Every year after the CAT results are announced, thousands of MBA aspirants face the same confusion:

“I didn’t get IIM calls… Should I drop one year and repeat CAT, or take admission this year?”

This is one of the most important career decisions you will ever make.
A wrong decision can cost 1 full year + opportunity cost + mental stress, while a correct decision can save your career timeline.

In this article, we will help you decide logically — not emotionally.

First Understand One Reality About CAT

CAT is not a normal exam.
It is a percentile-based competitive exam.

Even if you improve your score next year, your percentile may not improve much because:

Competition changes every year
Paper difficulty changes
Sectional performance varies

Many students think:

“Next year I will definitely score 99 percentile.”

But statistically, the jump is not easy.

Example:

80 → 90 percentile = possible
90 → 95 percentile = difficult
95 → 99 percentile = extremely difficult

That is why repeating CAT blindly is risky.

When You SHOULD Repeat CAT

You should seriously consider repeating CAT only if most of the following are true:

1. Your Percentile is Below 80

This usually means:

Concept clarity is weak
Preparation was incomplete
You started late

One more serious attempt with proper planning can drastically improve your score.

2. You Prepared Less Than 3–4 Months

If your preparation was rushed (placements, college exams, internship), then your CAT attempt was not a real attempt.

In this case, a repeat attempt makes sense.

3. You Have a Clear Preparation Plan

You must have:

Coaching or mentorship
Daily study schedule (3–5 hrs)
40+ mock test plan
Sectional strategy

Without a structured plan, a drop year becomes a wasted year.

4. You Are Targeting Top IIMs / FMS Only

If your only goal is:

IIM ABC
FMS Delhi
SPJIMR

Then repeating CAT can be justified.

When You SHOULD NOT Repeat CAT

Most students actually fall in this category.

1. You Already Have 90+ Percentile

This is the biggest mistake aspirants make.

At 90–95 percentile, you already have very good colleges:

IMI
IMT
GIM
Great Lakes
KJ Somaiya
TAPMI
Welingkar
Fore School of Management

Repeating CAT here is risky because:
You may score the same… or even lower next year.

2. You Are Getting Tier-2 Good Colleges

Remember an important truth:

MBA success depends more on skills and internships than the college name (after a certain level).

A good Tier-2 MBA + strong profile + internships
often beats a drop year with uncertainty.

3. You Cannot Study Seriously for 8–10 Months

Many students say they will study — but after 2 months:

motivation drops
procrastination starts
preparation becomes inconsistent

A drop year without discipline becomes a career gap in your resume.

4. You Are Mentally Exhausted

CAT preparation is stressful:
Mocks, sectional tests, pressure, comparison.

If you already feel burnt out, repeating CAT can negatively affect confidence and mental health.

The Biggest Factor Students Ignore: Opportunity Cost

Let’s calculate:

If you join MBA this year:

You graduate 1 year earlier
You start earning 1 year earlier

Average MBA starting salary: ₹10–15 LPA

By repeating CAT, you are risking losing ₹10–15 lakh of income + 1 year of experience.

This is called opportunity cost.

Better Alternatives Instead of Repeating CAT

If you didn’t get desired IIMs, you still have excellent options:

1. Other MBA Entrance Exams

You can target:

XAT
CMAT
SNAP
NMAT
MAH MBA CET

Many top colleges accept these exams and competition is lower than CAT.

2. Join MBA + Reattempt CAT (Smart Strategy)

This is the smartest option many toppers use:

Take admission in a decent MBA college
Prepare alongside first year
Attempt CAT again

If you convert a better college → upgrade
If not → you already have a safe career path.

Quick Decision Guide

Your Situation	What You Should Do
Below 80 percentile	Repeat CAT
80–90 percentile	Case dependent
90–95 percentile	Join a good college
95+ percentile but no IIM	Prefer joining good Tier-1.5 college
No preparation this year	Repeat CAT with full plan

Final Advice

Do not chase only the IIM tag.

Your career depends on:

Skills
Communication
Internships
Networking
Consistency

Not only on repeating an exam.

A good MBA done now is often better than a perfect MBA delayed by one year.

Conclusion

Repeating CAT is not wrong — but repeating without strategy is dangerous.

Ask yourself honestly:

Am I improving my preparation quality?
Or am I just trying to “fix a bad result”?

If you can guarantee disciplined preparation → repeat CAT.
If not → choose the best available college and move forward.

Because in management careers, time matters as much as college.

S5vXv7Ltp64?si=L5RM90xFU2TxzlU-

Should I Repeat CAT Exam or Choose the Best Possible MBA Option?