FMS Delhi Conversion - 6 Yrs of Hard Work Pays Off!

[Sumit]

I come from a humble background. After 12th grade, I enrolled in IGNOU's distance B.Com program to work and support my family. From 13, I started earning - giving tuitions, doing Zomato deliveries, reselling books at Daryaganj market, whatever it took to support my family and education.

I stumbled upon the idea of an MBA from a top B-school and the opportunities it provided. I knew that was my way out - not just for me, but for my family.

So I started preparing for CAT. I did self-study, used to solve Arun Sharma's books. My 1st attempt scored 80%ile.

I prepared for another year and scored 79%ile in my second attempt. That stung.

But I refused to stop.

For CAT 2023, I went all in - question practice, mocks, analysis. My entire year went like that. Result - 98.94%ile with 99+ in LRDI and Quants. I got calls from IIM K, L, S, M, CAP, IIM V, MDI, IIFT, FMS. I was really happy, attending interviews for the first time, achieving something made all my struggles worth it.

I converted IIFT Delhi that year. A dream college.

But I decided to let it go for a job offer and convinced myself I had the potential to crack the BLACKI IIMs. Looking back, I'm still not sure if that was confidence or stupidity.

I worked and attempted CAT 2024. It hit differently. The paper went badly. Scored below 95%ile. No calls.

That was the lowest point of my life. My friends and mentor pulled me back up. I decided to go for one final attempt - CAT 2025.

LRDI and Quants felt solid. VARC was my weak spot. I built a habit of reading and summarising articles daily. I'm grateful to Sayali Ma'am who guided my VARC prep.

CAT 2025 came. VARC went well. LRDI felt strong. Then, mid-Quants, my computer switched off. Five to seven minutes gone. I couldn't recover fully but maintained my calm.

Results came and I scored 97.99%ile. Got calls from IIM K, L, S, M, CAP, JAP, IIM V, MDI, IIFT, FMS again.

This time, I prepared for interviews differently - more grounded, more honest about my journey. Most interviews went well. But results showed I was waitlisted in most colleges. Was waitlisted for FMS too.

Then, on 19th May, I received an email from FMS - Waitlist converted.

Now, I don't have the right words. It's been 6+ years of odd jobs, failed attempts, a painful detour, and self-doubt.

But here I am. New campus. New hardships coming. And I'm ready.

To everyone still in the grind.. Keep going. The journey is supposed to be hard but you are definitely stronger.

If you have any doubt regarding preparation or profile, I am currently doing an AMA on r/IIMCATPreparation.

[Menon]

All the best buddy, keep your head down and plough through for the next two and then you will have multiple paths ahead to choose.

[Shyam]

Heartiest congratulations! This is truly inspiring!

[Hitesh]

Wow bro, may I ask your profile? You are a fresher, I think. You are an inspiration. But that letting go of IIFT was really dumb. You are one of the greatest examples of resilience. May you have a great career.

[Komal]

What's your academic profile?

[Shanta]

Congratulations, and I felt really happy. I'm also pursuing my B.Com from IGNOU. Many people make negative comments when I say that I'm studying from IGNOU. I will also give the CAT exam.

[Preeti]

Made me cry.

[Pallavi]

Congrats bro

[Sarika]

Congratulations OP. You've made it to the Red Building of Dreams.

[Amitabh]

Truly inspiring! Congratulations!

[Aftab]

Congratulations man! Many more to come. Genuinely very happy for you