Interviewer: Dr Rav Singh
SNAP Topper: Tejayeshang Chalwant (Computer Science Engineer, SIBM Pune)
Dr Rav Singh: Hi, Tejayeshang! You’re an SIBM Pune convert with just about 15 days of focused preparation. Of course, the CAT prep laid the groundwork, but those final weeks are crucial. First, tell us a bit about your background.
Tejayeshang: Yes Sir. My name is Tejayeshang Chalwant, and I’m a Computer Science Engineer from SRMISC, based in Navi Mumbai. While my initial preparation was for CAT, the transition to SNAP was seamless—though we had to cover more new topics, especially in the Logical and Verbal sections.
Dr Rav Singh: That’s the key difference, right? CAT is mostly puzzles and sets, but SNAP’s Logical Reasoning is a completely different ballgame with all individual questions.
Tejayeshang: Yes Sir. Exactly.
Dr Rav Singh: So, for students who have completed their basics through CAT, what is the single most important piece of advice you have for those last 15 days? Specifically, how many mocks should they take?
Tejayeshang: My advice would be to take as many mocks as you can, but aim to limit it somewhere between 20 to 30. This is vital because you must leave enough time for analyzing every single mock. After analysis, you can see where you’re lacking and what changes you need to make to your strategy.
Dr Rav Singh: Why is changing the strategy so important for SNAP compared to CAT?
Tejayeshang: The strategy that works for CAT simply won’t work for SNAP because SNAP is a very time-bound exam. Aspirants have to be quick on their feet and nimble. 25-30 mocks is a good number to train that speed.
Dr Rav Singh: Did you stick to a fixed time for each section, or did you go with the flow? For example, did you decide, “I will spend X minutes on Verbal?”
Tejayeshang: No Sir. I followed a different idea. I run through the entire paper first, doing all the easy questions, and then I come back for the second phase to tackle the higher-level questions.
Dr Rav Singh: So, how did you decide your attempt order across the sections?
Tejayeshang: I always started with Verbal first because I felt more proficient there. Then I moved to Logical Reasoning (LR), and finally, I went to Quant. Even within Quant, I categorized questions into easier and tougher ones.
Dr Rav Singh: Why did you avoid setting a time limit for each section?
Tejayeshang: Because if we set a time limit, we start to make ourselves more nervous. That leads to panic, and all the preparation seems to fumble away. I said, “Let me take my time, but at the same time, let me keep an eye on the timer.”
Dr Rav Singh: You had a gap year. Did you feel any hindrance in the interview because of that, and how did you justify it?
Tejayeshang: No Sir, I did not feel any hindrance. I had a very honest response and a very honest answer. I explained that I was busy upskilling and working on my personal growth and skills. They seemed completely satisfied with the answer.
Dr Rav Singh: For the many MBA aspirants who have taken a gap year, what are the two main things they should focus on?
Tejayeshang: I did courses in Digital Marketing and Inbound Marketing, since my specialization here is Marketing. This helps aspirants have a clearer picture of their chosen specialization. I also focused mainly on improving my Communication Skills and Listening Skills.
Dr Rav Singh: How did you work on your Communication Skills? That’s a common challenge.
Tejayeshang: I read a lot of newspapers. I used to stand in front of a mirror and read a specific article aloud. I felt I was the best judge of my own speaking style. I also constantly sat down with my friends and peers to discuss current affairs only in English, because that is the medium of communication during the interview process.
Dr Rav Singh: What is your one golden piece of advice to students on using online resources like CET in their preparation?
Tejayeshang: During my preparation for SNAP after CAT, I used to watch a lot of your videos and you used to give all these different updates as to how these exams are, the question paper pattern and that was very insightful because again in a way that helped me devise strategies that I was able to implement during my attempts and I felt it was for your videos also that were very helpful and I thank you very much for all the help that you have given us sir.
