Interviewer: Dr Rav Singh
Topper: Vikas SCMHRD
Dr Rav Singh: Hi guys, today we will talk about the story of Vikas, who cracked the SNAP exam with exactly 99 percentile in just 10 days of focused preparation. Vikas, you prepared for CAT first, so most basics were covered. What was your overall mindset going into the final stretch of exams?
Vikas: Yeah, I had a target-oriented mindset. It was about covering CAT first, then focusing on IIFT for a week, and then shifting onto SNAP. All entrance exams have their own parameters and structure, so you have to adjust your game for each one.
Dr Rav Singh: Let’s focus on those crucial 10 days after your IIFT exam around December 6th. What exactly did you do?
Vikas: December 6th was my rest day. From December 7th, I started with two mocks per day for SNAP and analyzed them thoroughly. I focused on timing, identifying my weak topics, and finalizing my sectional strategy.
Dr Rav Singh: Two mocks every day is a very good strategy. So you covered about 15-16 mocks. What was the most important thing you learned from analyzing those mocks?
Vikas: The most important thing was setting a trigger time: 15 seconds for a question. If I wasn’t able to solve a question in 15 seconds, I had to move on immediately. In SNAP, you simply don’t have time to overthink things.
Dr Rav Singh: That 15-second rule is excellent for SNAP. What was your final sectional attempt order?
Vikas: My strategy was: Quants first, then Logical Reasoning (LR), and then Verbal. Quants was my strongest section, so I led with that.
Dr Rav Singh: Did you stick to only one attempt of SNAP? That seems risky, given the variability.
Vikas: It was a conscious decision. One thing was that the exams were expensive for me at that time. The other was that I was confident enough to clear it in one attempt, and I had XLRI (XAT) coming up next, so I needed to focus on that next big exam.
Dr Rav Singh: You mentioned leaving questions after 15 seconds. Did you manage to come back to those tough questions later?
Vikas: Yes, definitely. In quick exams, you have to pivot. You can’t solve everything when you first see it. Sometimes, you read a question, move on, and then an idea or another method clicks in your subconscious mind. When you come back later, you can solve it.
Dr Rav Singh: Moving to the GDPI preparation, what was your main focus or “mojo factor”?
Vikas: For me, the main factor was reading The Hindu every day. I kept three months of newspaper clippings with me and used to shuffle through them. You have to read up on everything that’s currently going on, like the Quad topic at that time.
Dr Rav Singh: You also mentioned making notes and highlights. Did you rely on reading alone?
Vikas: Yes, I made notes. Reading the newspaper every day gives you the necessary content and fluency for speaking on those topics in the interview. You can watch videos, but that won’t give you the same fluency unless you read.
Dr Rav Singh: Final question: You attempted all 60 questions, taking calculated risks. When did you decide to use intelligent guessing?
Vikas: Yeah, I took intelligent guesses when I was down to the last two options. This was primarily in the Verbal section. It’s a personal call, but if you have a strong intuition, it’s worth the risk.
Dr Rav Singh: Vikas, all the best. Thank you.
Vikas: Thank you, Sir.
