Can an average student get into IIM

While poor academics damages the scope of getting into some IIMs. Can an average student get into IIM?, it doesn’t necessarily mean it’s impossible!

Year after year, thousands of students apply to the top IIMs across India, but not all get selected. But if you look at the lists, you realize that too many in these lists did not have a great academic profile in the first place. If you work smart and target the right schools, you definitely can secure a seat with a not-so-great academic profile!

Of course, admission to IIM Bangalore or IIM Ahmedabad will be pretty tough if you are not one of the top scorers in your particular field. But there are other top IIMs that need to be your target if you have a low academic profile. And graduating from IIM Kolkata, IIM Lucknow, or IIM Indore will give you ample opportunities too!

But ‘low academic profile’ would mean different things to different candidates. One may term scoring 80% in their XII as low, while another may rate low as 60%. The case is same for CAT scores and graduation GPA. Each IIM shortlists the candidates differently. Some may put more weightage towards X and XII scores, while others may consider graduation scores to be more important.

So, let us dissect IIM Ahmedabad and see if you stand a chance at one of India’s most popular MBA programs!

Benefits and Advantages of doing MBA 

What makes you an ‘Average’ Student in the Context of IIM?

First off, ‘average’ is a subjective and at times misleading label from the very start

Whose academic performance never really excelled or has been variable over time

The entrance to IIMs is cut out for spotting potential beyond marks. It seeks a combination of intellectual ability, leadership competence, ethical caliber, and passion to make a difference.

Role of CAT Scores in IIM Selection

The CAT score is very important in the IIM selection process.

Other Factors that Influence Admission Decisions

While the CAT score is a fundamental filter, the IIMs holistically appraise each profile. The breakup follows:

Academic Diversity: IIMs believe in varied academic backgrounds to enrich the quality of classroom discussions and peer learning. For example, an applicant from a non-engineering background may bring in a different perspective.

Work Experience: Professional stints add pragmatic knowledge and can compensate for a lack of extraordinary academic records. Hence, quality matters here more than quantity; impactful and relevant experience is a strong suit.

Personal Interviews: This is where personalities unfold. PIs allow one to express communication skills, clarity of thought, and maturity—factors really crucial for those focusing on getting into IIM as an average student.

WAT (written ability test): Here, clarity of expression, coherence, and critical thinking are on test. A sharp pen can weave a persuasive narrative around an average profile.

It is through various lenses that this selection committee tries to seek those qualities that would predict a candidate’s success and contribution in the IIM community, effectively overriding conventional metrics of academic performance. Understanding these dimensions would therefore give an edge to an average student while increasing his chances in this competitive journey of IIM admissions.

IIM Ahmedabad with a low academic profile

IIM Ahmedabad, normally one of the top 3 IIMs, calls top 50 scorers from every academic discipline irrespective of their academic record. If you are an engineer, getting into top 50 scorers among the entire nation is going to be tough! So, anything below 99.96 percentile is unlikely to make the cut for engineers. And for non-engineers, 99.7+ percentile will prove to be a safe score.

For the normal shortlisting process, the average marks of class X and class XII have to be at least 80%. Therefore, if a candidate has an average less than that of 80%, no call for the interview will be issued to such a candidate, irrespective of the CAT score.

However, if your graduation scores come above 80%, you will still have to rely on your CAT score a lot! Even then, IIM Ahmedabad will be a faraway dream for you. To turn that dream into reality join the best classes for CAT in Dadar PLANETE. So, let’s look at other options!

Top IIMs That Accept a Low Academic Profile

IIM Calcutta

While the rest of the IIMs make life hell with respect to academic history, Calcutta is very benevolent. IIM C does not consider your graduation scores for shortlisting. Neither does it consider work experience. So, if the class X and class XII scores are fine (above 80%), a fairly decent CAT score percentile can guarantee a call from IIM C! If the marks of Class X or Class XII are not too high, then you will have to get a sufficiently high percentile in the CAT exam. A 99.8 percentile can prove to be a safe score if one of your scores, class X and class XII, happens to be in the 70s.

IIM Lucknow

IIM Lucknow does not consider class X mark for shortlisting. Rather, the weightages that go against CAT score and work experience during shortlisting are high. Hence, aspirants can offset poor graduation scores with a sufficiently high CAT percentile and work experience. The weightages assigned in the selection process are 10% for 12th and graduation scores, 60% for the CAT score, and 10% for work experience. If your work experience is more than 2.5 years, you have high chances of making it to IIM L with a good CAT score!

IIM Kozhikode

IIM Kozhikode doesn’t consider class X scores while shortlisting. CAT score has a weightage of 75%, class XII has a weightage of 7.5% and graduation scores have a weightage of 7.5%. Getting a 99.8+ percentile in CAT can, hence offset low academic records. IIM Indore has 36% weightage for class X scores and 40% for class XII scores. The weightage for CAT score is only 20%. If you have scored less only in graduation, then you can expect a call from IIM Indore. Irrespective of your CAT score, it is unlikely to get a call if any of class X and ClassXII scores is low. Also, the percentages of boards get normalized by IIM Indore. Therefore, aspirants coming from boards like TN and Andhra—known for mark inflation—must take this factor into account.

For any person having a low academic profile, these 4 are the top IIMs to consider. But don’t get disheartened; this is not the end of your options to get a top MBA in India! There are many other institutes which come outside the IIM category and are considered to be great MBA destinations—let’s have a look.

Top MBA from India with low academic profile

Top Indian B-schools like FMS, MDI, XLRI, and JBIMS do not pay much importance to past academics while shortlisting. Now, a score of 99.7 plus in the respective exams would definitely get you an interview call from all of these institutes, with very bright chances of making it through.

It is, therefore, very important to enhance options rather than merely thinking about getting into an IIM with poor academics. Here are some options that you can consider!

No matter what your past academics were, prepare well for CAT or these respective entrances and try and score the best possible percentile if you want a shot at one of the top IIMs or any other B-schools. If you still harbor doubts about your academic score securing a place in your dream IIM, then it’s crucial to shift your focus. Instead of dwelling on potential shortcomings, concentrate on maximizing your CAT scores. Furthermore, dedicate time to enhancing your overall profile to bolster your chances of impressing the admission committees at top B-schools.

Conclusion

If you are traveling towards this destination, keep alive the hope that innumerable students with similar profiles have made it before you. Every phase of the admission process, be it CAT or Personal Interview, is an opportunity to prove yourself. Perseverance, planning, and self-belief become your buddies. So, step forward with confidence, optimize your opportunity, and remember that the IIMs may well be within your reach.

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