Want an MBA? Prepare for these exams

Phew! CAT 2006 is finally over. Most of you must now be pouring over answer keys, percentile estimation, and college application issues and wondering what to do next.
Right then, let us look at precisely that. There are three things you need to do now:
a) Apply to B-schools accepting CAT results, depending on the score and percentile you expect.
b) Prepare for the other exams coming your way in the next couple of months.
c) Prepare for the group discussion and personal interview.
Close to 80 B-schools accept the CAT score. The Indian Institutes of Management accept students who have scored at least in the 98 percentile, while schools like MDI, NITIE take students in the 96.5+ percentile range. So, the first step is to convert your score into a percentile.
The next step involves deciding which colleges you can apply to, based on your percentile. Here are some additional factors you need to consider:
• If you have not fared well, will you take CAT again? Or will you join a college that was not originally on your shortlist?
• Work experience from a good company for 1.5+ years will marginally increase your chances at most colleges.
• (For people with work experience) Will your career after an MBA from a particular college be significantly better than your career now?
If required, do take expert guidance while making the above decisions.
The table below gives the likely percentiles that 25 MBA schools, other than the IIMs, are expected to accept this year. Your percentile needs to be in the 98+ range if you plan to apply to the IIMs.
Your other option is to give the other MBA entrance exams a shot. Here is a brief look at the various exams held post-CAT and the institutes that accept the results of these entrance exams: