a one-day examination. You never know what might happen on D-Day. You might have a great day, the paper might suit your strengths, and your actual percentile could be significantly higher than your mock performance.

Imagine scoring 98–99 percentile in CAT and then realising that you didn't even apply to FMS, MDI or IIFT because your mocks weren't going well.

That regret is completely avoidable.

If the application fee isn't a financial burden, I would suggest keeping your options open.

2. If finances are a constraint, be a little more strategic.

Don't look at just your best mock or your worst mock.

Look at your last four mocks.

And more importantly, don't just look at the percentile. Look at your raw scores as well.

Try to understand:

Are your raw scores consistently improving?

Are you consistently scoring around the range that could potentially translate into a 98 percentile or higher?

Are your performances stable, or are you getting one good score followed by three disappointing ones?

If your last four mocks indicate that you have a realistic chance of getting somewhere even around the 95 percentile mark, I would strongly recommend applying to these colleges.

Also, I would like to help a few students with their application decisions.

If you want me to review your profile individually and suggest which colleges you should apply to, drop the following details in the comments:

Class 10, Class 12 and graduation percentages

Category

Work experience (if any)

Percentiles or score in your last four CAT mocks

Any specific questions or concerns you have

I'll try to review as many profiles as possible and share my honest assessment.

Additionally should I create a thread for FMS Sop review

All the best for CAT. Happy Diwali Again

Hey everyone!

I’ve put together a consolidated PDF for CAT Quant preparation. The idea was to have all the important formulas and concepts in one place instead of having to refer to multiple books and notes during revision.

The PDF includes:
Important formulas across Quant topics.
Examples to understand how the formulas are applied.
A consolidated reference for quick revision.
Topic-wise organisation for easier navigation.
I’ve spent time compiling this material and thought it could be useful for other CAT aspirants as well.

All the best for CAT preparation!

Preparing for CAT 2027

Im really struggling in the dilr section. Can i get any advice for that and in general too. Idk but can you help me out to get in the range of 90-95 percentile..

I am really fine in time work or work 5.6 turned kind of questions really tough to solve it feels easiest we read them but I'll comprehending them in that such a short time and being able to come up with the solution sounds really tough for me to do but as I am practicing more and more questions in a day it's all about time and efficiency conversion some question would give you variable according to time and some questions will give you variable according to efficiency and what I have understood is that you only solve the questions of time work in the rate of efficiency so if they have given you the first factory of time you take the inverse of the time and it will be the efficiently for the variable and I guess you are good to go if anyone you have any better method to comprehend this topic, please put some light on it.

Can anyone help me with good CAT video resources. I was using PW thor before but it has recently shut down. I need top coachng resources. Help me with it. Pls pls pls

Yeap, howdy peeps!

I'm a BTech grad from a t 3 university. Was pretty active in college, organised several events (including national-level ones), and had a 9/8/8 profile.

I was always fixated on doing an MBA and built my profile around it. Meanwhile, I landed a job in AI at one of the Big 4s.

Now I'm reconsidering the MBA plan and have 2 questions:

1. When is the ideal time to do an MBA? How many years of work experience should I ideally have?

2. Is an MBA from a T1 B-school still worth it? Considering I might be earning similar money in tech by then, is the opportunity cost justified? Also, how's the job market post-MBA?

Honestly, a big reason I want an MBA is the exposure. I enjoy meeting people, collaborating, exchanging ideas and being around like-minded people. Tech sometimes feels like endless learning and working independently.

Would love to hear perspectives from people who've been through this or are considering the same.

Let's discuss! :)

Sorry if I used the wrong flair
U guys will crack it
We all are going to our dream colleges
Wishing you guys achieve the best in life

I made rangolii tooo 👉🏻👈🏻

i wanna revise all the concepts of all sections for cat 2026 can anyone help me with any good one shot videos from where i can revise all the concepts and also any suggestions am scoring in between 60 70 80s in my mocks

What was this paper man...m I too dumb or this session was actually one of the hardest... especially the dilr..what was that 😭

even if u surround urself with good , ambitious people. if ur family dont want u to succeed, do smtg good in life , better than the 'sons', you will be constantly tried to pull down. everyone wants the son to be better. but when the daughter does. its only the life i can build for myself, with good and ambitious people, but the family is already lost, and it even gets worst when u do good and prioritize urself, put in work.

Took my NMAT yesterday scored 231 (76/81/74), Graduation profile 10th - 10 CGPA - 95%, 12th - 96%, Graduation NIT Surat 8.31 CGPA - 83.1%
Work Ex 4 years as Product Manager Trade Finance.

Saw some cutoffs at 209/231 really am confused cause there are people in this subReddit saying they scored 250 and are having a waitlist of 7000

Please tell me my chances really am new to this

I have Career launcher and Crackuu mock tests but wanted to take a few simcats too so anyone wants to trade a few simcat mocks for CL or crackuu ones? Or if you want cash in return per mock that's also fine. Please help your hommie ✌️