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Challenges Commerce Students Face At A B-School?

A majority of the batchmates are always engineers in a b-school. But what people fail to realise is that there are many roads to an MBA. If you are a commerce graduate and want to know what it is like to be in a b-school, join this Live Chat with Ankush Arya who got into an IIM after completing his CA!

CONDUCTED BY:
Ankush Arya
Aug 04
10:00 PM

Aug 04
11:00 PM
  • Profile Picture Ankush Arya

    Hey guys

    04:29 PM

  • Profile Picture Ankush Arya

    Ankush Arya this side

    04:30 PM

  • Profile Picture Ankush Arya

    Welcome to the Konversation

    04:30 PM

  • Profile Picture Ankush Arya

    I am here to talk to today about how MBA is a great option for commerce students and how to approach CAT

    04:31 PM

  • Profile Picture Ankush Arya

    I am also open to any other queries you have.

    04:31 PM

  • Profile Picture Ankush Arya

    As for my profile: I joined IIM Udaipur in 2016 for the PGDM after completing CA.

    04:31 PM

  • Profile Picture Ankush Arya

    I am a member of the Media Committee here at IIM Udaipur

    04:32 PM

  • Profile Picture Ankush Arya

    Awaiting your questions now :)

    04:32 PM

  • Profile Picture Ankush Arya

    I see a dearth of question even though 24 people are viewing

    04:45 PM

  • Profile Picture Ankush Arya

    Anyway, posting some general observations that I have on the said topic

    04:45 PM

  • Profile Picture Ankush Arya

    Commerce in general and CA in particular suffers from a drawback in my opinion. Most of the knowledge we gather is in theory with very limited practical angle to it

    04:47 PM

  • Profile Picture Ankush Arya

    MBA helps us commerce students overcome this roadblock and see things from a very different perspective

    04:47 PM

  • Profile Picture Ankush Arya

    In my first trimester my grades went down the chute and I scored a CGPA lower than almost 50% of the batch even when I had done most of the subjects in under graduation

    04:49 PM

  • Profile Picture Ankush Arya

    It was only in the second trimester that I realised that my approach was flawed and I need to start being more practical and less of a theorist

    04:50 PM

  • Profile Picture Vartika Sharma

    Hi Ankush

    04:50 PM

  • Profile Picture Ankush Arya

    I covered ground and now stand in the top 15% of the batch now at the end of first year

    04:50 PM

  • Profile Picture Ankush Arya

    Hey Vartika

    04:50 PM

  • Profile Picture Vartika Sharma

    I am also a CA working with pwc and graduated from SRCC..I have just started preparing for CAT

    04:51 PM

  • Profile Picture Vartika Sharma

    Is 4 months enuf to crack cat with job

    04:51 PM

  • Profile Picture Vartika Sharma

    Very confused if this much time is enuf or should I focus on job only

    04:51 PM

  • Profile Picture Divyasree Krish

    Hi Ankush

    04:52 PM

  • Profile Picture Ankush Arya

    Frankly Vartika I studied for CAT for 12 days and that too after the CA finals on 16th Nov 2016

    04:52 PM

  • Profile Picture Ankush Arya

    And appeared for exams on 39th Nov.

    04:52 PM

  • Profile Picture Ankush Arya

    29th

    04:52 PM

  • Profile Picture Vartika Sharma

    Oo that's inspiring

    04:53 PM

  • Profile Picture Ankush Arya

    So put it squarely, for CAT it does not matter how long you study, what matters is how smartly you cover topics and play at your strengths

    04:53 PM

  • Profile Picture Ankush Arya

    Hey Divyashree

    04:53 PM

  • Profile Picture Vartika Sharma

    Also some People are advising me to for GMAT instead...How will u advise cat vs gmat from a point of view of a CA

    04:54 PM

  • Profile Picture Divyasree Krish

    This is Divyasree. I am a CA and CS finalist. I took CAT 16 and scored 88.89 percentile with no calls. This is my profile - General Non Engineer, Female X - 89% (CBSE), XII Commerce - 87% CBSE, b com (distance education) - 58%. Workex - Nil.

    04:54 PM

  • Profile Picture Ankush Arya

    Depends upon your interests. There are many courses in India and abroad that accept GMAT for eg. The Pgpx course here at IIMU accepts GMAT

    04:55 PM

  • Profile Picture Divyasree Krish

    I would like to know if they consider CA inter marks for AR scores in addition to B com. I am planning to take CAT 17 . I see my chances of getting into top 10 b schools clearly depends on CAT scores. I am trying to understand where I stand with this profile.

    04:55 PM

  • Profile Picture Ankush Arya

    CAT is the only medium if you want a full two year MBA from an IIM

    04:55 PM

  • Profile Picture Ankush Arya

    Hence I would advice you to understand what you want to pursue first. Both exams give you very different opportunities

    04:56 PM

  • Profile Picture Ankush Arya

    Divya. In the interview you will have a lot to talk about with that qualification but no marks are awarded for incomplete degree as far as my knowledge goes

    04:57 PM

  • Profile Picture Vartika Sharma

    What are the differences in the opportunities that are offered by GMat vs cat ..can you guide

    04:58 PM

  • Profile Picture Ankush Arya

    Also, CAT percentile is very important but so is the profile. I advice you to get a workex of more than a year to enhance your profile in CAT. Also you need to score more than 97 if you plan to get into a reputable IIM

    04:58 PM

  • Profile Picture Ankush Arya

    Vartika. GMAT gets you into executive programs in India but you also need 3 years of worked for it

    04:59 PM

  • Profile Picture Ankush Arya

    CAT gets you into regular 2 year MBA program

    04:59 PM

  • Profile Picture Vartika Sharma

    And are opportunities after them significantly different

    05:00 PM

  • Profile Picture Ankush Arya

    Yes I would say so.

    05:01 PM

  • Profile Picture Vartika Sharma

    Can you elaborate plz

    05:02 PM

  • Profile Picture Ankush Arya

    Executive programs are very specific while MBA is a general program

    05:02 PM

  • Profile Picture Ankush Arya

    You can get into any field once you complete PGDM whereas you specialise in a field in an executive program

    05:02 PM

  • Profile Picture Vartika Sharma

    Ok thanks

    05:03 PM

  • Profile Picture Divyasree Krish

    You mentioned that you gave CAT 16 after CA final exams last year. So you would have been a semi qualified while registering for CAT. What was your CAT 16 score and what were the calls you got ? Have you blogged about your interview experience anywhere ? I would like to take some pointers from your experience.

    05:03 PM

  • Profile Picture Ankush Arya

    Score 97.4

    05:04 PM

  • Profile Picture Ankush Arya

    Yes I was semi qualified and hence ABC did not give me a call

    05:04 PM

  • Profile Picture Ankush Arya

    Got a call from Lucknow, Kozhikode and Shillong among older IIMs and all new IIMs

    05:05 PM

  • Profile Picture Divyasree Krish

    Amazing Ankush!

    05:05 PM

  • Profile Picture Ankush Arya

    You can reach me at Ankush.arya.2016@iimu.ac.in

    05:05 PM

  • Profile Picture Ankush Arya

    I can share whatever you need to know

    05:06 PM

  • Profile Picture Divyasree Krish

    Sure, thanks!

    05:06 PM

  • Profile Picture Divyasree Krish

    What were the other exams you gave ?

    05:07 PM

  • Profile Picture Ankush Arya

    I say for only CAT as I had only IIMs as my aim

    05:07 PM

  • Profile Picture Ankush Arya

    Sat*

    05:08 PM

  • Profile Picture Divyasree Krish

    Okay! Is ABC really out of my league even with a very high percentile ? Cause i am a semi qualified ?

    05:08 PM

  • Profile Picture Divyasree Krish

    I cannot push CAT for another year. CAT 17 is my last shot. So i just want to understand what my chances are.

    05:09 PM

  • Profile Picture Ankush Arya

    I would advice you to compete CA as it adds immense value to your CV

    05:09 PM

  • Profile Picture Ankush Arya

    There are hardly 2-3 CAs in a batch even at an IIM and hence cracking interview becomes easier

    05:10 PM

  • Profile Picture Ankush Arya

    Your chances are dependent upon your profile which is made up of

    05:10 PM

  • Profile Picture Ankush Arya

    Cat score

    05:10 PM

  • Profile Picture Ankush Arya

    Work ex

    05:10 PM

  • Profile Picture Ankush Arya

    10th

    05:10 PM

  • Profile Picture Ankush Arya

    12th

    05:10 PM

  • Profile Picture Ankush Arya

    College marks

    05:11 PM

  • Profile Picture Ankush Arya

    Gender diversity

    05:11 PM

  • Profile Picture Ankush Arya

    Se diversity

    05:11 PM

  • Profile Picture Ankush Arya

    Academic diversity

    05:11 PM

  • Profile Picture Ankush Arya

    The weightage is different for different IIMs.

    05:11 PM

  • Profile Picture Divyasree Krish

    I am not quitting CA. I am giving exams in November.

    05:14 PM

  • Profile Picture Divyasree Krish

    And, Noted!

    05:14 PM

  • Profile Picture Ankush Arya

    Great. Best of luck with it. Pay special attention to Audit and ISCA

    05:14 PM

  • Profile Picture Divyasree Krish

    Thanks. Will do! I am actually planning to split my attempts this time. Group 1 in November and Group 2 in May. so that i have more time for CAT.

    05:16 PM

  • Profile Picture Ankush Arya

    Play at your strengths in CAT. I knew I was decent in English so I aced it and scored 99.8 in that section

    05:17 PM

  • Profile Picture Ankush Arya

    That compensated for low quant marks

    05:17 PM

  • Profile Picture Ankush Arya

    So find out your strength and ace that.

    05:18 PM

  • Profile Picture Ankush Arya

    Group one in CA is critical. Once you clear that, group two happens

    05:18 PM

  • Profile Picture Divyasree Krish

    Hmmm okay. I need more practice with DILR. Quants and VA are sorted.

    05:19 PM

  • Profile Picture Divyasree Krish

    How many CAs are there in your batch ?

    05:19 PM

  • Profile Picture Ankush Arya

    3 complete and two one group clear semi CAs

    05:20 PM

  • Profile Picture Divyasree Krish

    Awesome! How hectic is life at IIMs ?

    05:21 PM

  • Profile Picture Ankush Arya

    Depends upon you. If you want it can be so hectic that you sleep less than 4 hours everyday and if you want you can have a gala time

    05:21 PM

  • Profile Picture Ankush Arya

    I am in the media cell here and my life is a rollercoaster

    05:22 PM

  • Profile Picture Ankush Arya

    It's a constant competition between academics and other responsibilities

    05:22 PM

  • Profile Picture Ankush Arya

    But the last one year has been the best one of my life!

    05:22 PM

  • Profile Picture Divyasree Krish

    Haha ! Good to know :D

    05:22 PM

  • Profile Picture Divyasree Krish

    What are the electives you are planning to choose in the second year ?4

    05:24 PM

  • Profile Picture Ankush Arya

    I have taken a mix of finance, marketing and strategy

    05:24 PM

  • Profile Picture Ankush Arya

    My current electives are

    05:24 PM

  • Profile Picture Ankush Arya

    Banking and financial systems

    05:24 PM

  • Profile Picture Ankush Arya

    Corporate valuation

    05:25 PM

  • Profile Picture Ankush Arya

    Consumer behavior

    05:25 PM

  • Profile Picture Ankush Arya

    B2b

    05:25 PM

  • Profile Picture Ankush Arya

    Product strategy management

    05:25 PM

  • Profile Picture Ankush Arya

    Industry and competitor analysis

    05:25 PM

  • Profile Picture Ankush Arya

    Strategy in practice

    05:25 PM

  • Profile Picture Divyasree Krish

    Awesome! You think you have an edge over your peers being someone with a strong finance background ?

    05:27 PM

  • Profile Picture Ankush Arya

    Yes that helps. Both academically and from placement point of view. But mind you engineers are very sharp and they know ways to acquire our expertise very fast

    05:28 PM

  • Profile Picture Ankush Arya

    So you have to constantly upgrade yourself to stay ahead

    05:28 PM

  • Profile Picture Divyasree Krish

    Great! What are your plans for summer internship ? IB or VC or ?

    05:29 PM

  • Profile Picture Ankush Arya

    I am in second year and have already done my internship at GE

    05:30 PM

  • Profile Picture Ankush Arya

    I will sit for final placements this winter

    05:30 PM

  • Profile Picture Ankush Arya

    It's time we wrap up this talk. I'll be back Monday evening probably for any other thing you want to ask. You can always write to me for any query :)

    05:31 PM

  • Profile Picture Ankush Arya

    Adios :)

    05:31 PM

  • Profile Picture Divyasree Krish

    Oh oh ! That's great to know. All the best!!

    05:31 PM

  • Profile Picture Divyasree Krish

    Sure! Nice talking to you Ankush! Hope to see you on the other side.

    05:32 PM

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