Ojsya Chugh

My preparation journey was a gradual one. It was tough at times, but it was also enjoyable, largely because of the people I met and the connections I made along the way.

One moment that stands out particularly clearly is from my journey with IIM Bangalore UGAT. When I started preparing, I scored just 36 percentile in Quantitative Aptitude. It was difficult to look at that number and imagine how much it could change.

But with gradual and consistent work, it did.

By my last entrance examination, I scored a 96 percentile in Quantitative Aptitude. I didn't get a call from that particular IIM, but that score meant something to me beyond the result. It showed me that even when you feel like you're stuck or not making progress, growth can still be happening underneath the surface.

Preparation also came with its share of setbacks. Missing cutoffs by a whisker or facing failure in competitive examinations can be difficult to process. But each of those experiences made me a little more resilient and taught me to always look at the brighter side of life.

Today, I think the biggest thing I carry forward from that phase is a never-give-up attitude. I learnt that falling short of a goal doesn't necessarily mean you've failed. Sometimes, the growth you make along the way is itself the achievement.

And sometimes, you only realise how far you've come when you look back at where you started.